If you’re looking to have a quick and easy taco night, you’re in the right place. Here’s a list of some of the best vegan taco seasoning brands you’ll be able to find in the store and online.
But first… Is Taco Seasoning Vegan?
Well, most of the time, it is. A few brands out there may contain some milk or milk-derived products like sodium caseinate or lactose, but I’ve found that there are also plenty without.
Now let’s check out the list…
Don’t have time to read? Here’s a quick summary of the products we recommend.
Product Name | Grade |
Simply Organic Southwest Taco, Seasoning Mix | A+ |
Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix | A+ |
Taco Bell Seasoning Mix, Taco | A |
McCormick Taco Seasoning Mix | A+ |
As always, be sure to double-check ingredients on any taco seasonings you buy. Ours are usually accurate/up-to-date, but things do change over time.
Simply Organic Southwest Taco, Seasoning Mix
This is a personal favorite when I’m in a rush. It tastes amazing and is fairly inexpensive for the quality of the product. Even just a little bit of this seasoning goes a long way. I put it in my breakfast burritos, tacos, rice, and beans, literally everything.
Every ingredient listed is completely organic. This comes in jars as well as packets.
Organic Red Chilis, Organic Maltodextrin, Organic Paprika, Sea Salt, Organic Garlic, Organic Onion, Organic Potato Starch, Organic Coriander, Organic Cumin, Silicon Dioxide, Citric Acid, Organic Cayenne.
The next few on the list do contain sugar. Because of the refinement process of sugar, these brands are fence-sitters in the vegan community. Some consider them to be still vegan, while some don’t. I included these in case the store you happen to frequent doesn’t stock the previous two, which are both completely vegan, sans sugar.
Read our stance here: Is Sugar Vegan?
Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix
If you don’t mind the sugar, this is still a very good option. Like Old El Paso, it also comes in a kit, though the shells may not be vegan.
Yellow Corn Flour, Salt, Maltodextrin, Paprika, Spices, Modified Corn Starch, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Citric Acid, Yeast Extract, Silicon Dioxide, Natural Flavors.
Taco Bell Seasoning Mix, Taco
Check out this vegan starter kit
This is the go-to for vegans and pretty much everyone. It’s flavorful, comes in different varieties, and gives you Taco Bell tacos at home.
You can’t beat it.
Wheat, Flour, Salt, Dried Garlic, Maltodextrin, Chili Peppers, Spices, Dried Onions, Monosodium Glutamate, Paprika, Sugar, Contains less than 2% of Silicon Dioxide as an Anticaking Agent, Soybean Oil, Malic Acid.
McCormick Taco Seasoning Mix
Last but certainly not least, McCormick is a household name that creates quality products when it comes to seasonings.
This did contain sugar, but it is authentic, zesty, and will be a crowd-pleaser.
Spices (including Chili pepper, Paprika, and Oregano) Onion, Salt, Potato Starch, Sugar, Garlic, and Natural Flavor
Tacos are life.
They’re flavorful, easy to make, and pretty much an all-around crowd-pleaser. Not to mention there are so many variations of tacos, you can eat them at almost any time of the day. Vegan tacos are just as good.
You can still have all the flavors without compromising your dietary preferences. Most vegans, myself included, make their taco seasoning. This is my first choice because you know what’s in it and you can cater the seasoning to your personal tastes.
You can also make it bulk if you eat tacos a lot like I do and store it for later. Suppose you’re in a pinch and don’t have the homemade spice on hand. Or you don’t have the time.
Old El Paso
This is a fan favorite and a trusted brand. Old El Paso doesn’t contain lactose or sugar as most major brands do, and it comes in a kit if you’re really in a bind.
So, if you want that original taste you can grab a packet of this or the whole kit and be in and out in a jiffy.
This version does seem to have hydrogenated oil, though. Don’t worry; the next item on the list has a cleaner ingredient statement.
Chili pepper, salt, maltodextrin, spice, onion powder, corn starch, yellow corn flour. Contains less than 2% of partially hydrogenated soybean oil, silicon dioxide (anticaking agent), sunflower and/or cottonseed oil, natural flavor, ethoxyquin (preservative).
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
Want to take all of the guess-work around going vegan?
Click here to check out the Vegan Starter Kit.
How do you know what the “natural flavors” are?
Unfortunately, the term “natural flavor” can include animal-derived ingredients. Some do, some don’t, and the customer information people on the websites don’t always know either. To be safe, I have (vegan since 1986) avoided “natural flavor” unless the product is certified “vegan” by one of the trusted groups.