Tex Mex Spices

Cook up a Tex Mex meal for a night with friends using Tex Mex spices.

Embrace the smokey, spicy flavor of the Southwest and Mexico in the savory taste of Tex Mex spices. Tex Mex combines traditional Mexican dishes with Southwest influence to infuse food with spices that are tantalizing to your taste buds. Create delicious fish tacos, chicken fajitas or even salads and pizza using a combination of Tex Mex spices. From cumin to chilies, chipotle to adobo, you can fire up your favorite dishes with a taste of the south.

Cumin Powder

This aromatic spice is of the carrot family and can be described as a rich, earthy flavor. Cumin, originating in the Mediterranean, is used in almost every Tex Mex dish, from taquitos to refried beans. Sprinkle cumin powder on tortilla chips and pop in the oven for a delicious seasoning.

Chili Powder

This flavorful spice varies in taste from mild to extremely hot. Chili powder has little aroma, but can pack a punch in soups, taco meat or sauces. Made from grinding various dried red peppers, chili powder can also have a smoked flavor to complement pork or carne asada.

Paprika

Paprika is Hungarian for "flavor." A mild spice, this deep red powder is cultivated from a variety of red capsicum peppers. Sweet to taste, paprika can be used as a Tex Mex topping on pizzas or tortillas or mixed into chili to even out the hot flavor.

Adobo

The word adobo means marinade in Spanish. Sprinkle on Mexican cheese for adobo topping, use to spice Tex Mex pasta or pizza recipes or marinate meat for spicy adobo main meals. Combined adobo is mixed in many different ways and can include parsley flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin powder, achiote powder from annatto seed and lemon or lemon pepper.

Chipotle

Chipotle spice is a mixture of spices used for seasoning fajitas, tacos or meats such as poultry or pork. It is a combination of chili powder, dried cilantro, cumin, Mexican oregano, basil, garlic powder, thyme and crushed chipotle pepper. This spice can also be mixed into salsa for a more mild, earthy condiment.

Cilantro

Cilantro, although an herb, is used to spice many Tex Mex dishes. With its fresh, pungent flavor, cilantro's green leaves are a key ingredient when making salsa and Tex Mex vinaigrette salad dressings.

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