Step Up Your Taco Game | Mom Thyme

Does your family love weekly taco night as much as mine does? If the answer is yes, keep on reading, as I’ve got a great recipe just for you! Like most busy moms, I try my best to cook healthy meals for my family. Over the past year (and, since my little one started eating solid foods), I’ve made a conscious effort to read the food labels of all that we’re eating. Since doing so, I have to admit, I’m pretty appalled at some of the things I’d been feeding my family! 

One item in particular was that innocent looking packet of Taco Seasoning Mix that I’d been adding to our ground beef/ground turkey/shredded chicken for tacos each week (you know the one, you sprinkle it on your browned meat and just add water). Listed right there on the back of the packet were some super scary ingredients like Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Silicon Dioxide (an anticaking agent), and Ethoxyquin (a preservative). After seeing this, I became determined to find a healthier alternative that would taste just as good as or better than that little packet of Taco Seasoning Mix…and, I soon did! 

Below is the fantastic recipe I discovered on www.allrecipes.com, it uses many spices you already have in your pantry and you get to control the sodium content by adding as little or as much salt as you’d like. This Taco Seasoning mix has a shelf life of up to a year or more (check the expiration date on your spices) so triple or quadruple the recipe to have all the ease and convenience of the packet without all the unwanted chemicals and preservatives! Enjoy!

Taco Seasoning  

Makes 1 Ounce

1 tablespoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon paprika

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container.

Note: 

3 tablespoons seasoning mixture is the equivalent of one 1.25 oz. packet. Use 3 tablespoons Taco Seasoning for every 1 pound of meat. 

If you want a thicker sauce, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or 2 tablespoons of flour to the seasoning mixture, mix with browned meat and add 2/3 cup water.  Let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

*Picture from allrecipes.com