Home Taco Seasoning Recipe
Ready to level up your Taco Tuesday? This homemade taco seasoning has a secret ingredient that makes it taste even better than the store-bought packets you grew up with. If you’ve been disappointed with homemade taco seasoning recipes before, this one is going to be a game-changer!
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Have you ever tried making your own taco seasoning at home and thought, “Something’s missing…”? Well, you’re not alone!
I kept running into the same problem until I figured out the trick: nutritional yeast!
It might sound a little weird at first, but trust me. Nutritional yeast is the magic ingredient that takes you from “This tastes kiiiind of like a taco seasoning packet…” to “This tastes exactly like the taco seasoning packets I grew up eating, maybe even better!”.
Many taco seasoning brands often list “yeast extract” in their ingredients, which creates that deep savory umami flavor I was missing in other DIY taco seasonings. Nutritional yeast, a common staple for plant-based kitchens and an easy ingredient you can find at most grocery stores, fits the bill!
Additionally, many manufacturers use cornstarch in their spice blends which acts as a sauce thickener to add both texture and flavor to your meals. Similarly, when nutritional yeast is blended into a powder like we do in this recipe, it becomes a natural sauce thickener (much like it does in our viral homemade bouillon powder!), giving your taco fillings that perfect saucy texture.
Have I convinced you yet? Good. Let’s make taco seasoning!
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Easy Taco Seasoning Ingredients
Beyond the flavor upgrade, making your own vegan taco seasoning is far more budget-friendly than buying individual packets, especially if you buy your spices in bulk!
For this vegan taco mix, we used:
- Nutritional yeast – If you aren’t already familiar, nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that has a savory, nutty, umami flavor. You can find it at many US grocery stores, in most health food stores, or online! Anthony’s Nutritional Yeast Flakes are a popular brand you can find on Amazon.
- Chili powder
- Ground cumin
- Onion powder
- Salt – You can reduce or omit the salt if you want a no salt homemade taco seasoning.
- Garlic powder
- Dried oregano
- Paprika – Use smoked paprika if you want to add some smoky vibes!
- Ground coriander
- Sugar – This might be another surprising ingredient, but trust us on this one. Just like we learned when creating our copycat Red Robin Seasoning recipe: When you add a tiny bit of sugar to a savory seasoning, it makes all the flavors pop! Feel free to sub coconut sugar if that’s more your thing.
Variations
This dairy free taco seasoning is endlessly customizable. You can make it spicier, saltier, cheesier…whatever your taste buds are craving!
- Spicy Taco Seasoning: This recipe makes a mild homemade taco seasoning. Want it spicier? Add 1-2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Cheesy Taco Seasoning: Craving that cheesy flavor like those packets of Old El Paso Cheesy Taco Seasoning? Add 1-2 Tbsp of Panacheeza’s hot and spicy flavor of vegan parmesan. I know parmesan might sound weird here, but trust us on this one. We discovered Panacheeza at Plant-Based World Expo last year, and their hot & spicy variety is absolutely perfect for this.
How to Make the Best Homemade Taco Seasoning
Making your own taco seasoning couldn’t be easier. Just toss all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until everything is totally combined and the nutritional yeast flakes are broken down into a fine, powdery texture.
This quick blitz not only smooths out the mix, but it helps distribute all those spices evenly, giving you perfect flavor in every sprinkle.
If you already have powdered nutritional yeast (instead of flakes), you may be able to skip the food processor step, though we still recommend it for an even blend! Personally, the food processor mixes the spices better than I ever could by hand.
Store your homemade taco seasoning in a jar or airtight container in a cool, dry spot (like your spice cabinet) for up to a year.
This recipe makes about 14 Tbsp of seasoning, and you’ll use about 2-3 Tbsp to replace one (1-oz) packet of commercial taco seasoning.
What to Make with Your Homemade Taco Seasoning
This vegan taco seasoning is perfect for all your taco, burrito, nacho, quesadilla, and chili needs!
Here are a few recipes on our site you might like to try it out with:
- Soy Curl Taco Chicken
- Tofu Tacos – recipe coming soon!
- Vegan Taco Dip
- Jackfruit Carnitas
- Vegan Enchilada Casserole
- Soy Curl Fajitas
- Jackfruit Taquitos
- Tequila Lime Tofu
- Use it to replace the chili seasoning called for in our vegan chili recipe
It even works beautifully sprinkled onto roasted veggies, air fryer potato wedges, or stirred into your favorite vegan queso!
More Homemade Seasonings
⭐️ If you make this homemade taco seasoning, don’t forget to leave a star rating and review!
We absolutely love hearing what you think, and your feedback helps more people find and enjoy our recipes too! 🌮
Happy cooking!
DIY Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 2 Tbsp ground cumin
- 2 Tbsp onion powder
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 ½ tsp sugar
Instructions
- Add everything to a food processor and pulse until totally combined and the nutritional yeast is a powdery texture.
- Use 2-3 Tbsp of this to replace 1 (1-oz) packet of commercial taco seasoning
Video
Notes
Storage
Store your homemade taco seasoning in a jar or airtight container in a cool, dry spot (like your spice cabinet) for up to a year.Tips
- If you already have powdered nutritional yeast (instead of flakes), you may be able to skip the food processor step, though we still recommend it for an even blend!
Variations
- Spicy Taco Seasoning: This recipe makes a mild homemade taco seasoning. Want it spicier? Add 1-2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Cheesy Taco Seasoning: Craving that cheesy flavor like those packets of Old El Paso Cheesy Taco Seasoning? Add 1-2 Tbsp of Panacheeza’s hot and spicy flavor of vegan parmesan you can find at Whole Foods.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Nutritional yeast – If you aren’t already familiar, nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that has a savory, nutty, umami flavor. You can find it at many US grocery stores, in most health food stores, or online! Anthony’s Nutritional Yeast Flakes are a popular brand you can find on Amazon.
- Sugar – This might be another surprising ingredient, but when you add a tiny bit of sugar to a savory seasoning, it makes all the flavors pop! Feel free to sub coconut sugar if that’s more your thing.
