Wednesday, January 4, 2012

DIY Taco Seasoning

Making your own ingredients is not only a great way to save money, it also allows you to tailor the ingredient to your tastes! One of the most common ingredients we make ourselves is Taco Seasoning. You can buy the little packets at the grocery store for $1 or so, depending on brand. However, with those prepackaged seasonings, you are typically getting far more sodium and other preservatives than necessary. If you have a well-stocked cabinet, you likely have all the spices to make your own seasoning on hand. This is the recipe I typically use for taco seasoning and it makes enough for around one pound of ground beef, or whatever meat you choose. Like I said before, customization is one of the key benefits to making your own ingredients. What I've listed below is the proportions and spices that I prefer, but feel free to make changes to fit your likes!

1 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 ½ Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Sea Salt
1 Tsp Black Pepper
1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 Tsp Paprika
1/4 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper
1/4 Tsp Onion Powder
1/4 Tsp Oregano
1/2 Cup water

All you do is toss all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. I toss the seasoning over the cooked beef and add 1/2 cup of water, then let it simmer until the liquid reduces a bit. Then it's ready to go! Super easy and delicious! 

1 comment:

~Julia said...

I'm all about easy! You're right- you often don't know what exactly is in the packets that you are using. I'll have to try this!!