Tex-Mex-inspired · Easy
Mild taco seasoning
A salt-free, child-friendly taco seasoning of ground cumin, sweet paprika, garlic powder and dried oregano. Mix a small jar to season beans, vegetables, rice or other fillings, and add salt separately only if your household uses it.
- Prep
- 5 minutes
- Total time
- 10 minutes
- Portions
- 8
Estimated nutrition
| Nutrient | Per portion | Whole batch |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 14 kcal | 109 kcal |
| Protein | 0.6 g | 5.2 g |
| Carbs | 2.4 g | 18.9 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | 7.7 g |
| Sugars | 0.2 g | 1.8 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fat | 0.6 g | 4.4 g |
| Saturated fat | <0.1 g | 0.5 g |
| Sodium | 4 mg | 33 mg |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
How these estimates work
Per portion and for your whole batch. These are ingredient-based estimates, not laboratory-tested nutrition facts. Optional ingredients are excluded.
Estimate covers the seasoning only, divided into eight portions; the food it seasons is not included. No salt is added, so sodium is limited to the small natural amounts in the spices. Values per portion are small and depend on exact grind and brand.
USDA FoodData Central references. Brands, food varieties, preparation and portion size change the result. Added sugars assume plain, unsweetened ingredients; for prepared breads and sauces, a range shows zero to the reference food’s total sugar because the added amount is unspecified.
Ingredients, sources & assumptions
All listed edible food and oil are counted as eaten. Cooking losses and final cooked weight are not measured. Some ingredients use a stated reference food or a proxy for a missing nutrient. No personalized dietary advice.
Spices, cumin seed · 12 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceSpices, paprika · 12 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceSpices, garlic powder · 6 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceSpices, oregano, dried · 4 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceCalculation version 2. Source records and method are documented in our nutrition guide.
Nutrition guidancePer portion and for your whole batch. These are ingredient-based estimates, not laboratory-tested nutrition facts. Optional ingredients are excluded.
Estimate covers the seasoning only, divided into eight portions; the food it seasons is not included. No salt is added, so sodium is limited to the small natural amounts in the spices. Values per portion are small and depend on exact grind and brand.
USDA FoodData Central references. Brands, food varieties, preparation and portion size change the result. Added sugars assume plain, unsweetened ingredients; for prepared breads and sauces, a range shows zero to the reference food’s total sugar because the added amount is unspecified.
Let’s make it
Steps at a glance 5 steps
Amounts below match your selected batch. Follow each short step, and use timers as reminders to check the food.
Equipment
Kitchen scale that reads to 0.1 g · Small dry bowl · Small whisk or dry spoon · Small airtight jar · Label
- 1
Inspect the spices
Use a clean, completely dry bowl and spoon. Check each jar for its best-by date, a fresh aroma and no damp clumps or insects; replace any spice that smells dusty or flat.
- 2
Weigh each spice
On a scale that reads in tenths of a gram, weigh 12 g ground cumin, 12 g sweet paprika, 6 g garlic powder and 4 g dried oregano into the bowl, taring between each. Rub the oregano between your fingertips as it goes in.
- 3
Mix evenly
Whisk for about 30 seconds, pressing out any lumps with the back of the spoon, until the blend is one even color.
- 4
Jar and label
Spoon into a small dry airtight jar, label it with the name and date, and keep it away from the stove and sink.
- 5
Season with it
Stir one portion into about two servings of beans, vegetables or another filling while it cooks, so the spices toast briefly in the pan. Measure with a dry spoon rather than shaking the jar over a steaming pan, which lets moisture in. The blend contains no salt.
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Make it work for you
For kids & different preferences
Mild, made with sweet paprika and no chili. Dry powders can make children cough if puffed into the air, so an adult measures; children can stir the closed jar or a covered bowl under supervision. Texture is determined by the food it seasons. Not age-specific feeding guidance.
Storage & packed lunches
Store the dry blend airtight in a cool, dry, dark cupboard; best quality within 3 months. Refrigeration is not needed for the dry mix. Food seasoned with it follows cooked-food rules: refrigerate at 40°F / 4°C or colder within 2 hours of cooking (within 1 hour above 90°F / 32°C).
Freezing & reheating
Not needed for the dry blend.
Not applicable; reheat seasoned leftovers according to that dish.
If something looks different
Clumping means moisture got in; break up small soft clumps with a dry spoon, but discard the blend if it smells musty or looks damp. If the flavor seems flat, the spices were old.
Something wrong with an ingredient or instruction? Tell us
Updated 2026-10-29
Bethany’s Kitchen · /recipes/mild-taco-seasoning · Original instructions and generated food illustration. General culinary practice informed the combination; no third-party prose or photograph copied. Not physically kitchen-tested or human-reviewed.