Forget the sodium bomb that packaged seasonings bring, and easily make your own delicious low sodium taco seasoning! Perfect for taco-style beef, chicken, turkey, or beans!
Seasoning packets are convenient, but in all honesty, not worth it. The ingredients often include a pile of unnecessary salt, additives, and fillers.
Just as conveniently, you can mix up a big batch of your own taco seasoning and have it on the ready when Taco Tuesday (or Wednesday, or Thursday) rolls around.
Packaged Taco seasoning vs. Homemade Low Sodium Taco Seasoning
Making your own taco seasoning is easy, cheap, and allows you to control your own heat and flavor. In addition, you can save 300mg of salt (or more!), without skimping on flavor.
Because most chili powders have some salt in them, this recipe contains up to 62mg of sodium per 0.5 tbsp (about as much as you will use for 1/4 pound of meat/beans. This is significantly lower than most packaged taco seasoning, even lower than the “lower sodium” varieties.
Plus, see the tips below on how to make this recipe your own so it’s your perfect blend to season any meat or bean mixture for your next taco night!
How to make homemade heart healthy taco seasoning
Mixing your own spices and herbs to make low sodium taco seasoning means that you can adjust to your tastes. The amounts listed in the recipe are a great place to start, but you can adjust as you like:
- If you want it mild: leave out the crushed red pepper.
- If you like it smoky: add 1 tsp of smoked paprika
- If you like more spice: add 1/4-1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper.
How to store & Keep Fresh
While you really can store this seasoning as long as the earliest expiration date on the seasonings you are using, a good rule of thumb is 3-6 months.
Since this mixture contains several spices that keep better under cooler temperatures, you may be able to lengthen the keep time if you store in the refrigerator.
Using Your Taco Seasoning
This spice mix isn’t just for ground beef. You can use this to season shredded chicken, pork, beans, and any combination. Once your medium is cooked through and heated in a saucepan, turn the heat to low and add 2 tbsp of seasoning for every one pound of meat or beans.
Add 1/3-1/2 cup of water to the mixture and stir, letting it come to a simmer so that the sauce created by the water and the taco seasoning thickens.
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Low Sodium Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 2 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp oregano leaves
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper optional
Instructions
- Combine all seasonings.
- Use 2 tbsp of seasoning per 1 pound of meat or beans. Add 1/3-1/2 cup of water with seasoning to meat. Stir and let simmer until the liquid as thickened.
- Store in an airtight container for 3 months or to the closest expiration date of the seasonings used. This recipe makes 8 tbsp, or enough to season 4 pounds of meat or beans.
Notes
Not ready to make this just yet? Add it to your favorite Pinterest board to save for later!
Want more low sodium recipes? I’ve got you covered below!
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