Whether it’s Taco Tuesday or you are just craving tacos, you may head to the store to grab all the essentials. Corn shells are gluten free, but what about that taco seasoning? One of the most popular brands is Old El Paso Taco Seasoning, but is it gluten free? Show
What Is Old El Paso Taco Seasoning?Old El Paso Taco Seasoning is a taco seasoning packet made by General Mills. This seasoning is generally found in a stand-alone packet in the store and other seasonings types. It comes in a few flavors ranging from mild to spicy. The Old El Paso brand also makes taco kits with taco shells and seasoning, so you can easily prepare a taco fiesta for the family. The seasoning is made of bold flavors that help enhance your chosen protein to give it that beautiful taste that makes you crave tacos. If your spice cabinet is bare or you just want the simple ease of using a seasoning packet, you will want to grab some taco seasoning. You don’t want to mistake using taco seasoning for gluten, so read on to learn more about this particular brand! If you are making tacos, you may want to use Rotel. Be sure to see Is Rotel Gluten Free and Is Shredded Cheese Gluten Free. Answer: Is Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Gluten Free?Old El Paso Taco Seasoning is most likely gluten free. There is no gluten included, nor are there any declared allergens. Therefore, you can probably use this brand to avoid a gluten catastrophe regarding seasoning. The only possibility of gluten is if it is made on shared equipment. Old El Paso states on its website that its taco seasoning contains "No Declaration Obligatory Allergens." Gluten is considered an obligatory allergen, and brands must declare gluten if it is in the product. The kits will also be gluten-free if you choose the one with the hard corn taco shells. Any kit that contains flour tortillas will have gluten. Ingredients:Since it’s part of the General Mills company, Old El Paso Taco Seasoning is transparent with its ingredients and clearly declares known allergens on all labels. This taco seasoning contains the following ingredients:
Again, the company doesn't list whether the product can be cross-contaminated, so if you are celiac, you need to decide whether to try it. Of course, you can make your own taco seasoning with chili powder, ground cumin, black pepper, salt, paprika, dried oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. If you want to make homemade seasoning, this taco seasoning recipe is one of my favorites! Check out these articles to see which meal ingredients are gluten free. If you love the recipes you find on my blog, I would love for you to sign up for my newsletter (and get my free gluten free holiday cookies baking tips!) Find out what taco seasoning is, what it’s made of, used for, and if it’s a safe choice for a gluten-free diet. Plus find out if your favorite brands are gluten-free. Note: I am a proud Amazon, Chomps, MunkPack, and Thrive Market affiliate and am happy to recommend their service and products to you. Please know that as an affiliate, I may receive a small commission on the products you purchase after clicking through my links. For more info, please see my disclosure policy here. If you love Taco Tuesday or simply making tacos regularly at home, you may be well versed in the shortcut of tossing in some taco seasoning with cooking meat to completely transform your meal. Taco seasoning is full of flavor that adds a boldness to your favorite tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, and really anything you can think of that you want to add some Mexican flavor to. If you follow a gluten-free diet, you know that even the smallest of ingredients that make their way into your food can contain gluten – and that includes spice and seasoning blends. In this post, we’re going to talk about taco seasoning and dive in to understand what this spice blend is made up of and how it’s used. We’re also going to talk about how taco seasoning fits into a gluten-free diet and when it’s not a good option for folks avoiding gluten. Finally, we’re going in for a deep dive into some popular taco seasoning brands to help us get a firm grasp on where gluten can be hidden in taco seasoning, so you can be prepared next time you’re shopping for this ingredient at the store. What is taco seasoning?Taco seasoning is a mixture of spices that are used to season meat like chicken, pork, or ground beef for Mexican dishes. Taco seasoning is sold as a spice mixture in both packets and plastic containers at the grocery store, and can even be made at home using your own blend of seasonings and spices. Read on: Gluten-free Mexican food Read on: 25 Gluten-free ground beef recipes What is taco seasoning made of?Taco seasoning is made of a variety of spices and seasonings, like chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and salt. If you make your own taco seasoning at home, these will be the main ingredients you will need. You can even get my gluten-free taco seasoning recipe to try it out for yourself. Brands of taco seasoning that you can buy at the store may contain various quantities of these ingredients, as well as others. Each brand will vary in how they make their taco seasoning, so as to create a unique product from others on the market. What is taco seasoning used for?Taco seasoning is most often used in Mexican cuisine, namely tacos, fajitas, soup, dip, chili, beans, or rice. Taco seasoning gives meat or other ingredients a Mexican twist on what could otherwise be a fairly basic dish. This spice blend works well to turn any type of meat into a Mexican-inspired dish. With a spicy, smoky flavor, you can have almost any dish take on a taco flavor to jazz up your meals. What is gluten?Gluten is a protein found in most wheat products, and acts as the “glue” that helps to hold wheat, barley, kamut, spelt, farro, durum, bulgur, rye, and semolina together to maintain their shape. You can find gluten in whole grains, but also in many processed foods as well. Many processed foods have hidden gluten in them in the form of gluten or wheat derivatives. These are also in the form of flavorings, binders to keep ingredients together, or other additives. Read on: What is gluten in food? The basics of a gluten-free diet Is taco seasoning gluten-free?Depending on the brand you purchase or if you make your own taco seasoning at home, taco seasoning can be gluten-free. Your safest option is always going to be choosing spices that are indicated by the manufacturer that they are gluten-free, then mixing up your own taco seasoning blend. The next best option is to review ingredients lists of taco seasoning brands to look for hidden sources of gluten. Gluten may hide in taco seasoning in the form of wheat flour or yeast extract. These ingredients are both used as a thickener or preservative in taco seasoning. Since wheat contains gluten, and we know yeast extract is made from barley, both of these ingredients are not considered gluten-free. If you find a brand of taco seasoning that has no gluten ingredients, you may consider that a safe choice for your gluten-free diet. However, if you are celiac or are extremely sensitive to even trace amounts of gluten, you may want to look for a taco seasoning that has a gluten-free label. Cross contamination may occur during manufacturing, and if taco seasoning is produced on the same lines as other wheat or gluten ingredients, there is a chance for gluten to get into that product. Gluten-free labels indicate that the manufacturer has tested the product and it has less than 20ppm of gluten. Find a brand that has no gluten ingredients or a gluten-free label (or both!) if you are looking for a taco seasoning that works for your gluten-free diet. Read on: Is yeast extract gluten-free? When is taco seasoning not gluten-free?Taco seasoning isn’t gluten-free if you’re looking through the ingredients list on a package and find any term that might be considered gluten. Terms like “wheat flour,” “yeast extract,” or any other hidden name of gluten are all cause to pause. One of my little secrets is that I carry around a copy of my GFDF Take Along Cards so that I always have a point of reference when I can sneak a peek at the ingredient list of a food. >> Get your copy of the GFDF Take-Along Cards to make this easy on you. If a taco seasoning bottle doesn’t have a gluten-free label, you will know two things.
It’s always a good idea to review ingredients lists and look for gluten-free labels on any packaged food you buy when staying away from gluten, and taco seasoning is no different. Are my favorite brands of taco seasoning gluten-free?There are a number of brands of taco seasoning that are available on the market today, but some are more popular than others. FInd out if your favorite brands of taco seasoning contain gluten or if you should keep searching for the right one that works for your recipes. Is Great Value taco seasoning gluten-free?Great Value offers three different taco seasoning options. Let’s review them one at a time. The ingredients in Great Value Mild taco seasoning mix are: “Corn maltodextrin, cornstarch, salt, chili pepper, sugar, spices, onion, garlic, silicon dioxide (to make free flowing), yeast extract, natural flavor.” There is a note that says “May contain traces of milk, eggs, wheat and soy.” This product very likely contains gluten as the ingredient “yeast extract” is present. Even at a small amount, the company very specifically outlines that there is a likelihood of wheat in the product, making it not a good gluten-free option. The ingredients in Great Value Original taco seasoning mix are: “Chili pepper, corn maltodextrin, salt, onions, spices, cornstarch, sea salt, silicon dioxide (to make free flowing), natural flavor, sugar.” There is also a note that says “May contain traces of milk, eggs, wheat and soy.” This product contains no gluten ingredients, however with the note of “may contain traces of wheat,” I might steer clear of this option if you are extremely sensitive. Great Value offers another taco seasoning mix that has the following ingredients: “Spices, maltodextrin, salt, dextrose, cornstarch, onion, gum arabic, natural flavor.” This product doesn’t contain any gluten ingredients, but does not have the note about trace amounts of gluten. There is also no gluten-free label, so this one may be a better option than their “original taco seasoning mix,” it’s definitely possible there’s some chance of cross contamination. Is McCormick taco seasoning gluten-free?McCormick has a number of different taco seasoning options, including the following:
It’s tricky to state which ones are gluten-free and which aren’t, because they state that you need to look at the specific package as the ingredients and place of manufacturing can change. To know which of these products is gluten-free, I’d look at ingredients lists as well as a quick search for a gluten-free label on the package. This brand states on their website that they always call out gluten and gluten products on their packaging with the following statement: “Gluten and gluten products, when present, will always be declared on the product label by the common name of the gluten source such as “barley”, “wheat”, “rye”, “oats” or “triticale”. It is important that you always read the ingredient statement on your package at the time of purchase to ensure accurate, up to date information, as product formulas may change. Our McCormick facilities have allergen, sanitation, and hygiene programs in place. Our employees follow good manufacturing practices and are trained in the importance of correct labeling and the necessity of performing thorough equipment clean-up and change over procedures to minimize cross-contact of ingredients. If any product has a Gluten-Free claim, the product and the manufacturing line has been validated Gluten-Free.” If you’re ever looking for gluten-free products from McCormick, including their taco seasoning, look for the terms barley, wheat, rye, oats, or triticale to help you make an informed decision about whether or not to buy it. As I was researching for this post, I noticed that some taco seasoning options have ingredients that have no gluten. In my opinion, these are the most likely to be good options for gluten-free folks – but again, it’s best to look at each individual package as things might change in the way they process their taco seasoning. Potentially gluten-free taco seasonings from McCormick
Taco seasoning options most likely to contain gluten from McCormick
Read on: Is McCormick taco seasoning gluten-free? Is Old El Paso taco seasoning gluten-free?Old El Paso is another brand that offers a number of taco seasoning options. Most of them contain no gluten ingredients, however they do not have a gluten-free label. You’ll have to use your best judgment as to whether or not to include this brand in your diet.
Read on: Is Old El Paso taco seasoning gluten-free? Is Ortega taco seasoning gluten-free?Ortega has about eight different taco seasonings they are currently offering, including their original, less sodium, and street taco varieties. For a long time, I thought this brand was gluten-free, but after learning the hard way a few times – oof – I discovered that this brand does have gluten ingredients in it. Yeast extract is a number of their taco seasonings, and none of their products have a gluten-free label. These products from Ortega are NOT gluten-free:
These Ortega taco seasoning products don’t have any explicit gluten ingredients, but also no gluten-free label. There is no indicator what “natural flavors” are, so proceed with caution with this brand.
Is Primal Palate taco seasoning gluten-free?Primal Palate offers an organic taco seasoning mix that has a gluten-free label on the packaging. The ingredients in this taco seasoning are: “Chipotle chili powder, pink himalayan salt, paprika, black pepper, cumin, garlic.” With a gluten-free label and ingredients list that checks out as gluten-free, we can feel good about this option. Is Spice Islands taco seasoning gluten-free?Spice Islands offers an organic taco seasoning but their website states that “Product formulation and packaging may change. Please refer to the product label for the most accurate information.” I was able to find an option on Amazon that did have a gluten-free label, but with a statement like that on their website, I’d look at the package every single time before buying this brand repeatedly. Gluten-free taco seasoning brandsThere are plenty of gluten-free taco seasoning brands available. Be sure to check out my list plus get a recipe for gluten-free taco seasoning. More gluten-free taco resourcesIf you’re here and wondering about taco seasoning, you might be curious about some other taco and Mexican food related content. Check out some of these helpful posts!
I hope this post has given you the information you’ve been looking for as it relates to taco seasoning and how it fits in with a gluten-free diet. Taco seasoning can give so much flavor to meals, but it’s important to choose the right one from the store or make your own blend at home so you know it’s gluten-free. Be sure to review ingredients lists and packaging labels every time before you buy to help you make informed decisions and stick with your gluten-free diet. If you loved this post, I hope that you’ll share it with your friends on Facebook and pin it for future reference on Pinterest. Love this post? You might also want to check out these!Find out if your favorite foods and ingredients contain gluten with these posts! Which whole grains are gluten-free?Find out which whole grains are gluten-free and safe to eat on a gluten-free diet. Learn the 12 whole grains to stock your gluten-free pantry with in this article. Continue Reading Is Jello gluten-free?Jello is the wiggly, jiggly, transparent treat that most of us enjoyed as kids. If you eat a gluten-free diet, you might be wondering if it’s gluten-free. Find out the details and the answer to that question in this post. Continue Reading Are marshmallows gluten-free?If you’re on a gluten-free diet, you may be wondering: are marshmallows gluten-free? Find out if there is gluten in marshmallows and 5 brands of marshmallows are that are gluten-free in this post. Continue Reading Are Rice Krispies gluten-free?Are you a fan of Rice Krispies? If so, you may have wondered if rice krispies are gluten-free, especially if you follow a gluten-free diet. Find out the details and the answer to that question in this post. Continue Reading Is soy sauce gluten-free?Is soy sauce gluten-free? Find out in this article where I share what your options for soy sauce are on a gluten-free diet. Continue Reading Is Quinoa Gluten-free?Is quinoa gluten-free? If you follow a gluten-free diet, you may have been wondering if this food is safe for you to eat. In this post, you’ll learn what quinoa is, how to enjoy it, and if it’s good for a gluten-free diet. Continue Reading Is Rice Gluten-free?If you’re following a gluten-free diet, you may be wondering if rice is gluten-free and safe to eat. In this post, we’ll discuss the different types of rice and whether or not you should add them to your regular rotation on a gluten-free diet. Continue Reading Is Cornstarch Gluten-free?Find out if cornstarch is safe for a gluten-free diet, the health benefits, and discover some gluten-free cornstarch brands. Continue Reading Is Honey Gluten-free?Find out if honey is safe for a gluten-free diet, the health benefits, and discover some gluten-free honey brands. Continue Reading Are Oreos gluten-free? Are Oreos dairy-free?If you love Oreos and avoid gluten or dairy for health reasons, you may be wondering if these favorite cookies are gluten-free or dairy-free. In this post, we’ll go through everything you need to know about Oreos and if you’ll want to include them in your diet if you have allergies or food intolerances. Continue Reading Is corn gluten-free?Is corn gluten-free? Find out if corn contains gluten, if different types of corn contain gluten, and if this ingredient is safe for a gluten-free diet. Continue Reading Is oatmeal gluten-free?If you love oats and oatmeal for breakfast or adding oats to your baked goods, you might be wondering if these are safe for a gluten-free diet. Find out in this post! Continue Reading Are Doritos gluten-free?Do you follow a gluten-free diet and wonder if Doritos are gluten-free? This post will give you all the information you need to know to make an informed decision on whether to enjoy these or not if you’re gluten free. Continue Reading Is coffee gluten-free?Do you love coffee and just getting started with a gluten-free diet? This post will give you all the information you need to know about gluten and coffee. Continue Reading Is Ice Cream Gluten-free?Are you an ice cream lover? Find out if ice cream is gluten-free, which brands are safe for a gluten-free diet, and how to order ice cream out. Continue Reading Is Cheese Gluten-free?If you love cheese and follow a gluten-free diet, you may be wondering which types of cheese are safe for you. Find out in this post if cheese is gluten-free and what to look out for. Continue Reading Is Cream Cheese Gluten-free?Wondering if cream cheese is safe for your gluten-free diet? Discover what cream cheese is made of, what brands are gluten-free, and things to be aware of when eating cream cheese on a gluten-free diet. What taco seasoning is gluten free?McCormick's “taco seasoning” blend is also labeled as “gluten free.”
Does Old El Paso Taco Seasoning gluten free?Yes, old el paso taco seasoning is gluten free. There are no gluten ingredients and no declared allergens. Ingredients per Old El Paso web site: Chili Pepper, Maltodextrin, Salt, Onion Powder, Spice, Corn Starch, Sea Salt (Potassium Magnesium Chloride, Salt).
Is Ortega brand taco seasoning gluten free?Yes, Ortega Taco Seasoning is gluten/dairy and casein free.
Does McCormick taco seasoning gluten free?McCormick Gluten-Free Taco Seasoning Mix is certified gluten-free to deliver great taste. This taco seasoning mix contains a signature blend of natural spices and no MSG or artificial flavors. Simply stir the seasonings into your favorite taco recipe.
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Which brand of taco seasoning is gluten free?
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