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Best Store-Bought Taco Seasoning

15 Best Store-Bought Taco Seasonings Ranked (Updated)

Last Updated on March 18, 2024 by Shari Mason

If you enjoy authentic Mexican flavors, it is important to keep taco seasoning readily available in your pantry at all times.

It’s really all you need to transform bland ground meat into chili con carne you won’t be able to stop digging into or avocado into mouth-watering guacamole!

That said, not all popular taco seasoning packets are built the same. We’ve done the dirty work of doing a taste test to compile this list of the best store-bought taco seasoning for you.

Trust us; this will help make your trip to the spice aisle easier.

Top 15 Tastiest Store-Bought Taco Seasonings (Ranked)

1. Old El Paso Original Taco Seasoning Mix

Hand Holding Sachet of Old El Paso Original Taco Seasoning Mix

Average Price: Around $7

Why We Love It: The Old El Paso Original Taco Seasoning is our number one tastiest store-bought taco seasoning.

Each taco seasoning packet is extremely well-balanced on the palate: the cumin is nice and smoky, and the chipotle pepper is there to display traditional Mexican flavors. [1]

Based on our taste test, Old El Paso also had a nice texture: it wasn’t so sloppy that you couldn’t scoop it into taco shells without making a huge mess on the kitchen floor.

We personally love cooking ground beef with this, but you can virtually add this to anything.

Read: How Long Does Sofrito Last In The Fridge?

2. Flavor Seed Rock Yo Taco Seasoning

Hand Holding Flavor Seed Rock Yo Taco Seasoning

Average Price: Around $8

Why We Love It: One thing that sets Flavor Seed Rock Yo apart from other taco seasoning packets is its addition of cocoa powder.

As you can imagine, this adds a mole-like taste and texture to it, which, in our opinion, is one Mexican gift that keeps on giving.

It is made with high-quality and organic New Mexico chilis, ancho chilis, garlic, coriander, oregano, and other spices. It has a flavor so complex and downright delicious that you won’t be able to help yourself from sprinkling this onto anything.

3. Lawry’s Taco Spices & Seasonings Mix

Average Price: Around $13 (for 12)

Why We Love It: Lawry’s is a popular brand in seasoning packets, and Lawry’s Taco Spices & Seasonings Mix does not disappoint. However, it’s a tad salty for our liking, which isn’t necessarily bad if you won’t use it for taco meat.

So, what does one use this taco seasoning packet for if not for saucy tacos? Simple! Taco dip, ground beef, and tortilla soup are just a few things off the top of our heads. [2]

And if you like cumin, onion, and paprika, we’re sure you’ll be able to get more use out of this.

4. Newman’s Own Mild Taco Seasoning

Average Price: Around $8

Why We Love It: Newman’s is one of those quirky brands that come up with frozen cheese pizzas with cauliflower crusts (for vegans) and organic salad dressings, but the Newman’s Own Mild Taco Seasoning is one of their greatest hits.

“When it’s done properly, taco should be a verb.”

Jonathan Gold, American Food Critic

Based on our taste test, it’s not as spicy as traditional taco seasonings (hence its name). Still, it makes up for it by incorporating plenty of rosemary, for a lovely woodsiness and turmeric, for that surprising pop of color. [3]

5. Trader Joe’s Taco Seasoning

Average Price: Around $18 (for 8)

Why We Love It: Each Trader Joe’s Taco Seasoning packet contains bold Mexican flavors like cumin, cayenne pepper, onion, garlic, brown sugar, and smoked paprika.

It’s super versatile and is the best taco seasoning for various dishes, whether that’s a pot of meat, some stuffed peppers, or even as a breading for chicken tenders. [4]

6. Bearitos Taco Seasoning

Average Price: Around $38 (for 12)

Why We Love It: Bearitos Taco Seasoning is a solid choice for seasoning, albeit lacking that wow factor.

Our taste test revealed that this seasoning’s spice level is also mild, which is perfect for people who don’t have a high tolerance for spicy food.

Bearitos is made with paprika, garlic powder, onion, and a secret spice blend, which gives it an unbelievable flavor.

7. Spiceology Taco Seasoning

Man Holding Spiceology Taco Seasoning

Average Price: Around $23

Why We Love It: Spiceology prides itself on a brand created by a group of chefs on a mission to bring you the best flavors through testing and experiments.

They’ve done a great job with the Spiceology Taco Seasoning. They incorporate brown sugar for a bit of sweetness, aside from traditional Mexican spices.

They also grind spices in small batches while fresh, giving them a better flavor and aroma.

8. Mccormick Original Taco Seasoning Mix

Mccormick Original Taco Seasoning Mix on a Resealable Pack

Average Price: Around $26 (for 9)

Why We Love It: McCormick is one of those brands we’ve probably had in our kitchen pantries since childhood.

It has a relatively basic list of ingredients, with paprika, oregano, garlic, and chili pepper, so if you like a simple and familiar flavor in your spice mix, this is the way to go.

9. Flavor God Taco Tuesday

Hand Holding Flavor God Taco Tuesday

Average Price: Around $12

Why We Love It: Flavor God Taco Tuesday will leave you wanting tacos every Tuesday for the rest of your life. It’s impressively delicious and will add plenty of lip-smacking flavors to chili con carne, tostadas, and other Mexican dishes.

Aside from traditional spices, it also incorporates a bit of fennel into the mix. Although unconventional, the fennel gives it a sweet, herbal taste, which will work extremely well with ground beef and pork.

10. Simply Organic Spicy Taco Seasoning Mix

Average Price: Around $22 (for 12)

Why We Love It: This organic spicy seasoning mix is pretty polarizing, but we had to include it in our list of the best taco seasoning.

Those who love spicy food swear this is their favorite seasoning mix, while those who haven’t yet developed a taste for spice curse this to hell’s pits.

Either way, we love the extra heat and flavor from this seasoning mix because it makes tacos taste more interesting and enjoyable to eat.

11. Tone’s Taco Seasoning Blend

Average Price: Around $24 (for 2)

Why We Love It: If you’re one to make tacos in huge batches, Tone’s Taco Seasoning Blend is something you should consider. They hold frequent sales and good deals at nearby Tesco, Walmart, and Amazon, which will save you tons of money.

This seasoning mix has a tomato-forward flavor, which is always a great hit if you’re trying to get little kids to appreciate Mexican food.

The tomatoes give it a nice, saucy texture and taste when mixed with chicken, beef, and fish tacos.

12. Kinder’s The Taco Blend (Lime & Ancho Chili)

Kinder's The Taco Blend (Lime & Ancho Chili)

Average Price: Around $14

Why We Love It: Kinder’s taco seasoning mix (Lime & Ancho Chili) is a unique taco seasoning mix with interesting flavors like lime and ancho chili.

The ancho chili pepper is pretty complex: it is pleasantly sweet and smoky at the same time — two flavors that would work exceptionally well with tacos. This type of chili also isn’t that hot.

On the other hand, the lime juice gives it a refreshing, citrus feel and taste that we don’t see in other taco seasoning brands.

13. Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix, 40% Less Sodium

Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix, 40% Less Sodium

Average Price: Around $7

Why We Love It: Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix, 40% Less Sodium is the best taco seasoning packet for people looking to cut back on salt but still want to enjoy the delicious taste of Mexican food.

That being said, it’s not as flavorful as other options, but it’s super easy to add spices to your meat toppings to transform this into something more you like.

14. Taco Bell Original Taco Seasoning Mix

Average Price: Around $18 (for 24)

Why We Love It: If you love Taco Bell meat toppings, the Taco Bell Original Seasoning will always be a welcome spice in your pantry.

You’ll get the same familiar taste within the taco seasoning packets as you would in the local Mexican restaurant, minus the long lines.

The Taco Bell taco seasoning mix has a great blend of garlic, onion, peppers, and paprika without being too spicy. Little kids will love its mild taste, but adults can add cayenne or hot sauce for extra spice.

15. Riega Taco Seasoning

Average Price: Around $15 (for 8)

Why We Love It: This seasoning lists only six ingredients in this seasoning mix: chili peppers, cumin, sea salt, onion, garlic, and oregano, with no MSG and artificial additives.

It has a simple yet powerful flavor, an excellent combination for those who like uncomplicated dinner prep. They’re one of the brands on this list that prove you can pull off something super delicious without incorporating many fancy ingredients.

FAQs

u003cstrongu003eWhat brand of taco seasoning is authentic?u003c/strongu003e

Pulling off “authentic taco seasoning” is difficult without doing everything from scratch yourself. That being said, Old El Paso Taco Seasoning has a nice and authentic Mexican flavor without too much of a “store-bought” quality.

u003cstrongu003eWhat’s the difference between taco seasoning and chili seasoning?u003c/strongu003e

Taco seasoning and chili seasoning have the same base ingredients: garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, crushed red pepper flakes, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eHowever, taco seasoning will have a higher percentage of cumin, and chili seasoning will have more chili powder.

u003cstrongu003eAre all taco seasonings the same?u003c/strongu003e

No, not all taco seasonings are the same. Some taco seasonings are milder, some spicier, and some sweeter. Sampling different brands is key to finding out which suits you best.

Finally

Taco seasoning is warm, spicy, and smoky — three things Mexican food should be. And if you’re always looking forward to taco night, having taco seasoning in your kitchen pantry is a must.

Old El Paso Taco Seasoning tops our list of the best taco seasoning because it has a homey and authentic Mexican feel. It has the perfect balance of cumin, chipotle, and peppers without being too overwhelming.

It also has a nice texture — we loved how we could scoop it into taco shells without breaking them and making a huge mess.

Of course, it’s also super versatile — aside from taco filling, you can use it in tortillas, chili con carne, enchiladas, and just about anything else.

References:

  1. https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-hidden-story-of-mexican-food/VAWRQkyi4kS5dw?hl=en
  2. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/13351/chicken-tortilla-soup-i/
  3. https://www.britannica.com/plant/rosemary
  4. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16669/fried-chicken-tenders/
Shari Mason

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