Southwest Spice Blend

Giddy up, ’cause we’re going South! Southwest, that is. I love making my own seasoning mixes, and this sizzling, smoky southwest spice blend is my latest summer obsession. Use this southwestern-style spice on meats, veggies, and all of your favorite south-of-the-border-inspired dishes. It’s the BEST!

Easy Homemade Southwest Spice Blend

Easy ingredients. There’s no right or wrong way when it comes to choosing spices for your homemade spice blends. Buy the best that you can get in terms of texture, flavor, color, and quality that’s affordable to you. Then, just mix them up!

Healthier. Making your own spice blends means that you’re in control over what goes into them. Homemade seasonings are such an easy way to eliminate all the artificial “fluff’ from your favorite spice blends. There’s no unpronounceable ingredients, no additives, just pure, delicious flavor that you can sprinkle over everything!

Customize to your tastes. The flavor of homemade seasoning is just so much better than store-bought. The best part? You can make your southwest seasoning exactly the way you like it by tweaking the ingredients and amounts to suit. I like that you can keep the sodium levels to a minimum, too.

What Makes a Dish “Southwest”?

Southwestern is a style of cuisine inspired by foods eaten by Spanish and American settlers, Native Americans, and Mexicans. Corn, beans, and squash are popular ingredients, but southwestern-style food is super diverse, known for its bold, smoky flavors thanks to chili peppers and spices. Tex-Mex is a popular variation of southwest cooking (think: nachos and enchiladas, and chicken fajitas).

Ingredient Notes

• Chili Powder – Depending on the blend of chili powder you use, it may come with salt added. Keep this in mind, or (ideally) look for a blend with no added salt.
• Paprika – I love the flavor of smoked paprika, but regular sweet paprika works great, too.
• Cumin – It wouldn’t be a Mexican spice blend without ground cumin. This savory, pungent spice is key to this blend’s south-of-the-border flavor.
• Garlic Powder and Onion Powder – Make sure you’re buying 100% dehydrated and ground garlic powder and onion powder and not garlic salt or onion salt. They’re not the same!
• Oregano – You’ll sometimes find Mexican oregano in the spice aisle, and if you do, grab it! Mexican oregano is a more pungent variety that pairs perfectly with Mexican and Southwest cooking. Otherwise, opt for regular Greek oregano.
• Salt and Pepper – Kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper, to balance the flavors.
• Cayenne – For a spicy kick. You can include as much or as little as you prefer.

How to Make Southwest Spice Blend

Are you ready for the easiest recipe of your life? To make this southwest spice blend, combine all the spices, and give them a mix. Voilà! Store your homemade spice blend in an airtight container, like a jar, and get seasoning. Keep reading for easy ways to use your seasoning blend and detailed storage instructions.

Tips for Success

Making spice blends from scratch is pretty failproof, but here are some final tips for the best homemade spices, every time:

• Use fresh spices. While you don’t have to go on a shopping spree for new spices, whichever spices you use to make your blend, make sure they’re fresh! If your herbs and spices have been in the pantry for decades, consider starting fresh.
• Store spice blends in an airtight container. Store your southwest spice blend in jars or recycled spice containers, away from direct sunlight.
• Double or triple the recipe. Love southwest seasoning? Simply double or triple the ingredients to make a BIG batch to have on hand for all your favorite recipes.

FAQs

Recipe Variations

Feel free to adjust the amount of one spice or another to suit your tastes. There’s no limit when creating your custom southwestern-style seasoning. Here are some simple tweaks that you can try:

• Use less salt. If you’re watching your sodium levels, feel free to adapt the salt to taste or omit it altogether.
• Add more or less cayenne pepper to adjust the heat level to your preference. If there’s another ingredient you’re not fond of, simply leave it out. It’s your seasoning so make it how you like it best.
• More seasoning blends from the south: Try Cajun seasoning or blackening seasoning, too, if you love spicy blends. We love this blackened chicken made with homemade seasoning.

Make a Southwest Marinade 

You can use your freshly minted spice blend to make a delicious southwestern style marinade. We’ve been making this marinade nonstop this summer. It’s sweet, smoky, savory… so good! I’ve included the full details in the recipe card. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Olive Oil
• Lime Juice
• Honey
• Southwest Spice Blend
• Salt

To make the marinade, simply whisk together the above ingredients, then add it to a zip-top bag with chicken, pork, or beef. Marinate the meat for 20 minutes or up to 1 day ahead before grilling or roasting. Serve southwest chicken with your favorite Mexican sides.

More Ways to Use Southwest Seasoning

Sprinkle this southwest spice blend over your favorite meats, vegetables, or grains. It’s great for adding a bold, smoky flavor to grilled or roasted meats, as well as chili, tacos, and other Mexican-inspired dishes.

We use southwest spice for everything from marinating the chicken in this Southwestern BBQ chicken salad (see above) to seasoning the vegetarian filling in our southwest stuffed peppers and loads more.

How to Store

Storage is key to prolonging the shelf life of your homemade seasonings. Store this southwest spice blend in an airtight jar or container in a cool, dry place, like a pantry. Properly stored, it will keep for up to 6 months.