Mexican Spice Blend (with Four Chiles)

Let me take you south of the border with my bold Mexican Spice Blend. With its carefully balanced, earthy spices and four types of chile peppers, this recipe delivers authentic Mexican flavor that enhances your recipes without overwhelming them. Store-bought Mexican seasonings will be a thing of the past for you since this blend is so easy to make (and customize).

*I originally published this post in April 2017. It’s updated to include metric measurements, answers to frequently asked questions, and new images.

What’s A Mexican Spice Blend?

Mexican Spice Blend is a versatile, all-purpose seasoning made with four types of chile powder, aromatics, and dried herbs. 

This mixture is the perfect recipe for adding flavor to all of your Mexican dishes. What I love about it is that it’s a workhorse in the kitchen, taking you from soups to sides with a shake of a bottle. It only takes a little cornstarch to transform this Mexican seasoning blend into taco seasoning, a must for Taco Tuesdays. You can also use Mexican Spice Blend to season fajita meat, stir some into your next pot of Mexican rice, or add it to salt to garnish the rim of your margaritas.

What Is It Made With?

My Mexican Spice Blend is made with ancho and chipotle chile powders, chile powder, garlic and onion, cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, black pepper, cayenne, Tajín, and a surprise ingredient: Ceylon cinnamon.

All of these ingredients are commonly used in Mexican cuisine– even the cinnamon– so why not mix them into one all-purpose blend?

Where Can I Buy Quality Mexican Spices?

You can find quality Mexican spices at specialty food stores, mercados in communities with a large Latin American population, or online from shops that specialize in authentic Mexican products. 

I recommend looking for reputable brands that source their spices from Mexico for the most authentic flavors. In the United States, a San Antonio company, Fiesta®, specializes in producing authentic Mexican seasonings. Additionally, consider buying whole spices and grinding them at home for the freshest and most potent flavors.

Can I Substitute Anything?

You can reduce the number of chilis in this recipe to just one or two. To maintain that earthy flavor, try to use plain chile powder or ancho powder if you omit any chile powders. These two give you a good flavor combo with the least effort. If you prefer a smokier flavor, use chipotle and chile powder. Cayenne pepper isn’t a must, but it does add an element of spiciness that I like in my dishes. You can omit that heat if you’re not a fan.

First, add all of the chile powders to a 2-quart mixing bowl.

Which Ingredients Can I Substitute?

Besides love, bold spices like peppers, aromatics, and bright herbs are what give Mexican food its flavor, so incorporating them into your Mexican cooking is necessary. 

Because I’m a huge fan of garlic and onion, I add a generous amount of both. If you’re not as big a fan as me, you can decrease the amount you add to just one tablespoon. Use granulated powders so the mixture doesn’t clump up in storage.

Additionally, I add a good dose of herbs. The most common herbs in Mexican cuisine are oregano and cilantro. If you can find Mexican oregano, use that. It has a floral taste that is ten times better than the regular stuff. Because I strongly dislike dried cilantro (it has no flavor), I replace it with coriander- its seed. You can substitute dried cilantro for coriander if you like it, though.

Of course, salt and pepper are a must. You can use kosher or sea salt here. Add them to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.

Finally, my unique additions are cinnamon, cumin, and Tajín (chile-lime seasoning). Add these to the bowl as well. Cumin is the only one of the three that is a must. I add cinnamon and Tajín to the Mexican spice blend to give it warmth and to add citrus flavor.

How Do I Properly Store Seasoning Mixes?

Use a small whisk or spoon to stir the ingredients until they are fully combined.

That’s all there is to the preparation.

Always keep your spice blends in airtight containers, preferably those made of glass, since storing them in glass jars better keeps them away from the air, which causes them to lose their flavor. In addition to storing them in glass jars, keeping your seasoning mixes in a cool, dark place, like the pantry or a cabinet, will keep them from sunlight or heat exposure. Both light and heat cause spice blends to lose their potency.

Also, store it away from any potential moisture, as moisture may infiltrate the jar and encourage mold growth.

How Do I Get The Maximum Shelf Life?

Once mixed, transfer the Mexican spice blend into an airtight container using a funnel to minimize waste. Screw or snap the lid on and store it in a pantry or a cabinet away from the stove or any heat source.

Store this spice blend for up to six months. It won’t go “bad,” on day 61, but spices lose their aroma as time passes. I label my Mexican Spice Mix with the “date of birth” just for my family, who have been known to “use whatever in whatever.” 

If you’ve used fresh ingredients, you can store and use this Mexican spice blend for up to one year after making it. If not, I would only keep it for 9 months, tops.

How Do I Use It In My Cooking?

Use 1 tablespoon of Mexican spice blend per pound of beef, chicken, or pork (or any meat). Truth be told, I always use a tablespoon and a half because I like my food to be seasoned well. This recipe makes enough to season 19 pounds of protein.

You can also use a Mexican spice blend to season soups (add to taste), stews, vegetables (1 teaspoon per pound), beans, or grains (1 teaspoon per cup).

To make a homemade taco seasoning, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of Mexican spice blend and sprinkle it over your cooked and drained ground meat. Add 1/4 cup of cold water to the pan, and you’ve just eliminated the envelope seasoning packets from your life forever.

Which Of Your Recipes Can I Use It In?

Add this Mexican spice blend to your favorite Mexican recipes. Here are some of my favorites from the site:

• Mexican-Inspired Charcuterie Board
• add a pinch to your next batch of Guacamole, Salsa, or Pico de Gallo 
• Elotes (Grilled Mexican Corn)
• Coctel de Camarones (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail)

You can also use this Mexican Spice Blend in any recipe that calls for fajita or taco seasoning.

Are There Any Other Ways To Use This Mexican Spice Blend?

Don’t limit the use of this recipe to savory dishes! You can use Mexican spice blend in margaritas, paletas, hot chocolate (yeah, I said it), or as a seasoning on fries, popcorn, or salads. The sky’s the limit with this one.

Be sure to pin this recipe to your condiments board and share it with fellow lovers of Mexican cuisine. If you make it, let me know what you think of it in the comments below!

Mexican Spice Blend

Marta Rivera at Sense & Edibility

5 from 14 votes

This Mexican Spice Blend is made with four types of chiles and tons of aromatic spices and herbs. It's sure to replace your store-bought version.

Servings: 19 tablespoons

Print Pin Recipe SaveSaved!

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Equipment

• small whisk
• airtight jar

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 1/2 tablespoons (45 grams) kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons (20 grams) chili powder
• 2 tablespoons (12 grams) ancho chile powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (10 grams) chipotle chile powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (16 grams) granulated garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (10 grams) granulated onion powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (4 grams) dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon (5 grams) ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon (5 grams) ground cumin
• 1/2 tablespoon (4 grams) black pepper
• 2 teaspoons (6 grams) chile-lime seasoning (Tajín), optional
• 1 teaspoon (2 grams) cayenne pepper optional
• 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) ground cinnamon optional

Instructions 

Mix, then Store the Mexican Spice Blend

• Add the salt, chili powder, ancho chile powder, chipotle chile powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, coriander, cumin, black pepper, chile-lime seasoning, cayenne, and cinnamon to a 2-quart mixing bowl.

  Stir these ingredients together with a small whisk or a spoon until they are evenly mixed.
• Pour the spice blend into an airtight container, preferably a glass jar.

  Store the jar in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.
• Use 1 tablespoon per pound of meat or to season soup (add to taste), vegetables (1 teaspoon per pound), or grains (1 teaspoon per cup).

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

• Decrease the amount of granulated garlic and onion powders to just one tablespoon if desired. 
• You can substitute the ground coriander for dried cilantro.

Tips and Techniques:

• Use the freshest spices possible to get the most life out of your homemade spice blend. 
• You can use just chile powder for this recipe or use chile powder and ancho powder or chipotle powder.
• If you're not a fan of heat, you can omit the cayenne pepper. 
• Make sure to use granulated onion and garlic powders, so the spice blend doesn't clump up too much in storage.
• To avoid a lot of clumping, add a food safe silica gel packet to the jar before sealing it. 
• Use this Mexican spice blend in any recipe that calls for taco seasoning or fajita seasoning.
• To make this into taco seasoning:
  1. Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of this Mexican spice blend.
  2. Sprinkle the mixture over your cooked and drained ground meat.
  3. Stir in 1/4 cup of cold water to the pan and bring the liquid up to boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the sauce thickens.  
• You can use Mexican spice blend in margaritas, paletas, or as a seasoning on fries or popcorn.

Storage Instructions:

• Keep the mixed spice blend it in a pantry or a cabinet away from the stove or any heat source.  
• Store this spice blend for up to six months, after which it begins to lose its potency.
• You can store and use this Mexican spice blend for up to one year after making it if you've used fresh ingredients. If not, keep it for only 9 months. 

Course Spice Blend

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword spice blend, spices

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