AIP Taco Seasoning (Nightshade-Free and Seed-Free)

If you’re following the AIP diet, regular taco seasoning is off the table because it typically contains nightshades and seed spices like chili powder, paprika, and cumin. This simple AIP taco seasoning uses easy-to-find pantry spices to create a savory blend that works well for tacos, taco salads, meat dishes, and more.

Yes, Taco Tuesday (and Wednesday, and even Thursday too) is back on the table again.

One of the things that really spice up a meal (pun intended) is seasoning blends. With the right seasoning mix, you can turn plain meats, veggies, eggs, or a salad into something really special.

And one of our favorite seasonings is taco seasoning. However, if you're on the AIP diet, regular taco seasoning is out of the picture. It's laden with peppers and seeds (like cumin), both of which are off-limits on the AIP diet.

We've leaned on this diet on and off over the years, mostly to avoid nightshades. While my Homemade Taco Seasoning is incredibly delicious, I needed to develop this recipe so we could still have tacos and taco salad whenever we were on the autoimmune paleo diet.

What Is the AIP Diet?

The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet is a short-term elimination diet designed to help reduce inflammation and identify food sensitivities. It removes common triggers like grains, dairy, nightshades, and seed-based spices—then reintroduces them gradually.

Is Taco Seasoning AIP-Friendly?

Most taco seasoning contains

• chili powder (nightshade)
• paprika (nightshade)
• cumin (seed spice)
• cayenne (nightshade)

So traditional blends don’t work for AIP, low histamine, or anti-inflammatory diets.

This version is:

• AIP-compliant
• Nightshade-free
• Seed-free
• Cumin-free
• Low-histamine friendly (generally)

It’s not spicy like traditional taco seasoning, but it still has a savory, well-rounded flavor that works beautifully in tacos and more.

My AIP Experience

I ended up trying the AIP diet on the advice of a popular blogger who knew of my struggles with Thyroid Disease and Adrenal Fatigue. She had done the AIP Diet for a while and said it was a huge help, so I tried.

It's tough to follow this diet, especially if you struggle with candida as AIP leans hard on things like fruit, yucca, tapioca, and cassava, which are high in carbs.

Spices are hard too, since you technically are supposed to not eat nightshades or seeds, and so many of the lovely fragrant, intense spices are just those. Without those spices, food can start to taste flat and repetitive.

So this recipe came about out of necessity for something really fun and tasty to spice up “meat and veggies” which is a common AIP staple.

And now that I've got this recipe, it's so good we use it often even after going off the diet. I also love having being able to share this with others who could use something to spice up their AIP diet journey.

Whatever diet you're on (or not on) I think you'll enjoy this blend. In fact, when I first made this, our youngest told me it was the best seasoning I'd ever made.

How to Use This Seasoning

Serve this on tacos (of course), on other meats, as the seasoning for Homemade Sausage Patties, on salads, or veggies; really it works on any savory dish. And if you're not eating grain-free, you could have it on stovetop popcorn as well, or as a blend to put on Homemade Kale Chips.

The possibilities are endless.

Oh, and while you're at it, here are great recipes for Grain-Free Taco Shells, Paleo Tortillas, and AIP Guacamole so you can be all set for your next AIP Mexican Fiesta.

What You Will Need

Following are the ingredients you'll need for this spice mix. For the amounts needed, scroll down to the recipe card.

• Onion Powder
• Cilantro (can substitute parsley, if desired)
• Salt
• Oregano
• Turmeric

For my spice shopping, I really like Frontier Brand and Azure Standard.

Recipe Notes

• Make It Thicker: For a seasoning with a bit more “heft” to it, add about 1 teaspoon of a starch that is appropriate for your dietary needs to the mix.
• Make It Saucier: Add approximately ¾ cup water to the beef and seasoning mixture to make a more “saucy” beef.
• Save Time: As mentioned in my bulk baking post, I recommend making more of this in advance so that you have it on hand when you need it. Cook once, use two, three, four times, or more!
• Great on Everything: We even love this as a standby seasoning on our table. It tastes great on veggies and loads of other dishes.
• Use approximately 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix for each pound of ground meat (or to taste, of course. Some people may prefer 1 tablespoon, others will want up to 4 tablespoons).

As with any other taco seasoning, either use the mixture as is, or add approximately ¾ cup water to the beef and seasoning mixture to make a more “saucy” beef.

More AIP Recipes You’ll Love

Here are a few more AIP recipes to keep things interesting while you’re on the diet:

• AIP Pizza Crust
• AIP Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Easy AIP Desserts