Name: Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix
Prep time: 5 min
Ingredients: 3 tbsp Chili Powder; 3 tsp Cumin; 1.5 tsp Onion Powder; 1.5 tsp Paprika; 1 tsp Garlic Powder; 1 tsp Salt; 3/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper; 3/4 tsp Black Pepper

This homemade chili seasoning mix will replace the store bought chili seasoning packets and spice up your next batch of chili perfectly!

Making your own chili seasoning is super easy so if you don’t have a packet of store bought chili seasoning on hand, don’t worry, you probably already have all of the spices in your cupboard to make your own chili seasoning.

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Why You Should Ditch the Packets of Chili Seasoning

They are convenient, I’ll give you that. However, the store bought chili seasoning packets tend to have a lot of sugar and sodium. They also contain preservatives. So if you want a healthier pot of chili that is even tastier in my opinion, you can make your own homemade chili seasoning mix.

For reference, I checked a packet of chili seasoning mix at the store and the first ingredient was corn syrup solids.

What Spices are in Chili Seasoning?

Chili Powder

Cumin

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

Paprika

Salt

Cayenne Pepper

Black Pepper

This post contains affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will make a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

What is Chili Powder?

You may be wondering what chili powder is. If it’s called chili powder, that’s all that I should need for chili right? Well, yes and no. You could totally use just chili powder to spice up your pot of chili but it will probably turn out bland and flat. The addition of the other spices really bring the chili to the next level.

So what’s in chili powder you may be wondering? Well, it has a blend of spices that vary depending on manufacturer. That said, it’s mostly a blend chili pepper, garlic, other spices and salt.

*Note that store bought chili powder varies from one brand to the next when it comes to heat (spiciness). Some even say spicy on the container. Depending on how spicy you like your chili, you may need to adjust the amount of cayenne pepper used in the homemade chili seasoning mix.

How to Make Your Own Chili Powder

To make this homemade chili seasoning mix recipe as easy as possible, I made mine with store bought chili powder. If you find that you’d rather make your own or perhaps you don’t have any at home and you don’t want to run to the store, here is an option to substitute the store bought chili powder.

3 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix Recipe

Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix

Replace the store bought chili seasoning packets with this simple homemade mix.

Keyword Seasoning Mix

Prep Time 5 minutes

Servings 3 Batches of Chili

Ingredients

3 tbsp Chili Powder
3 tsp Cumin
1.5 tsp Onion Powder
1.5 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Salt
3/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
3/4 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

Measure out all ingredients into a small mason jar.
Use a small spoon to thoroughly mix the ingredients together.
Use 2 tablespoons of seasoning mix per pound of meat.

How to Store Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix

My favorite way to store my homemade seasoning mixes is in small mason jars. They are very inexpensive and large enough that I can make big batches that will last me for several pots of chili.

Spices should be stored in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight. Make sure that you are not storing your spices over the stove since the stove puts off heat and boiling water puts off steam. Stored properly, the mix should last several months to a year.

How to Use Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix

I usually make my chili in the Instant Pot but you could also make it on the stove or in a crock pot. Start by browning one pound of ground beef, turkey or lamb. Drain the excess fat as needed and then add 2 tablespoons of the homemade chili seasoning mix. Next, add beans, diced tomatoes and other vegetables such as mushrooms, bell pepper and onion. Next time I make a pot of chili I’ll document it and come back and link it here!

A pot of chili isn’t the only use for this seasoning mix. You could also use it as a marinade, to make a spicy bloody Mary, in homemade dips or guac… You get the point, it’s delicious in more than just chili!

How to Make Chili Spicier

If you’re a fan of spicy food, there are a bunch of ways to add more spice to the chili. You could increase the amount of cayenne pepper used, add red pepper flakes or use your favorite hot sauce!

How to Make Chili Sweeter

While I’m not a fan of sweet chili, living in Cincinnati where Skyline and Gold Star are a local staple, I totally understand that there are a lot of people who like their chili on the sweeter side. If that’s you, try adding a teaspoon of brown sugar and/or cinnamon to your pot of chili.

How to Give Chili a Smoked Flavor

There are a couple of ways that you could add smoked flavor to your chili without having to smoke the meat. One way is to substitute the regular paprika for smoked paprika. You could also add 2 teaspoons of liquid smoke to your pot. One final option would be to add a BBQ sauce or hot sauce to your chili that has a smoked flavor.

I have an Instant Pot BBQ pulled chicken recipe that I use smoked paprika and liquid smoke in and it’s delicious.

I hope that you’ll give this recipe a try! If you want to pin it for later here is an image for Pinterest.