Homemade Chili Seasoning

updated Feb 15, 2024
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Credit: Joe Lingeman

This chili seasoning mix elevates any dish and only requires 6 ingredients that you probably have in your spice cabinet already.

Makes1/3 cup

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Post Image
Credit: Joe Lingeman

Homemade spice mixes can even the speediest meals taste better. To make your own chili seasoning, you only need five ingredients — and at least half of them are probably in your spice cabinet already.

Homemade chili seasoning makes a near perfect pot of Classic Beef Chili, but can just as readily spice up a pot of Instant Pot black beans or a pan of roasted sweet potatoes. Here’s what you need to make chili seasoning at home.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

Key Ingredients in Homemade Chili Seasoning

Chili seasoning should be made primarily from ground chiles. Ancho and chipotle are two of the most commonly found ground chiles in most grocery stores and they’re what we call for in this recipe. Together they add complexity to the pot without just being “hot.”

  • Ancho chile powder: Ancho chile powder has a slight musky flavor.
  • Chipotle chile powder:

    Chipotle chile

  • Cumin: Ground cumin adds a hint of smokiness with a sweet, earthy flavor.
  • Mexican oregano: Look for dried Mexican oregano, which shares the basic pungent flavor of Mediterranean oregano, but also has notes of citrus and mild licorice.
  • Garlic powder: Garlic powder is another key ingredient in chili seasoning.

How to Make Homemade Chili Seasoning

  1. Combine the ingredients. Combine the ground chile powders with cumin, Mexican oregano, and garlic powder in a bowl. Mix well.
  2. Transfer to a jar. You can use the chili seasoning mix right away or store it in an airtight jar or container for up to three months.

How to Customize Your Homemade Chili Seasoning

This seasoning mix puts the emphasis on the chiles, but if you’re a mega fan of garlic or know that you’ll never make a pot of chili without tipping some cocoa powder in the pot then you can make adjustments to this seasoning mix as you see fit. This recipe, however, is a good place to start, and will give you a just spicy enough stew.

Ways to Use Homemade Chili Seasoning

Use the spice mix wherever a recipe calls for packaged chili seasoning mix or chili powder. Because this mix doesn’t contain any salt, you can add salt to taste while cooking.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

Storage Tips

  • Store in an airtight jar or container.
  • This homemade chili seasoning will last for up to 3 months at room temperature.

Homemade Chili Seasoning Recipe

This chili seasoning mix elevates any dish and only requires 6 ingredients that you probably have in your spice cabinet already.

Makes 1/3 cup

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons

    chile powder, such as ancho chile

  • 2 teaspoons

    chipotle chile powder

  • 1 tablespoon

    ground cumin

  • 1 tablespoon

    dried Mexican oregano

  • 1 tablespoon

    garlic powder

Instructions

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  1. Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk with a fork to combine.

  2. Carefully transfer the chili seasoning mix to a resealable container and store.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Kept in an airtight container, this seasoning mix will last for up to 3 months at room temperature.