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Here's what I use:

Homemade Taco Seasoning

2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon table salt

Mix well. Mix with 1-pound of raw ground meat (beef or turkey), and cook\until done in frying pan. Add a couple of tablespoons of water if needed during cooking.

Thank you Boogerbomb for sharing your opinion and I will be sure to pass your feedback onto the brand team.

ShannaQ - Community Moderator

Please, also, pass along that when you cease the Spanish language commercials, I will return as a loyal AMERICAN consumer of your products!

Hi boomer54!

What channel are you watching that has Betty Crocker commercials in Spanish?  I've never seen one before.  Maybe your TV's SAP was switched on by accident.  If so, switch it off and the Spanish language will go away.  By the way, bigotry has no place here.  Have a great day!

What part of "learn our language" necessarily constitutes bigotry? Let's be realistic, this is an American product, there is no authentic Mexican about it -- it just (used to) taste good.  I get so tired of companies trying to be politically correct, meanwhile all they're doing is pissing off their loyal customers while the creators of authentic Mexican cuisine laugh and continue to go to the ethnic section of the grocery store like they always have.  I might just peep over their shoulders and see what all they're buying, b/c I sure won't be eating this stuff anymore!

I'll have to give this a try as I won't be buying the "NEW" Old El Paso seasoning again. By mistake I bought 10 packs, it tastes terrible, way too much cumin.  Some others have compared it to chili which is fair.  I thought I got some bad meat or cheese because the tacos tasted so off.  Then after the second time I noticed the "New Better" on the front of the package.  I'm going to take the rest back to the store.

Who's the product/marketing genius that decided to change the formula????  I loved the OEP seasoning and would actually not make taco's if I couldn't find the seasoning.  Has anyone found the original seasoning on-line or in a discount store?

Let's hope that they learn from Coke's "New Coke" mistake and bring back their original seasoning.  One things for sure, I won't be buying any of their products again.  I'll buy Ortega shell, chillis, etc..

We just had the "now even better" version last night.  I was so disappointed.  We have tacos once a week and have been using Old El Paso for a long time.  This was the fist time we had the new seasoning.  It was gross!  My son walked in the house and said it smelled like chili.  It reminded me of the new mixture a Taco Bell.  That's why I stopped eating there!  Haven't you ever heared "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"?

Taco Bell Seasoning Mix

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon dried minced onion

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch of ground cumin

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, chili powder, paprika, onion, garlic powder, salt, and cumin. Stir to mix well. Transfer to a jar  or  other airtight container. Store in a cool, dark spot for up to 1 month.

Makes 2 tablespoons, enough for 4 servings of soft taco supreme beef, double decker taco supreme, mexican pizza, or nachos supreme.

I'm inclined to agree.  It's not very good.

My family is in complete agreement.  We have been using the original taco seasoning for years.  Now no one in my family will touch it.  It tastes like bad chili seasoning.  Definitely needs to be changed back to the original recipe.

i agree. this new seasoning is no good. and i will not return to using OEP seasoning unless it is changed back to what it originally was

Thank you everyone for sharing your comments and feedback about the OEP seasoning. I will be sharing all your comments with the OEP team!

ShannaQ - Community Moderator

This is the first time in my life I've been so disappointed in a change that I wanted to look for reviews, find out why such a great product was "New and Improved". HA, Jokes on you Mrs Betty. Why did you try and fix it?????? IT WAS'NT BROKEN. I grew up with this taco seasoning.  We do taco night every week, ok well we used to. Our family "taco night" was my fav night of the week. My kids thought i made the best Tacos EVER!!!!!!!!!. Now,,,, they cringe when we mention the word taco... If it sounds like i'm mad, I AM, VERY MAD.. I read all the reviews, seems as if alot of people feel the same. This New and Improved change with this seasoning was acually the biggest topic of my Thanksgiving visit with family in KS. They all thought it SUCKED. One person suggested to make the old original seasoning again, call it Classic. Thats a great idea. I mean really, charge double for it. Like alot of folks, i will not buy any more Old El Paso products til they come back with the real original.  So jus FYI Betty, yer new seasoning sucks, everyone knows it. Thanks for not only ruining our families most enjoyable night of the week, but you just killed alot of awesome memories i've made for over 25 years.

Has Old El Paso gone NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!

The new & improved taco seasoning taste absolutely terrible. I've been a loyal El Paso buyer for 10+ yrs but I'm finished with Old El Paso now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I must agree!  The new recipe is NOT good.  I made tacos at least once a week with OEP Original for years and my family loved them!  Our grocery store had trouble keeping the old recipe in stock!  This new recipe tastes like Taco Bell's and Ortega's more mild seasonings, which is why I didn't use them.

It lacks the bite and zest now (without burning your lips off like the Hot recipe).  Does it taste more like flower to anyone else?  I can only imagine what the Mild recipe tastes like now...I'm not sure I want to try.  I guess I won't be making tacos for a while.

My boyfriend just pointed out that I am a very brand loyal consumer. I have loved Old El Paso taco seasoning since I was a kid and disliked anything else. When someone else got ready to make tacos or anything like it and wasn't using OEP, I would say you should try this..it's much better. My aunt is also a head human resource manager for General Mills and when I came to shadow her one summer..I was shocked that it was part of the company that my aunt is so passionate about. I fell in love even more with OEP. BUT THIS NEW STUFF IS SOOOOO DISSAPOINTING!!!! I have used the new seasoning twice and both times I felt like my tacos were average and I LOVE taco night!! So please...PLEASE bring back the old seasoning!! I guess I'll be trying out other brands until it is changed back.

I also spent about 30 minutes trying to figure out how to post a comment and have a ton of studying to do so...that should tell you guys how much I miss the old stuff.

I agree that this message board is very difficult to navigate and I couldn't figure out how to post either...

In any case, the new formula isn't an improvement of any kind.  I understand that you were trying to make it spicier, but that is what the spicy formula is there for...  This new formula lacks the texture and flavor that made the old stuff so good.  On chicken, it is maybe half as good as it used to be, but on beef it is downright inedible.  I can only imagine the forces within the corporate structure of OEP that came up with the brilliant plan to fix a product that is not broken....Perhaps these are the same people behind the launch of "new coke" which went so splendidly...

I do hope that OEP returns to the old formula, or at least offers a OEP "classic" for those of us who can't stand the new stuff...if not, I'm going to have to try other brands and find something that is at least edible.

Its true, It's awful. For the last few times I just kept thinking I made a bad batch, I didn't realize it was new and improved, this new stuff is awful! It used to be fantastic, now it makes hamburger taste like ALPO! eew! now I need to find a new kind.

Betty Crocker has ruined a great product.  If you look at the packet, it seems they mainly removed the MSG.  People are so afraid of MSG, it is very misunderstood and the media has made it sound like it's bad for you, when in fact it is not. It's a great and safe flavor enhancer, found in so many foods everywhere.   If you have a sophisticated pallet, you will notice when it's missing.  

Betty Crocker, the delicious flavor that the Taco packet used to have is gone, now its bland and flavorless.   

I contacted BC about the change, and they said that they had done extensive research and taste tests. Well... all I have to say is that the "taste testers" that Betty Crocker used to create the new formula, clearly do not have a sophisticated pallet, and probably cannot tell the difference between delicious homemade tacos and Taco bell.  Bring back the old formula, or at the very least please let us buy the old version!