Mexican Spice Mix

By
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone is a writer who develops approachable recipes for home cooks. Her recipes range from Grandma’s favorites to the latest food trends.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/15/24
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Headshot of Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana earned her B.A. in Fine Art at Queens College and her culinary certification from the Institute of Culinary Education. Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer, and product tester at Food Network.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Mexican spice mix recipe

The Spruce Eats

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Servings: 3 Tablespoons
Yield: 3/4 cup

With the popularity of Mexican cuisine, having a ready-made Mexican spice mix on hand can save you time in the kitchen. It's versatile and flavorful, and takes a lot of guesswork out of cooking, freeing you up to experiment and not be tied to strict measurements.

The most commonly used flavors in Mexican cooking are garlic, onion, and chipotle powder (roasted jalapeños that have been dried and ground). When it comes to herbs and spices in Mexican cooking, the most widely used include cilantro, chili powder, Mexican oregano, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, anise, cocoa powder, and epazote. This mix makes good use of many of them.

Making your Mexican spice mix at home with this combination of herbs and spices is simple, and you can be assured that it tastes great if you start with fresh herbs. If you can, it's worth seeking out spices from an online bulk spice retailer or, if you're lucky, the bulk section of places like Whole Foods or health food stores. Labeling and dating the jar with the date of creation will help you keep track of how fresh it is.

Tips for Making Mexican Spice Mix Recipe

  • This Mexican spice mix is great with chili. Sprinkle it on beef, pork, or chicken before grilling, baking, or broiling for a south-of-the-border flavor.
  • Use on enchiladas, tacos, and shredded chicken or pork. Season a steak with it before grilling.
  • It's also great on other dishes such as scrambled eggs, sprinkled on top of sliced avocado, or combined with rice.
  • Combine this mix with some melted butter or coconut oil and toss it with freshly popped popcorn.


What You'll Need to Make This Mexican Spice Mix Recipe
A Great Set of Measuring Spoons
A Small Whisk
An Airtight Container

"The spice blend came together very quickly. I used about 3 tablespoons of the spice rub under, and on top of the skin 4 chicken legs. I smothered the legs in tomato sauce, added some corn and olives and baked. It was delicious." —Diana Andrews

Mexican Spice Mix/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup chili powder

  • 1/4 cup Hungarian sweet paprika

  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin

  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1 teaspoon ground dried chipotle chile pepper

  • 1 teaspoon fine salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Mexican spice mix ingredients

    The Spruce Eats

  2. Whisk 1/2 cup chili powder, 1/4 cup paprika, 1 tablespoon cumin, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper powder, and 1 teaspoon fine salt until combined.

    Mixing Mexican spice mix in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats

  3. Place Mexican spice mix in an airtight glass jar.

    Mexican spice mix in a jar

    The Spruce Eats

How to Store and Use

  • Store in an airtight glass container and keep the spice mix in a cool, dark place.
  • Label it with the date of creation and use within three months. Shake before each use to recombine.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

Feel free to adjust the amount of herbs and spices in this mix to suit your taste. You can also add 1 to 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper (or red pepper flakes) to the mix if you would like it with more heat.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
107 Calories
5g Fat
19g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3
Amount per serving
Calories 107
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1072mg 47%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 12g 42%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 133mg 10%
Iron 8mg 42%
Potassium 719mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)