Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe: Make it Mild or Hot (2024)

FAQs

How to make taco seasoning less spicy? ›

To make your taco seasoning mild, be sure to omit the optional cayenne pepper. The other spices are flavorful and warming but not spicy. If your cooked and seasoned meat is too spicy, try adding something acidic, such as: Juice of ½ of lemon or lime.

McCormick Spices on X: "@DialedIn6 Whoops, sorry for the confusion! Our Original Taco Seasoning Mix is spicier than our Mild Taco Seasoning Mix.

The heat then activates the cornstarch, thickening the mixture. Without it, the meat would be very dry and crumbly, and it could spill out of your taco shell instead of holding together, an issue you've probably noticed if you make your own taco seasoning blend.

1/2 cup water: After you've browned your meat, add in 1/2 cup water with 3 tablespoons of the taco seasoning mix. Stir to combine and mix all together. Slowly add in another 1/2 cup water as some will begin to absorb – you want it with a little sauce, just not too watery!

Sweet Defeats Heat

Adding something sweet to a too-spicy dish is another great way to reduce spiciness. A sprinkle of sugar or honey should do the trick. Or add a touch of sweet ketchup. If it's a tomato-based sauce, stir in a little more tomato sauce and maybe a touch of sugar.

Mexican seasoning typically consists of a blend of traditional herbs and spices while taco seasoning is a specific blend of spices that may not be used as much in traditional Mexican dishes.

How much water do I add to taco seasoning? A good ratio to follow is per 1 pound of raw ground meat, you want to add 1 cup of water, and then the seasoning.

Add more water before adding the seasoning if needed. I, personally, just add the seasoning once the meat starts browning and just let the water cook out. You will end up with that crumbly texture that I just love about that certain, unnamed taco place. This works with those little packets too.

Can I use milk instead of water with taco seasoning? ›

Typically when cooking taco meat, we add water to help activate the powdered seasoning mix from a taco packet. But instead, we're going to use our fifth ingredient, milk. Using milk instead of water helps to play on the natural creaminess you'd expect from ranch which adds a really nice mouthfeel to the taco meat.

In general, fresh seasonings are added late in the cooking process while dry ones tend to be added earlier. It is good practice to under-season during the cooking process and then add more seasonings (particularly if you are using fresh ones) just before presentation.

Once beef is cooked through drain the grease grease. Add all seasonings and beef broth.

Scoop a dollop of sour cream into your bowl of soup and stir it into the broth. The fat in the sour cream will help mask the spices and make your soup creamier. If the soup still tastes too spicy, drop in more sour cream until it's palatable. Sour cream works well for chili, chowder, and taco soup.

You can add dairy: heavy cream, yogurt, cheese, etc. You can add something sweet: coconut milk, sugar, syrup, etc. You can introduce an acid: lemon juice, a little vinegar, tomato paste, etc. You could simply add more of the other ingredients that went before the spice, so the proportions are more in line.

Should you add water to taco seasoning? Yes. Water is what gives it a saucy quality and keeps the meat from being too dry and crumbly.