The Taco Seasoning Substitute You Should Keep In Your Spice Cabinet

We all know that taco seasoning is not just meant for ground meat tucked inside a crunchy shell — it's a versatile spice mix that adds flavor to many things, from beer can chicken to skirt steak fajitas and BBQ. After all, taco seasoning is not a Mexican creation but was instead invented by a German Texan to season meat chili. Combining smoky ground chiles and paprika with cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, taco seasoning adds a zippy flavor to many dishes. But what if we told you that there is a similar spice that will give you all that Latin flavor with a Caribbean twist? Enter Sazón, Puerto Rico's own spice blend, which is used on practically everything on the Island of Enchantment.

Sazón is a combination of herbs and spices anchored by culantro (a local herb used in Caribbean cooking which is similar in flavor but not related to cilantro) and achiote paste, an earthy, brick red seasoning obtained by grinding annatto seeds. In Caribbean and Latin American countries like Colombia and Venezuela, Sazón is a necessity in the kitchen, used mainly to season rice but also stews and roasted meats. It makes a good taco seasoning substitute since it also includes garlic and onion powders, black pepper, cumin, and salt, but it adds a beautiful reddish hue that makes everything more visually appealing.

Sazón is the Spanish word for seasoning, but in Latin America, the meaning goes deeper than that. It is said that people possess their own "sazón," their unique touch that distinguishes one cook from another. This is the reason why your arroz con pollo doesn't taste the same as your mom's, even if you follow the recipe to the letter. In an attempt to standardize the basic seasonings of the Puerto Rican kitchen, mega brand Goya started packaging the mix, much like Knorr and its bouillon cubes. Goya Sazón is widely available in most supermarkets and specialty Latin American grocery shops, but you can also make your own blend, which you can customize to your taste using your very own "sazón."

The basic recipe combines equal parts ground cumin, coriander, achiote paste, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and Mexican oregano. Goya adds artificial colorings and MSG to enhance the look and flavor, but you can substitute those with a pinch of turmeric to add more vibrancy to the blend and play with quantities depending on your taste. Use your Sazón to season roasted meats like the traditional pernil enjoyed in Puerto Rico and Cuba, on any rice dish like paella, as a meat rub for grilling, sprinkled on veggies, or anywhere that you want a hint of Latin color and flavor.