Taco Seasoning
Condiments
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
¼ cup chili powder
¼ cup sweet paprika
2 Tbsp. ancho chile powder
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
Description
An easy jarred spice blend to taco-fy anything.
Taco seasoning is always something I just grab at the grocery store when I want a classic hard taco. You know the kind: crunchy shells, ground beef, shredded lettuce and cheese, chopped tomatoes, salsa, and sour cream. No frills, no fancy meat—just the nostalgic food your parents (or let’s be real: the fine folks at Taco Bell) made you. But it turns out that it’s a cinch to make yourself, and test kitchen manager Brad Leone cracked the code.
Directions
Pulse red pepper flakes in a spice mill or mortar and pestle until it becomes a powder. (You can substitute ground cayenne, but start with 1 tsp. and see how spicy you want it.) Add all the spices into a jar and shake, shake, shake. The type of container doesn’t really matter as long as it’s airtight, and it’ll keep in a dark cupboard for up to three months. (This recipe makes about a cup.)
Notes
To make tacos, heat 2 tsp. of oil in a medium skillet (preferably cast iron for the best possible browning). Add ground beef and cook, breaking up into small pieces and scraping the bottom of the pan, until browned but not cooked through—approximately 6-8 minutes. Add 3 heaping Tbsp. seasoning mix and 1 tsp. kosher salt and stir until incorporated for about 4 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken stock and stir, breaking meat into smaller pieces, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until liquid is reduced and mixture becomes saucy, 7-10 minutes. If you’ve never added chicken stock to your taco meat before, you’ve gotta give it a try. It makes the taco meat so much juicier, you’ll never make it any other way.
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1tsp of the spices and instead of all peppers/chillies:
1 tsp turkish pepper
3 tsp sweet red paprika
taco+
1tsp msg
1 tsp yeast
½ tap ground coriander