Jump To Recipeby Liz Thomson
May 22, 2023This post may contain affiliate links.
This homemade taco sauce is an easy way to add flavor to your favorite dishes, from tacos to quesadillas! It’s made with a few basic pantry staples and it will take your taco night to the next level.
I love having a jar of taco sauce in my pantry because it’s a quick and easy way to add flavor to taco fillings, quesadillas, soups, and wraps. But I don’t always have it available, so I decided to try making my own. It turned out to be easier than I expected, and I like being able to control the flavors! This sauce is tangy, slightly spicy, and perfect for your favorite tacos!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Tomato sauce: Tomato sauce is the base ingredient in taco sauce, providing a rich and tangy flavor. Be sure you’re using plain tomato sauce. Do not use tomato paste or marinara sauce.
Lime juice: Lime juice adds a bright and citrusy flavor to the taco sauce. It can be substituted with lemon juice for a similar tangy taste.
White vinegar: A splash of vinegar adds acidity and tanginess to the sauce. It can be substituted with apple cider vinegar.
Cumin: Cumin adds an earthy and smoky flavor to the taco sauce.
Chili powder: Chili powder adds heat and depth of flavor to the sauce. It can be substituted with cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes to achieve a similar spiciness.
Paprika: Paprika adds a mild, sweet flavor to the sauce. It can be substituted with smoked paprika or a combination of sweet paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Garlic powder: Garlic powder provides a classic, savory flavor. It can be substituted with freshly minced garlic for a stronger garlic flavor.
Onion powder: Onion powder adds a subtle savory flavor to the sauce. If you don’t have onion powder, add an extra pinch of garlic powder.
How to Make Taco Sauce
originally posted May 22, 2023 (updated June 29, 2023)by Liz Thomson categories:Side Dish13 comments
I recently made this homemade taco sauce, and I love how it turned out! It was delicious, fun, and easy to make. This recipe will take your tacos to a whole new level! A must-try indeed!
This sauce has it all, tanginess, some spice and the authentic vibe of a homemade Mexican taco sauce. I love putting it on my eggs in the morning and topping it with some queso fresco…que rico!
Last week I hosted a Mexican night and wanted to make a lot of homemade ingredients for the quesadillas, tacos, etc…so I made this taco sauce and it turned out great!! It was def a hit amongst my friends.
This taco sauce recipe is perfection – just the right amount of spices. I think I’ve purchased my last jar of sauce now that I know how to make it. Thanks for the clear instructions.
Just plain YUM! My whole fam loves it! Thank you.
I had no idea it was so easy to make taco sauce. Made this sauce to go with our tacos tonight. It was delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
This sauce was so easy to make. I’ve been enjoying dumping it into my ground beef skillet dinners.
I recently made this homemade taco sauce, and I love how it turned out! It was delicious, fun, and easy to make. This recipe will take your tacos to a whole new level! A must-try indeed!
This sauce has it all, tanginess, some spice and the authentic vibe of a homemade Mexican taco sauce. I love putting it on my eggs in the morning and topping it with some queso fresco…que rico!
Last week I hosted a Mexican night and wanted to make a lot of homemade ingredients for the quesadillas, tacos, etc…so I made this taco sauce and it turned out great!! It was def a hit amongst my friends.
This taco sauce recipe is perfection – just the right amount of spices. I think I’ve purchased my last jar of sauce now that I know how to make it. Thanks for the clear instructions.
I love being able to make a sauce from scratch from what I have. This is pefect.
Okay, this was perfect! The vinegar! So tangy!
This is so easy to make. Everything available in my kitchen. Homemade options are the best any day.