Don’t Buy Seasoning Package! Try These Homemade Mexican Seasonings Instead!

If you like Mexican cuisine, and love to make ones at home, then you will need homemade Mexican seasoning. It is a savior and will save you time during cooking.

The recipes we provide below are easy to make and most of them are versatile. You can use the seasoning in many Mexican cuisines.

Mexican Seasoning Recipes You Need To Know

Mexican Spice Blend

This seasoning is not the same as taco seasoning. The taco seasoning is milder and it contains chipotle chile pepper and ancho powder. The ancho powder has a milder heat and smokey flavor. It is made of poblano peppers. The spicy kicks of the seasoning come from the chili flakes.

What if there is no ancho powder? Don’t worry! It is replaceable. You can use sweet smokey paprika powder. Keep in mind that in many Mexican seasonings, you will need some types of chiles whether it is a hot one like chipotle chiles or ancho chile for the milder version.

In this recipe, you can use certain types of chiles such as:

• Pasilla powder – It is black raisin that is turned into powder. It has a red color, but deeper. The dried version is called Chilaca chile.
• Chipotle powder – It has medium heat with a smokey flavor. It has chocolatey color. For the flavor, it has more heat than others.
• Ancho powder – It is made from poblano peppers which have a mild flavor.
• Mulato – It is similar to ancho powder which is made of Capsicum and poblanos chiles.
• Guajillo powder – It is mildly hot and has a bright-red color with a smokey flavor.

This recipe doesn’t use a lot of cumin. Cumin can overpower the spice. In this case, you want all ingredients to complement each other. Later, if you want a smokey flavor, you can add more sweet smokey paprika or ancho powder.

To use this seasoning, make sure to start small. Use a small amount and then add more until it reaches the desired flavor.

How to store the seasoning?

It is better to store the seasoning in a glass or spice jar. Or, you can use plastic food containers. Just store it in a dry-dark pantry or kitchen cabinet.

Avoid the spice mix from the stove, heat sources, or sunny places because it will worsen the spice mix’s taste and texture. For example, if you store the spice blend in the sunlight, it will change color and turn hard.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1/4 cup ancho powder (or you can use sweet smokey paprika powder if you do not have it)
• 11/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground chipotle chili pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp dried oregano leaves
• 1 tsp coriander (optional)

Instructions

• Carefully measure all the ingredients. Then, add them in a mixing bowl.
• Stir the ingredients well until combined. You can use a blender to get a better result. Pulse 3-4 times.
• Store the seasoning in the container
• The seasoning is ready to use.

Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning

Who doesn’t love tacos? It is delicious and comforting. By using this recipe, you can make various taco dishes.

This taco seasoning can last up to 6 months if you store it properly. Store the seasoning in a cool and dry place. Use an airtight container to store the seasoning.

The great thing about making your taco seasoning is you can adjust how strong the flavor you want.

Ingredients

• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 11/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

• Mix all the ingredients until combined. Then transfer it to the airtight container.
• To use this seasoning, use 2 tablespoons in a pound of ground turkey (or any meat). If you want a stronger flavor, double it. Adjust the flavor as you like. You can add 1/2 cup of water to the seasoning and the meat so the meat will stay moist.

Nacho Seasoning Recipe

Nacho seasoning mix you buy at the grocery store can be convenient. However, it might contain unnecessary elements for example more sodium and even sugar.

Making homemade nacho seasoning is very easy. Furthermore, the Mexican seasoning is very flavorful without being too spicy.

Ingredients

• Garlic flakes
• Cumin
• Thyme
• Chili powder
• Onion powder
• Cilantro
• Onion flakes

Instructions

• Add an equal amount of onion flakes and chili powder in a bowl. We used 1/2 cup for each chili powder and onion flakes. Don’t worry about chili powder, it is not so spicy. If you want more spicy, red pepper will do the job. If you don’t like onion flakes, you can reduce the amount to around 2 tablespoons and then substitute it with onion powder.
• Next, add 4 tablespoons of garlic flakes and cilantro. Each of them is 4 tablespoons.
• Add 2 tablespoons of thyme and 2 tablespoons of cumin. Stir until combined.
• Next, transfer the seasoning into a jar or airtight container so the seasoning will stay fresh.

Mexican Chorizo Seasoning

The chorizo seasoning is perfect for ground beef or pork. The spice mix will have mild heat, but if you want a stronger one, you can add red chili pepper. Besides ground beef and chorizo, it is perfect for vegetarian chorizo and also black beans. The best thing about the recipe is it is gluten-free and sugar-free.

Chorizo is one of the most popular breakfasts during weekends among Mexicans. It tastes perfectly delicious when it is combined with tortillas and eggs.

So what is the difference between Mexican chorizo and Spanish chorizo? Spanish chorizo focuses more on the heavy paprika and sausage, while the Mexican version is not. So, check the recipe below!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp paprika (not smoked)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp red chili pepper flakes
• 1 tsp granulated garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Mexican oregano (if you don’t have it, you can replace it with Turkish one)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Instructions

• Combine all the dried ingredients in a bowl. Stir them until well combined. You can directly use it or store the mix.
• To properly store the mix, place it in an airtight jar, for example, a mason jar. It will last up to 6 months when it is placed in a dried-dark place.

Usage direction:

You can use 1/4 cup of chorizo seasoning in a pound of meat or other protein ingredients.

Fajita Seasoning Mix

This fajita seasoning mix is perfect for beef or chicken fajitas. Since it doesn’t use bouillon cubes, it is also perfect to use for vegetarians too.

This recipe is made of simple Mexican spices for example chili powder and cumin. These ingredients are combined with additional elements like paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, and so on. This spice mix is quite spicy because of cayenne pepper and chili powder. To make it milder, you can use white sugar.

What is the difference between fajita seasoning and taco seasoning?

Both seasonings look similar, but technically not the same. The taco spice mix has more chili powder and oregano compared to the fajita. However, you still can use fajita seasoning for taco and vice versa. It will just create a little different flavor.

Why should I make my fajita seasoning mix?

It is better than buying from the store. First, you can adjust what you want to include in the seasoning. Even, you can completely omit the element or substitute it with others if you want to. Besides, creating your fajita seasoning mix is way cheaper in the long run.

To store the fajita seasoning, you can just store it in an airtight container and place it in a dry place, far from sunlight. For example, you can store it in the pantry or cabinet.

This fajita seasoning recipe can be used for beef or steak fajitas. Even, using it for vegetable fajitas is also fine. If you want to upgrade your dish, you can use this spice for fajita quesadillas too.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground paprika
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

• Add chili powder, cornstarch, paprika, onion powder, sugar, salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin in a bowl. Stir the ingredients until well combined.
• You can use the seasoning mix immediately or store it in an airtight jar.

FAQs

What Are The Mexican Spices?

Mexican spices are very diverse. Garlic and onions are the important keys in this case along with other Mexican spices such as Mexican oregano, thyme, coriander, cacao, cumin, and Mexican cinnamon.

What is one of the most famous Mexican seasonings?

One of the most famous Mexican seasonings is tajin (pronounced “ta heen”). It is made of lime, sea salt, and chili powders along with other ingredients.

Does Mexican Food Only Have Spicy Flavor?

Mexican food is well-known for being spicy, hot, and fattening. However, Mexican food is broad and consists of a huge number of dishes. Many of them have a mild flavor and are healthy.