Paleo taco seasoning is one of the ingenious ways to eat tasty food even while subscribing to the Paleo lifestyle. Paleo cooking utilizes a lot of vegetables and meat and doesn’t allow sugar or most commercially-produced instant mixes, often resorting to fresh herbs and spices for flavor. Which is where this paleo taco seasoning recipe comes in! It’s time to forget about those pre-mixed packets of taco seasoning you bought at the grocery store — homemade Paleo taco seasoning is just as convenient and delicious! This Paleo taco seasoning helps you spice up all of your taco salads and other Mexican-inspired dishes.
Paleo Taco Seasoning | A Wonderfully Spicy Alternative
Paleo Taco Seasoning: The Best Ingredients to Use
When you’re mixing up your Paleo taco recipe, you have creative freedom to put whatever you want into your taco meat. For best results, use a variety of different types of spices. Some of the best spices for this type of cuisine include:
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Coriander
- Cilantro
You can experiment with your own combinations of favorite ingredients.
Homemade Seasoning Version 1
Don’t want to experiment with your own recipe? Follow this basic recipe for your own delicious tacos!
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Use about 1 1/2 tablespoons of this mixture per pound of taco meat, or more to taste. Add the seasoning continuously throughout cooking to ensure the meat absorbs as much flavor as possible.
Homemade Seasoning Version 2
This homemade recipe involves fewer ingredients, so it’s easy to make even if your spice cabinet is a little bit bare.
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Again, add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of this per pound of meat, or more to taste.
Mixing Your Ingredients: Tips
Until you’ve found the right taco seasoning for you, mix small quantities. During this experimentation phase, you’re unlikely to want leftovers. Once you’ve found the exact recipe to suit your preferences you can mix a larger quantity and keep it on hand for your regular dinners.
Use the freshest spices possible to ensure quality. Pay attention to sell by dates to avoid using ingredients that are too old to be good. Whole spices can stay good for up to 4 years, while herbed and ground spices might only stay as long as 3 years. Spices don’t spoil, of course, but they can lose flavor. Using old spices might make your cooking taste bland, and that can impact your overall sense of satisfaction with your meal.
Expiration & Storage
If you’re not sure how to tell whether or not a spice has expired, try it! Put a little spice on the tip of your finger and taste the flavor on the tip of your tongue. It also helps to smell the spice. If you can’t smell the spice well, or if the flavor doesn’t pop, then you’re probably best off replacing the spice with something fresher.
Once you’ve made a quantity of taco seasoning, store it in a glass mason jar or another glass container. Put it in a cool, dry space. Do not store your taco seasonings in a plastic container or a baggie, as this will compromise freshness.
Watch how to make a clean-eating taco seasoning recipe in this video by Clean and Delicious:
Have fun whipping up Paleo-friendly taco flavoring! Knowing the right recipes for seasonings can help you get the most from your Paleo cooking. Enjoy your experience making your own Paleo taco spices or even your own Paleo taco sauce! Once you’ve learned this simple method of mixing seasonings and making your own taco meat, you’ll have a blast hosting your own taco night at home!
Do you have other ingredients you might want to add to a more flavorful Paleo taco seasoning? Let us know in the comments section below.
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