Vegan taco seasoning is an incredibly simple recipe and offers complete control over the ingredients used. This recipe is “free from” most ingredients that that may be a concern for some, except it does contain salt (which can be adjusted to taste).
Sign up for the Veg Out newsletter to get vegan recipes and nutrition content from a Registered Dietitian!
This post contains affiliate links (including Amazon Associates) and I earn from qualifying purchases.
Is Taco Seasoning Vegan?
A few pre-made taco seasoning mixes are vegan friendly however it’s always important to read labels as a vegan.
Milk ingredients can easily creep into just about anything and taco seasoning is no exception.
Even though it’s easy to find store bought taco seasoning options, I’ve always opted to make my own at home. It’s a quick and simple process with many benefits!
Benefits of Homemade Taco Seasoning
The primary benefit of making anything homemade is you have full control over the ingredients used. There’s nothing wrong with using pre-made seasoning blends but making your own has some great benefits:
- Control over the salt content
- Control the spice level (mild, medium, spicy, extra hot)
- It’s cheaper (especially if you buy spices in bulk/ on sale)
- Seasoning is more flavorful (many store bought options have fillers ex. cornstarch)
Overall, I love making homemade seasoning blends. I haven’t bought taco seasoning mix since creating this recipe back in 2016!
Gluten Free Options
Finding gluten free taco seasoning options may be harder compared to finding vegan ones.
Many store bought taco seasonings come with some type of filler and often thickening ingredients. While this is often corn starch (or similar) which is often gluten free, the added ingredients may contain gluten.
Unless the packaging specifies gluten free, it’s usually best to contact the manufacturer directly (or check their website) for the best information.
A major reason spices and seasonings aren’t labeled gluten free is they may have come in contact with equipment that also process gluten (cross contamination). For most people, this isn’t a concern as the product itself doesn’t contain gluten; but for those with allergies or medical conditions, this may not be acceptable.
Reduced concern over cross contamination is yet another benefit of making seasoning blends at home!
Make it Healthier
A common motivation for making anything at home is to create something healthier than what can be found pre-packaged at a store.
While there’s nothing wrong with consuming pre-packaged foods, they are often high in salt. The average person likely doesn’t need too much extra salt in their diet (unless otherwise told by a doctor).
If low salt taco seasoning is important to you, the salt in this recipe can be left out or reduced to meet your taste and sodium requirements.
Bulk Taco Seasoning
Whenever I make this recipe, it’s always in bulk. Spices and seasoning blends can last for months in air tight containers or jars which makes bulk preparation the best choice!
For this recipe, I typically quadruple it, or more (multiply everything by 4, sometimes even 5). I measure everything out into a medium sized jar (1/2 L or 2 C). Once the spices are in, I place the lid on, shake it up and have a delicious, customized taco seasoning that last for months!
For convenience, here is the recipe doubled, tripled and quadrupled.
Double Batch
- 4 tbsp chili powder
- 6 tsp (2 tbsp) ground cumin seed
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dry oregano
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
Triple Batch
- 6 tbsp chili powder
- 9 tsp (3 tbsp) ground cumin seed
- 3 tsp (1 tbsp) paprika
- 3 tsp (1 tbsp) garlic powder
- 3 tsp (1 tbsp) dry oregano
- 3 tsp (1 tbsp) salt
- 3 tsp (1 tbsp) ground black pepper
Quadruple Batch
- 8 tbsp chili powder
- 12 tsp (4 tbsp) ground cumin seed
- 4 tsp (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) paprika
- 4 tsp (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) garlic powder
- 4 tsp (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) dry oregano
- 4 tsp (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) salt
- 4 tsp (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) ground black pepper
How to Use Homemade Taco Seasoning
This seasoning is used to create loads of delicious recipes!
Some of my favourites are:
The possibilities are endless!
Let me know in the comments below your favourite way to use taco seasoning.
If you make this recipe, or something tasty with it, and share on social media, be sure to tag me @lettucevegout because I’d love to see your creations!
Vegan Taco Seasoning
Equipment
- Jar(s)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin seed
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dry oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Measure out the spices into a jar and mix. Store in an air tight container for later use.
Notes
Nutrition
Join the Community for Vegan Recipes
This is an updated post. Original post date September 2016.
Vegan Fish Tacos Recipe | Battered Tempeh “Fish” with Vegan Baja Sauce
Leave a Reply