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    You are here Home Β» Recipes Β» food

    By: Melissa

    Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix

    Making your own homemade chili seasoning is so easy and so much better for you than many of the store bought pouches. This homemade chili seasoning recipe uses ground spices that you probably already have in your pantry and you can customize to your taste. Once you make your own chili seasoning blend at home and see how delicious it is, you will never buy store bought again.

    diy chili spice blend
    Jump to Recipe
    Total Time: 5 minutes

    We make a lots of chili in our house from our classic chili to our Texas chili (which uses real chile peppers) and we never get sick of it. For years I did buy those chili seasoning blends at the store because I did not know how easy it could be to make at home.

    About 5 years ago, I began making my own chili seasoning and it is so much better than anything I ever bought. I am going to share our favorite chili seasoning blend with you along with tips to add additional ingredients to really elevate your chili game.

    This chili seasoning recipe makes enough for one large pot of chili.

    Ingredients to make chili seasoning:

    homemade chili seasoning
    • Chili powder. I use McCormicks Chili powder which is not spicy. Make sure you are using a non spicy chili powder unless you like it hot!
    • Sweet paprika
    • Ground cumin
    • Kosher salt
    • Garlic powder
    • Onion powder
    • Cayenne pepper

    Using fresh garlic and onion

    Now often, what I will do at home is use some fresh spice ingredients if I have them, namely, onion and garlic. This really elevates the chili if you can do that.

    You would use the same quantities of the other spices but use the following for the garlic and onion:

    • Use 3 cloves of garlic finely minced instead of garlic powder.
    • Use Β½ of a yellow onion finely diced instead of the onion powder.

    Using fresh ingredients is optional but I thought I would include what we do at home since it really does taste delicious AND so many people have onion and garlic in their pantry.

    How to make homemade chili seasoning:

    homemade chili seasoning

    To make homemade chili seasoning, just add all of the spices to a small bowl and mix well. This is so easy and has such big rewards in terms of flavor.

    TIP: If you wanted to make a very thick chili, you can add a couple of tablespoons of masa powder to the chili to thicken it up. If you do not have masa, you can add a couple of torn up flour tortillas to the chili and let it cook down.

    How to use homemade chili seasoning:

    This homemade chili seasoning makes enough to season one large pot of homemade chili which will serve about 6-8 people (depending on their appetite).

    The best way to use dry spices like in this homemade chili blend is to cook them a bit before you add any liquids. Here is what that looks like:

    1. Brown your meat in a little oil over medium heat.
    2. Once meat is cooked, add the chili spices to the meat, mix it in well and cook for about 2 minutes to help release the flavor of the dried spices. (This method of cooking the dried spices is great for any recipe).
    3. Once the spices have cooked for a few minutes, add the crushed tomatoes and beans (if you are using them) and allow the chili to simmer for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

    Other ways to use chili seasoning

    There are of course other uses for this chili seasoning blend if you wanted to double the recipe and have some on hand for another meal. I love adding a little of this seasoning to:

    • Classic chili recipe
    • To hamburger patties
    • Seared pork chops taste delicious with a little chili seasoning.
    • A little sprinkle over roasted cauliflower and potatoes.
    • Or anything else that needs a little boost of flavor.
    diy chili spice blend

    Faqs

    What gives chili its flavor?

    Chili gets its flavor from ground chiles either in the form of chili powder or finely ground chile peppers.

    What is chili mix made of?

    Chili mix is made up of a variety of spices namely chili powder, paprika, cumin, onion and garlic. There are other spices that can be added or taken way but chili will always have chiles (powdered or fresh) and cumin.

    How to add even more flavor to homemade chili?

    If you really want to elevate the flavor in your homemade chili, adding a couple ounces of dark chocolate will really make it amazing. You will not taste the chocolate but it will add a rich deep flavor to the chili.

    How do you thicken chili?

    There are a few things you can do to thicken chili. You can simmer it without a lid until it thickens. You can also add a few tablespoons of masa powder to the chili. If you do not have masa powder, you can tear up flour tortillas and add that to the chili and allow it to break down. The flour tortillas are made from masa and it will help thicken the chili.

    More Homemade Spice Recipes You May Like

    • Homemade Mesquite Seasoning
    • Golden Milk Powder
    • Blackened Spice Rub
    diy chili spice blend
    Print Recipe
    5 from 4 votes

    Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix

    A big on flavor and really easy homemade chili seasoning that is so much better than store bought.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Total Time5 mins
    Servings: 1 (seasoning for one pot of chili)

    Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!

    Author: Melissa

    Ingredients

    Chili Seasoning

    • 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
    • 1 tablespoon Sweet Paprika
    • Β½ tablespoon Cumin
    • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • ΒΌ teaspoon Cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
    Follow Keeping It Simple Blog On Pinterest

    Instructions

    • Add spices to a small bowl and mix well. I like to pre-mix my spices ahead of time.
      1 tablespoon Chili Powder, 1 tablespoon Sweet Paprika, Β½ tablespoon Cumin, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon Onion Powder, ΒΌ teaspoon Cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • Use right away or store in an air tight container for up to 6 months.

    Notes

    This chili seasoning recipe makes enough for one large pot of chili that serves 6-8 people.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 72kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2470mg | Potassium: 435mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 6066IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 5mg

    Nutrition Values are estimates only.

    See full nutrition disclaimer here
    Course :healthy dinner, Main Course

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Bridgette says

      November 01, 2022 at 6:10 pm

      5 stars
      I didn't have my normal chili seasoning that I buy so I decided to make my own and I am so glad I did! It really is so easy and we were able to tweak the spices to our own taste. We added a little more cayenne for heat and it was perfect.

      Reply
      • Melissa says

        November 01, 2022 at 6:13 pm

        So happy you were able to try it out and enjoyed it.

        Reply
    2. Erika says

      November 01, 2022 at 6:09 pm

      5 stars
      I haven't bought chili seasoning since I began using this recipe. So good!

      Reply
      • Melissa says

        November 01, 2022 at 6:12 pm

        Love hearing that!

        Reply
    3. Danielle says

      November 01, 2022 at 6:08 pm

      5 stars
      This was exactly what I needed last night for chili I was making and it was perfect.

      Reply
      • Melissa says

        November 01, 2022 at 6:12 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it πŸ™‚

        Reply

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