Homemade seasoning mixes are my jam, especially for easy Mexican-inspired dinners like fajitas. After making plenty of quick fajita dinners, I’ve learned a good fajita seasoning needs enough flavor to season the protein, peppers, onions, and all those delicious pan juices without making the whole skillet too salty. This Homemade Fajita Seasoning does exactly that with simple spices I always have on hand, including chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Make one single batch, or double it and store it in an airtight container so it’s ready for homemade fajitas later!
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“This tasted really good in my shrimp, peppers and onions fajitas. Very simple to make. Thank you for the recipe.”
Rona
Why Make Fajita Seasoning From Scratch?
I know store-bought seasoning packets are super convenient, and I’m all about that convenience sometimes. But when it comes to fajitas, making the seasoning from scratch gives me more control over the salt, heat, and smoky flavor. This homemade blend is also added sugar-free, and made without preservatives or fillers, so it’s just the spices I actually want on my chicken, beef, shrimp, or vegetables.
What makes this homemade blend work so well is how each spice brings something different to the blend. Cumin is the backbone here, giving your fajitas a warm, earthy flavor and helping them taste different from other spiced chili dishes. Smoked paprika adds the color and subtle smoky depth that chili powder alone doesn’t quite give, and garlic powder brings the savory flavor that anchors the whole mix. I love using this seasoning in our sheet pan chicken fajitas (which is arguably our BEST fajita recipe!) because the oven does most of the work while the seasoning gets warm, smoky, and fragrant!
What’s the Difference Between Fajita Seasoning and Taco Seasoning?
Fajita and taco seasonings use similar pantry spices, but they’re built for slightly different meals. Taco seasoning is usually more chili-forward and a little spicier, which works well with saucy ground meat, beans, and taco fillings. Fajita seasoning leans more smoky and cumin-forward, so it works better with seared or roasted peppers, onions, and proteins.
Fajitas also benefit from a little acidity to brighten the spices and cut through the richness. Some store-bought fajita seasonings contain acidic additives, but I don’t keep ingredients like that in my budget-friendly kitchen. Instead, I like to finish my fajitas with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, which gives this homemade seasoning the same bright finish!
Variations & Ingredient Swaps
As written, my recipe for homemade fajita seasoning is well-rounded and perfect for adding to any Tex-Mex or Mexican-inspired dish. However, there are a few ways you can tweak the recipe to suit your tastes or dietary needs. Here are some ideas:
- Want a little more heat? Swap out the black pepper for ¼ tsp of cayenne pepper!
- For a less smoky flavor, use regular paprika instead of smoked paprika. Smoked paprika adds a charred flavor, but it can be quite potent. Regular paprika keeps the same red color and gentle peppery flavor without the smoky edge.
- Turn this seasoning blend into a delicious marinade by mixing it with olive oil. You could also add some lime juice for a little tang (which also adds an ‘acidic’ element to this homemade blend!)
- Decrease the amount of salt if you’re watching your salt intake. The salt helps the spices pop and seasons the dish as it cooks. But you can reduce it or leave it out and season the finished dish to taste. This is especially helpful if you’re using the blend with salty broth, canned beans, cheese, or sauces!
Homemade Fajita Seasoning
Cost $0.71 batch
Ingredients
- 2 tsp chili powder ($0.20)
- 2 tsp ground cumin ($0.20)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika ($0.10)
- 1 tsp garlic powder ($0.10)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.03)
- ½ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.08)
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until evenly mixed. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container, away from heat and sunlight, until ready to use.
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Notes
How Much Fajita Seasoning to Use:
This is a small-batch recipe. It makes about 1.25 oz. or 7.5 teaspoons of seasoning. The premixed packets at the store are usually 1-1.25 oz., so this recipe makes enough to substitute one store-bought packet! This means one batch of my homemade seasoning mix is enough to season 1 lb. of beef, chicken, fish, or veggies.How to Use:
This blend can be used as a 1:1 replacement for a store-bought fajita seasoning packet. How you will use it depends on the recipe you’re following. Some recipes will have you add the seasoning as it is, while others call for mixing it with water. As a general rule, use one batch of this mix for 1 lb. of protein, and if you’d like a saucier finish, add about ¼-⅓ cup water while cooking.Nutrition Information
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Combine the ingredients: Add 2 tsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper to a small bowl.
Use or store: Mix everything together gently using a fork or small whisk until evenly combined. Use immediately in your chosen recipe, or store it for later. I recommend keeping it in an airtight container, away from sunlight and heat, until you want to use it.
Uses for Homemade Fajita Seasoning
Let’s talk about how to use this seasoning mix because there are lots of delicious ways to incorporate it into your cooking! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Fajitas, of course! I use this seasoning blend to season my ground beef fajitas, but it’s delicious in any steak and chicken fajita recipe. Our portobello mushroom fajitas are an easy veggie alternative.
- Stir it into a creamy chicken fajita pasta. This is one of my favorite ways to use the blend outside of classic fajitas because the smoky spices work so well with the chicken, veggies, and creamy sauce.
- Use it to season pork chops or air fried chicken drumsticks!
- Sprinkle it over vegetables before roasting. This works especially well with oven roasted potatoes, onions, bell peppers, and zucchini because the oil and oven heat help the spices toast as the vegetables brown, giving them a deep and irresistible smoky flavor.
- Add it to soups or stews! I love my butternut squash and black bean soup recipe, and it’s made with all the seasonings I use here.
- Try it in taco-style recipes! This fajita seasoning works in recipes with ground beef, beans, rice, or cheese because the spices fit those flavors well. I even use it in place of taco seasoning sometimes, but I’ll add 1 tsp extra chili powder for every full batch of fajita seasoning to make it a little more chili-forward.
Storage Instructions
It’s unlikely you’ll need to store this recipe for long because it only makes a small batch. But if you’re like me and know you’ll use this seasoning blend often, make a bigger batch and store it for easy dinners later. Transfer the fajita seasoning to a clean, dry, airtight jar or spice container. Keep it in a cool, dark, dry place like your pantry or spice cabinet, and label it with the date made.
This blend should stay flavorful for about 6 months, but it’s only as fresh as the spices you start with. Cumin can lose its warm aroma, smoked paprika and chili powder can fade in color and flavor, and garlic powder can clump if moisture gets in the jar. If the seasoning smells faint or musty, looks dull, or tastes flat, it’s time to make a fresh batch.
Try These Tex-Mex Recipes Next!
- These Cheesy Kidney Bean Quesadillas turn a basic can of kidney beans into a crispy, cheesy Tex-Mex dinner for less than a dollar a serving.
- My Chicken Enchiladas are easy to change up with beans, corn, a different cooked meat, or a hotter enchilada sauce!
- Our Breakfast Nachos use sturdy tortilla chips for a reason, since they have to hold up under eggs, beans, cheese, and sour cream.
This recipe was so easy and tasted so much better than the packets that you buy!
I loved this! Adding it to my list of homemade spice blends!
I’ve been looking for a way to make my own fajita seasoning for a more healthy version but also because it’s costing me a fortune when buying the packets. We usually do about 5 packets and mix the packets with the amount of water listed on the packets and add the already cooked chicken and veggies to the sauce and allow that to simmer for a while and serve it over rice.
So my question is, how much water do I need to add to make this recipe on par with the packets?
One batch of our recipe is equal to one packet of store bought. Typically those do 1/4 cup of water, so you could do the same with ours!
Thank You!
Thank You for the update! I made a mason jar
s worth of the seasoning, it smells so good.
But HOW do you use it? Do you add water to it or tomato sauce or add it straight as is and cook it or does it go uncooked or…..???
What do I do with it once it is mixed??
Hi Ken! This is just a general seasoning blend for you to use in whatever recipe that calls for fajita seasoning – so it depends! There’s a whole host of recipes linked in the post that you can use it in! Generally, it’s applied straight to your meat or veggies prior to cooking. :)
Thank you very much for clearing up my confusion.
Made chicken fajitas using the homemade fajita seasoning and it tasted awesome.
Made some fajita vegetables and they were great 👍
This tasted really good in my shrimp, peppers and onions fajitas. Very simple to make. Thank you for the recipe.
I just wanted to say thank you. All the other sites I checked were too long. I love a simple solution, and it tasted great