Homemade Taco Seasoning (Better Than the Old El Paso Packet)

One batch — five minutes, one bowl, a whisk — makes the exact equivalent of one Old El Paso Original Taco Seasoning packet for one pound of ground beef. No maltodextrin fillers, no silicon dioxide anti-caking agents, and about half the sodium. The spice flavor is noticeably brighter because you’re starting with pure ground spices instead of a processed blend that has been in a supply chain for months.

The Blend (One Batch = One Packet, Serves 4)

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional — omit for mild, double for hot)

Whisk everything together in a small bowl. Done.

How to Use It

Ground beef tacos (the classic): Brown 1 lb 80/20 ground beef over medium-high heat in a skillet. Drain excess fat. Add the full spice batch and stir to coat — cook the seasoning in the dry pan with the beef for 60 seconds. Add ⅔ cup water. Simmer uncovered 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and clings to the meat. Serves 4 with 8 tacos.

That 60-second dry bloom before adding water is the step most home cooks skip. Heat activates the fat-soluble compounds in chili powder and cumin and produces the toasty depth that separates genuinely good taco meat from a flat one.

Why This Beats the Packet

The Old El Paso Original packet ingredient label (as of 2026) reads: chili pepper, maltodextrin, salt, spices, modified corn starch, silicon dioxide. Maltodextrin is a processed sugar filler. Modified corn starch is a thickener. Silicon dioxide is an anti-caking agent. These aren’t harmful — but they dilute the spice concentration and push the sodium up. The Old El Paso packet delivers approximately 280mg of sodium per two-teaspoon serving — and the packet contains six such servings — so the full packet adds roughly 1,680mg of sodium to the pound of meat it seasons, or about 420mg per person in a four-serving batch.

The homemade version starts from pure spices. You control the salt. You can cut it to 250mg per serving or leave it out entirely and season at the table. The blend costs about 12 cents per batch versus 89 cents to $1.50 for a packet.

Storage and Scaling

Make a 4x batch (roughly ¾ cup) and store in a small jar. Ground spices hold good flavor for 6 months. Pre-measure 3 tablespoons into small zipper bags if you want packet-style convenience. Label the jar with the date — spices don’t go bad, but they lose potency.

4x batch (stores well):

• ¼ cup chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 4 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 4 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons fine salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Put It to Work

This blend is the backbone of a proper Tex-Mex spread. Build a full taco night around it:

• Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa — season shredded beef for taco bar upgrades
• Copycat Chipotle Guacamole — the fresh, chunky topping that finishes every taco
• Chili’s Skillet Queso — a warm cheese dip to serve alongside