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Home > Vegan Recipes

Vegan Taco Seasoning Recipe

8/10/21 by Nicole | Leave a Comment

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5 from 7 votes. Leave a review!

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.

Close up of a small round jar filled with dark red taco seasoning with a metal measuring spoon sitting in the jar. Two dry red chili peppers sit in the bottom left corner of image.

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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.

Square glass jar filled with taco seasoning mix tipped on it's side with seasoning spilling out onto the marble countertop below. Two dry red chillies to the left along with a metal measuring spoonful of seasoning in bottom left corner. Small wood bowl filled with seasoning in top right corner.

Ingredients 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!
Top view of 6 small wood dishes each filled with spices. From top left working right and down: chili powder, ground cumin, oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper (in same dish).

How to Prepare Homemade Taco Seasoning

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.

Top view of a small wood dish with bright red paprika in it, held up over a square glass jar that is slightly blurred and filled with a brown-colored spice. White-grey marble background.

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.

Hand holding a square glass jar with bright red lid that has dark red and brown spices in it. Hand and jar are slightly blurred, in motion as the jar is being shaken.

Use Taco Seasoning in Vegan Recipes

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.

Small wood bowl with heaping pile of taco seasoning in it with a ring of excess seasoning on the marble background around the wood dish. A small metal measuring spoonful of seasoning blurred in front of the wood dish with a couple dry red chili peppers in back left corner.

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:

  • Lentil walnut taco “meat”
  • Textured vegetable protein (TVP) tacos
  • Vegan quinoa tacos
  • Cheeseless quesadillas
  • Burrito bowls
  • Sweet potato nacho fries
  • Portobello “steak” fajitas
  • Sweet potato and kale burritos

Common Variations: Make this Recipe 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 tablespoons 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.

Close up of a heaping glass jar filled with dark red taco seasoning mix. Two dry red chili peppers sit blurred in the back left corner.

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.

IngredientDoubleTripleQuadruple
Chili powder¼ cup6 tablespoons½ cup
Ground cumin seed2 tablespoons¼ cup6 tablespoons
Paprika2 teaspoons4 teaspoons2 tablespoons
Garlic powder2 teaspoons4 teaspoons2 tablespoons
Dry oregano2 teaspoons4 teaspoons2 tablespoons
Salt2 teaspoons4 teaspoons2 tablespoons
Ground black pepper2 teaspoons4 teaspoons2 tablespoons

If you make this recipe, please rate and comment below to help others benefit from your experience!

Square cropped image of a close up of a small round jar filled with dark red taco seasoning with a metal measuring spoon sitting in the jar.

Vegan Taco Seasoning

This vegan taco seasoning recipe pairs perfectly with any Mexican-inspired dish! Make as-is or control the amount of each ingredient you use to desired taste. It’s never been cheaper or easier to always have taco seasoning on hand!
5 from 7 votes. Leave a review!
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Prep Time 5 mins
Total Time 5 mins
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 16 kcal
Cuisine Mexican-inspired, Vegan

Equipment

  • Jar(s) with lid

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin seed
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dry oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
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Instructions

  • Measure all spices into a jar.
    2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon ground cumin seed, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dry oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • Secure a tight-fitting lid onto the jar and shake to mix.
  • Store in an airtight container for later use.

Video

Notes

Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.
For a spicy taco seasoning add 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste). 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Serving (⅙ of recipe)Calories: 16 kcalCarbohydrates: 3 gProtein: 1 gFat: 1 gSodium: 466 mgPotassium: 92 mgFiber: 1 gVitamin A: 994 IUCalcium: 24 mgIron: 1 mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Vegan Condiment Recipes

Like this recipe? You should also try:

  • Cashew Mayonnaise Recipe (Vegan)
  • Vegan Chipotle Mayo (Aioli) Recipe
  • Vegan Caramelized Onions Recipe
  • Vegan Parmesan Cheese Recipe

About Nicole Stevens

Nicole is a vegan Registered Dietitian (RD) and founder of Lettuce Veg Out.

She helps people thrive on a vegan diet with balanced recipes and easy-to-understand nutrition science.


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Hi, I'm Nicole! As a vegan Registered Dietitian, I empower vegans to live a balanced life and gain confidence in the kitchen.

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