Our Least Favorite Store-Bought Taco Seasoning Comes From A Popular Chain

Who doesn't love a taco? Some estimates say that Americans eat 4.5 billion tacos a year. The Wall Street Journal once reported that Americans eat 554 million tacos from Jack in the Box alone. Taco Bell says they serve over two billion customers per year, so that 4.5 billion number could be plausible. Part of the allure of a taco is that it's usually quick and easy to make, especially thanks to the availability of pre-made tortillas and seasoning mixes. But when it comes to making a taco with authentic taste, you might want to pass up Taco Bell's Original Taco Seasoning. It completely misses the mark.

Tasting Table ranked 16 different taco seasoning mixes, and we had high hopes for Taco Bell's offering. After all, it's Taco Bell, the most famous taco chain in the world. Yet, somehow, its taco seasoning mix lacks any actual flavor. Our taste tester found that there was no evidence of any exciting taco flavor thanks to an incredibly lackluster ingredients list. The first ingredient is wheat flour and the second is salt. Unsurprisingly, we found that it tastes like salty whole wheat flour. It couldn't even season a grilled chicken breast let alone a whole pound of meat.

The rest of the ingredients include garlic, chili peppers, spice, onions, and paprika, among other things, but it's clear from the taste that these seasonings are used sparingly. Taco Bell has never been known for bold, striking flavors, but this mix is an even milder version of what you might expect.

Customers on Walmart's website have also complained that the seasoning has no flavor, with one claiming they had to re-season with a homemade mixture because the Taco Bell seasoning added nothing. Users on Reddit suggest using two packets or adding several packets of Taco Bell's mild sauce to boost the flavor. One person who seemed to like it also acknowledged that it's just there to change the color of the meat but doesn't really add flavor. Hardly a rousing endorsement.

Despite some negative feedback, there are plenty of people who enjoy the Taco Bell seasoning. On Amazon it has over 6,000 reviews, with 85% of them giving it five stars. However, one of the single-starred reviews is potentially enlightening. A longtime user of the seasoning said that the last packet they tried had no flavor at all, despite them enjoying it many times in the past. This raises the possibility of a manufacturing issue, causing taste inconsistencies from one packet to another. Perhaps some Taco Bell Original Taco Seasoning really is tasty, while others are bland and flavorless because the mixture is off.

Several reviews, even positive ones, mention that the seasoning doesn't remind them of Taco Bell and that it's pretty much like any other taco mix. If you're looking for that Taco Bell takeaway flavor, you'd do better just to hit up the Taco Bell drive-thru and get yourself a Crunchwrap Supreme.