Fajita Seasoning

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Updated Feb 16, 2023

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Fajita seasoning is a quick way to give your recipes some authentic Mexican flair. Just mix together seven earthy spices – that’s it! Make this right at home and avoid unnecessary fillers and additives in store-bought versions.

Once you’ve got your seasoning mixed, whip up a fresh batch of chicken fajitas or steak fajitas. Easy and delicious!

I’ve always been curious about what ingredients go into packaged food products. But, it wasn’t until I started reading labels that I found so many extra fillers. Yes, even in simple things like seasonings. You might not even notice, but you’ll frequently find various starches, food colorings, preservatives, and additives in store-bought seasonings.

But you’re in luck because making your own seasonings, like cajun seasoning or this fajita seasoning couldn’t be any easier. Just gather a few spices, mix it all together, and use it right away or store it for months.

Fajita Seasoning Recipe Video

It’s super easy to make this homemade seasoning by stirring together a few delicious and fragrant spices. Watch the video below!

What’s In Fajita Seasoning?

Fajita seasoning is made up of a blend of common spices found in Mexican cuisine, including:

Chili Powder
Ground Cumin
Garlic Powder
Paprika
Oregano
Salt
Pepper

How To Make and Store Fajita Seasoning

In a small bowl, simply stir together all the spices. That’s it! You now have fajita seasoning. The recipe below creates about 2 tablespoons, which can easily be used for 3-4 chicken breasts.

But you can also double, triple or quadruple this recipe and then store in my favorite glass spice jars. After you’ve filled the jar, label it with a fine water based paint pen and store it with your other spices. The seasoning will stay fresh for up to a year (assuming your spices were fresh to start with).

Fajita seasoning mixed together in a bowl.

The Difference Between Fajita And Taco Seasoning

While taco and fajita seasonings have common ingredients, they differ in terms of acidity and spice levels. In fajita recipes, seared meat and fresh vegetables take center stage. That means the seasoning needs to be robust but not overly spicy, with more bright and tangy flavors from lime juice.

To achieve that quick “tanginess,” store-bought fajita seasonings typically add citric acid into the mix. But with this homemade version, a fresh squeeze of lime over the fajita will do the trick and avoid any additives.

On the other hand, taco seasoning doesn’t have any acidity to it. Tacos are typically made with slow-cooked meat, which doesn’t require acidity. So taco seasoning has bolder flavors. That’s where the extra chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and chili flakes come into play, to give it that extra kick.

But in all honesty, the two seasonings are quite interchangeable. It’s simply personal preference based on your flavor palate.

Do You Need Sugar In Fajita Seasoning?

In short, no. Some fajita seasonings contain sugar, which is added to balance out the acidity. But when you’re making everything fresh from scratch, I sure don’t think sugar is necessary.

More Healthy Mexican Recipes

Satisfy your Tex-Mex cravings with these delicious, homemade recipes!

Fajita Seasoning (Better Than Store-Bought)

4.98 from 35 votes

Prep: 5

Total: 5

Servings: 1 serving

Author: Lisa Bryan

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Description

Fajita seasoning is a quick way to give your recipes some authentic Mexican flair. Just mix together seven earthy spices – that's it! Make this right at home and avoid unnecessary fillers and additives in store-bought versions.

Video

Ingredients

Instructions

Mix all the spices together in a bowl. Use immediately or store in an airtight container.

Lisa’s Tips

You can easily double, triple or quadruple this recipe to make a larger batch. Then, in the future just use two tablespoons of your fajita seasoning mix for 3 chicken breasts.

Nutrition

Course: Seasoning

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: fajita seasoning, fajita seasoning recipe, homemade fajita seasoning, how to make fajita seasoning

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.