Taco Spice Mix

Recipe created by Chef Carla Contreras, founder of Cook + Chop. I wrote this recipe for my sister ages ago. She was using taco spice packets regularly to meal prep and wanted to switch it up to something healthier. We grew up eating “taco dinner.” Maybe you’re familiar with the drill: taco seasoning, hard taco shells, and, let’s not forget—the taco sauce. Gosh, we loved taco night even before Taco Tuesday was a thing! My homemade version pairs well with one pound of ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken. You can also use a teaspoon of the taco spice with canned black beans. This is my favorite! I love taco beans for breakfast with a fried egg, tortilla, avocado and hot sauce. Bonus: You can meal prep the beans ahead of time for a quick, weekday breakfast.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspooons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon urfa, chipotle powder, or gochugaru (optional)

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Store up to one month in an airtight container.

WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE Packaged spice packets are expensive compared to making blends like this yourself. Plus, you can keep it clean and know your seasoning is free of added sugar and the preservatives that make packaged mixes shelf-stable.