Vegan taco seasoning is an incredibly simple and inexpensive recipe to make. It’s perfect with Mexican-inspired meals, providing a balance of herbs, spices and salt that enhances flavor.
While many people like the convenience of store-bought taco seasoning blends, I love to create my own and control the ingredients used. Not only do I enjoy the taste better, but it’s also a great way to ensure its vegan and gluten free.
Skill: Easy | Time: 5 min | Servings: 6
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Is Taco Seasoning Vegan?
Most store-bought or homemade taco seasonings are vegan since their blend of spices do not contain dairy or other animal-based ingredients. This isn’t to say all are vegan, so be sure to check the ingredients list if you purchase one. Milk ingredients are commonly added to packaged food (for no good reason I can think of).
However, packaged taco seasoning mixes may be processed in the same facilities where wheat and other gluten-containing ingredients are used. If keeping your taco seasoning gluten free is important, you may want to create a homemade mix.
By making your own taco seasoning from simple spices, you can ensure that the final mix is both dairy free and gluten free.
Ingredients and Substitutions for a Tasty Vegan Taco Seasoning Mix
The blend of herbs and spices I recommend for an amazingly flavorful taco seasoning includes:
- Chili powder: Used more than any other ingredient, chili powder creates a deliciously heated flavor that can’t be skipped. Like all ingredients, you may choose to adjust to your heat tolerance, but lots of chili powder makes for an unforgettable taco seasoning.
- Ground cumin seed: For a warm, earthy aroma and slightly smoky taste, some ground cumin seed goes a long way!
- Paprika: Bringing vibrant red color without any additional heat (if using a “regular” sweet paprika), paprika helps pack in more flavor.
- Garlic powder: Since all my recipes include either onion, garlic or both, I can’t help but using garlic in this seasoning blend.
- Dried oregano: For extra flavor, dried oregano’s fragrant aroma is also a huge boost to this taco seasoning recipe.
- Salt: Salt helps to enhance and round out all the other flavors of this herb and spice blend. It’s an easy ingredient to add to taste.
- Black pepper: Ground pepper is another wonderful flavor booster that also packs some antioxidants!
How to Prepare Homemade Taco Seasoning: Instructions and Tips
This recipe couldn’t be any simpler to make at home. Just find a small or medium-sized jar (depending on how much taco seasoning you want to make), measure in the ingredients, then shake!
Step 1: Measure Spices into Jar
The most convenient way to always have vegan taco seasoning available is to keep a jar of it in your spice cupboard. Whenever I make taco seasoning, I make it directly in a jar to save time and dishes!
Once you’ve found a jar or container, measure the ingredients in.
Step 2: Shake and Serve
Other than easy storage, one of the key benefits of measuring ingredients directly into a jar is that you can shake it to mix all your herbs and spices! Secure a lid on your jar and shake for up to 10 seconds to ensure everything is well combined.
Now you’re ready to serve! This seasoning is great to use in many recipes, so check out the list below to get some inspiration for how to use this homemade taco seasoning blend.
How to Serve this Recipe: Create a Balanced Vegan Meal
Pre-made taco seasoning is the perfect, quick addition to many dishes! It adds a delicious flavor to whatever you use it for.
As this is simply a spice blend, it doesn’t provide too much nutrition, apart from the antioxidants in the herbs and spices as well as salt. While there are concerns around high salt intakes, when cooking from scratch at home, it becomes more difficult to overdo the salt. Feel free to adjust to your taste and dietary needs and preferences.
Add this seasoning to any recipe that needs a boost of flavor. When creating a balanced meal, aim to include lots of veggies (and/ or fruits), plant-based protein, carbohydrates (from whole grains or starchy vegetables) and some healthy fats.
Some of my favorite vegan meals to use this recipe in include:
Common Variations: How to Make this Taco Seasoning Your Own
The two most common variations people want to try when making their own taco seasoning are adjusting salt and chili powder to taste. This recipe contains a balanced amount of each, meaning it won’t be too spicy or salty for those who are sensitive to either.
However, you may want to increase the amount of chili powder (up to 2 tbsp more) or increase/decrease the salt content as you wish. I used to include more salt in this recipe but started to find that the foods I used it in were very salty, so I reduced and now use it as my standard recipe.
I recommend making the recipe as-is to start with, then adjust to your taste preferences as you become more comfortable making vegan taco seasoning for yourself.
How to Scale and Store Bulk Taco Seasoning
One of the most valuable benefits of making your own vegan taco seasoning is that you can make large batches. This way you’ll always have lots around for quick and easy use.
While you can scale-up the recipe as needed, here’s the measurements needed to double, triple or quadruple my standard taco mix.
Double Batch
- 4 tbsp chili powder
- 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
- 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
- 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
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you make it, please rate and comment below so others benefit from your experience.
Nutritious Vegan Meals that use Taco Seasoning
Vegan Taco Seasoning (Dairy + Gluten Free)
Equipment
- Jar(s) with lid
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 black pepper
Instructions
- Measure all spices into a jar.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 black pepper
- Secure a tight-fitting lid onto the jar and shake to mix.
- Store in an airtight container for later use.
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