How Many Tablespoons Are In A Typical Packet Of Taco Seasoning?

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Maybe you're making tacos or taco salad or want to add some flavor to your favorite meal, and if you haven't tried taco seasoning in your burgers, you're missing out. But when your recipe calls for a certain number of tablespoons of taco seasoning, it helps to know how many packets you may need to buy to create your meal.

Taco seasoning packets from popular brands, such as Old El Paso, Cholula, and McCormick typically come in one-ounce packets. Now, the thing about dry ounces to tablespoons conversion is it varies depending on the ingredient. One ounce of sugar and one ounce of flour, for example, have different tablespoon equivalents due to differing density. For a standard one-ounce taco seasoning packet, the tablespoon equivalent should be about three tablespoons.

Some brands, like Trader Joe's and Siete's, sell taco seasoning in packets of about 1.3 ounces, which is roughly four tablespoons. If you don't want to rely on a rough average, check the back of the seasoning packet for serving size details — it will generally be in teaspoons, and the label will indicate how many servings sizes are in a packet. To help determine how many tablespoons are in the packet, multiply the teaspoon number with the serving size and then convert that into tablespoons (there are three teaspoons in a tablespoon). For example, there are about 12 teaspoons in Cholula's taco seasoning packet, so therefore there are four tablespoons.

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Cooking isn't always about exact measurements, so how much taco seasoning you use is up to you. This is where tasting as you cook is important. Maybe you use three tablespoons but want a little more after a quick taste. Of course, you can't reduce how much seasoning you put in, so if you're nervous, be conservative by adding less than called for and add more if need be.

Now, with so many brands out there, how do you decide on a taco seasoning for your dish? If you know you need a specific amount of tablespoons for a recipe, you could search based on measurement. But if you want to use the best, we recommend Cholula's Original Taco Medium, as well as Siete Mild and Trader Joe's, after trying 15 different store-bought taco seasonings.

You can also make homemade taco seasoning (way better than what you buy at the store); it requires commonly found spices like cumin, chili powder, and paprika. If you have leftover taco seasoning after making or buying it, there are plenty of things you can do with it other than make tacos. Try whipping up some Mexican street corn as a flavorful side, black bean Southwest frittata for a warming breakfast, or some pico de gallo to dip your favorite tortilla chips in.