Homemade Tajin Seasoning Recipe

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This homemade Tajin seasoning recipe packs in just the right balance of heat and tanginess as the classic Mexican chili lime seasoning.

With just 5 simple ingredients and less than 10 minutes of kitchen time, you’ll be able to scratch, make this fiery Mexican spice blend to sprinkle over your fresh fruits, snacks and tons of other favorite foods.

This is one homemade spice mix that will take your taste buds on a ride!

Commonly called Tajín Clásico, the Mexican chili-lime seasoning is a popular Mexican spice blend that has a lot of character and flavor.

If you love the bold, hot flavors that Mexican cuisine takes pride in, you definitely need to try out this homemade spice mix.

I recently tried my hands at it, and already put it to use in my mango con Tajin recipe and my cucumber and Tajin salad- both of which have already become a huge hit!

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What's So Great About the Recipe?
Ingredients For the Tajin Seasoning Recipe
How to Make Homemade Tajin Seasoning
Substitutions & Variations
💭Top Tip
Equipment
How to Store the Leftover
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
How to Use the Tajin Seasoning
FAQs
Related Recipes
Homemade Tajin Seasoning Recipe
Food Safety

What's So Great About the Recipe?

My favorite part about this spice mix is the fact that it is actually super customizable too.

You can totally adjust the level of spice based on your personal taste preference, and create something that works for you and your family.

Once you give this recipe a try, it’ll become a staple in your spice cupboard - it’s a promise!

Ingredients For the Tajin Seasoning Recipe

Ready to try this homemade chili lime seasoning recipe? Here’s all you’ll need.

Red chile powder: You’ll need powdered mild chili peppers making up the bulk of this spice mix. Unless, of course, you want to make it have that extra spicy kick.

Guajillo chile powder: Guajillo chili peppers are a staple in Mexican cuisine, and if you can get your hands on it, great! If not, you can substitute with some Chipotle instead.

Smoked paprika: This one lends a nice smoky undertone to the spice mix. Again, an essential in my opinion. If you don’t have this, you can use some Chipotle powder instead.

Pink salt: I used pink salt, but you can also use some sea salt or even some regular table salt for the recipe.

Dehydrated lime powder: You’ll also need a bit of lime powder, commonly marketed as crystallized lime powder to bring some tanginess into the Mexican seasoning.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Homemade Tajin Seasoning

Ready to make the homemade Tajín seasoning? Here’s what you’ll need to do.

Combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl.

Give it a good mix and transfer it to an airtight jar to store for later.

Substitutions & Variations

In addition to the ingredients, you can also add some garlic powder and/or onion powder into the seasoning.
If you want your homemade Tajín recipe to have a bit more heat, you can use dried habanero chillies too.

💭Top Tip

If you’re starting off with whole red chillies of any kind, you’ll need to use your spice grinder to get the chillies to the right, powdered form. You can also use a coffee mill if you want to.

Equipment

How to Store the Leftover

Storing your Tajin powder is super easy. All you need to do is transfer it to an airtight container, ideally a glass jar with an airtight lid, and store it in a cool and dark place- preferably your spice cabinet or pantry.

The seasoning mix should stay fresh for weeks, if not months.

Remember that since this is a homemade seasoning mix, it doesn’t have any anti-caking agents added in, so you might notice a bit of clumping.

Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe

I would highly recommend you use dehydrated lime for this homemade Tajin spice. The tangy flavor it lends is unmatched. If you can’t find it, you can use a dash of citric acid instead.
If you can’t find either of these, you can add some fresh lime zest into the mix to get that citrusy lime flavor you’re looking for.
I would also recommend slightly dry roasting the chillies in a pan and letting them cool down before you grind them. This will help release their natural aroma and lend the chile lime seasoning an extra intense flavor.

How to Use the Tajin Seasoning

There are tons of ways to use this spicy and tangy Mexican chile-lime seasoning.

Here are a few good ideas to get you inspired.

As a Seasoning

My favorite way to use this homemade Tajin spice is to sprinkle it over fresh fruits and vegetables.

I love pairing it with fresh fruits like pineapple, mango and watermelon, or even on a nice fruit salad to jazz up its flavor.

And it’s not just fruits- the Tajin spice blend can work beautifully with veggies too. You can sprinkle some of it over your simple salad and lend it the best flavor.

With Snacks

This Tajin spice mix can also be a great substitute for your taco seasoning or any other seasoning mix for that matter.

You can sprinkle some of it over your guacamole or cheese dip to pair with your nachos and tortilla chips, or even over your homemade popcorn when you’re in the mood for something spicy.

In fact, I recently used it to season some nuts I had at hand, and made a batch of Tajin nuts to munch on.

I also love adding it to my bag of Air Fryer walking tacos and even on my Elote casserole for that perfect Mexican kick of flavor.

As a Marinade

This spice rub can also double up as an insanely flavorful marinade or rub for your grilled meats and other grilled foods.

I’m planning on using it for my grilled tandoori corn too!

You’ll also find Tajin teamed up with some Chamoy sauce on the rim and served with a Mexican drink.

FAQs

What Chillies Can I Use to Make Homemade Tajin Seasoning?

You can use a mix of different chillies of your choice to make homemade Tajin seasoning. Guajillo, de Arbol, Ancho, Pasilla, Mulatto and Chipotle are all great choices.

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