Homemade Fajita Seasoning (ditch the packet!)
Learn how to make homemade fajita seasoning in minutes using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Ditch the packet of unrecognizable ingredients.
For quite awhile, I’ve been on a mission to get back to the basics. I always do what I can, when I can. Meaning, if I can make something from scratch, I do. But if I’m tired and would rather read a book to my kids than make something from scratch, you won’t find me beating myself up about it. If I choose 30 minutes outside soaking up some sun while frozen lasagna cooks over slaving away in the kitchen over from-scratch lasagna, I won’t be losing sleep over it.
But, here are some simple things I do choose to do:
- Read ingredients and nutrition labels – this one is pretty much a sure thing, because my kids have food allergies, so it’s not only a nutritional thing but also a matter of safety.
- Make spice mixes from scratch, when I can.
- Work out, when I can.
- Eat unprocessed foods, as often as I can.
As you can see, I’m not perfect. (Probably not all that hard to believe). Sometimes I skip a tortilla with my fajitas and swap it out for a lettuce wrap. But then I’ll probably have wine and popcorn later to make up for those calories I saved with that lettuce wrap.
I try to take care of myself, both in terms of my physical body and health, but also in terms of my mental health and happiness. If making homemade pasta and from-scratch ketchup is going to take away from the time I can spend playing my kids, I will probably choose not to do it. Because my mental health and happiness (and more importantly, that of my kids) is more important than making something from scratch that really is good enough from the store.
However, I’ve found that spice mixes such as this homemade fajita seasoning are a really simple way to be conscious of your health. No anti-caking aids, no ingredients you can’t pronounce, no sky-high sodium. You throw a few ingredients into a jar and shake. Have your kids shake the jar and then you’re totally killing two birds with one stone – you’re having fun with your kids and you’re making simple and effective health changes. Plus, it tastes WAY better than that icky store-bought stuff. We love this fajita seasoning and we go through our taco seasoning like water – I put the stuff in everything.
Another great thing about learning how to make homemade fajita seasoning is that the taste is in your hands. If you’re watching your sodium intake, feel free to decrease the amount of salt in this spice mixture. If you’re a wimp when it comes to spicy food (it’s okay, I am too!), decrease or omit the cayenne. If you need to keep an eye on your sugar intake, omit the brown sugar or substitute with another (dry) sweetener — I’d recommend coconut sugar. You are in control of this homemade fajita seasoning – make it your own!
Ready to DIY a little more? Try making your own beef stew seasoning mix, homemade mild curry, herbes de provence, chai spice mix, pumpkin pie spice, or homemade Bisquick mix.
Hi, I'm Rachel! This site features a wide variety of recipes with one common thread: easy preparations. I love creating accessible and delicious food that will please the whole family. Hope you enjoy! (
These photos are awesome! I love the fajita writing :)
I usually just add this and that until I get a blend I like–but it’s nice to have a written recipe if I want to make it in large quantities!
Love this, I hate using those seasoning packets. You never know what’s in them! :)
Hi Rachel! Just popped over from Aggie’s Kitchen. I’m so happy she linked to this seasoning mix. I always keep homemade taco seasoning on hand and I’m definitely going to give this a try too!
Hi Rachel,
I try to keep away from jars and packets where possible. Your fajita mix looks so simple. I will definitely be be trying this one the next time I make them.
Thanks! I do too. Hope you love this!
Hi,
Found this seasoning online and after comparing this to several, decided to go with this mixture for our dinner the other night. Made a delicious rub for the proteins, even shrimp. Thanks!
So glad you liked it! I haven’t tried it with shrimp yet.
Used this to marinate the flank steak, and seasoned the shrimp and chicken right before cooking… and used the same seasoning on the peppers and onions. What a great meal. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed this! Thanks for coming back to leave your feedback :)
This is amazing! My family and I are big on authentic Mexican dishes and this is as close as you can get being at home! We will be using this over and over. We only enough ingredients for a half batch, but it was still amazing. I also will try this with other meats and fish. Thank You!
So happy to hear you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave your thoughts!
This seasoning was amazing on elk! Left out the peppers as my daughter doesn’t like the heat…she’s a picky eater but kept snagging bites of the cooked meat off the plate before it was served! We adults enjoyed the seasoning as well and will add it to the trusty recipe box. Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it, especially your daughter! I have a picky eater too so I know how difficult that can be. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave your feedback – it means the world to me!
How many teaspoons should I used for 4lbs of meat, please?
Start with 1 tablespoon (not teaspoon) per pound of meat, so four tablespoons for four pounds of meat.
This was my first time making my own seasoning for fajitas and this was amazing! Loved it, although I didn’t have Mexican oregano so I used Italian seasoning and it worked great! Thank you for posting this!! I will NEVER use a packet spice again!
I’m so happy to hear that, Crystal! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment, it means so much to me!