Homemade Taco Sauce

This Homemade Taco Sauce is so easy and better tasting than anything you can buy in the store. Cheaper too!! 

My middle daughter’s favorite meal in the whole wide world is Taco Skillet. And I love making it for her (and the rest of us!) because it’s so darned easy. One of the main ingredients is a bottle of taco sauce. I usually always pick up a jar at the store so I can throw together some taco skillet in an instant.

A couple weeks ago, I went to throw together some taco skillet on her birthday (she turned 17! The child was just 2 years old last week… dunno what happened….) because she requests it every single year.. and somehow, somehow.. I had forgotten to buy taco sauce. Probably had something to do with just coming back from a mini vacation the day before (I don’t know about you but I’ve now reached the age where I need a vacation from my vacation).

Anyhoo – I didn’t feel like making a last minute run to the store so I figured it couldn’t be all that hard to make it myself. So, that’s what I did. Made it myself… and ya know what? Just like with most everything else that you make from scratch instead of buying already made… it tasted BETTER. And it is WAY cheaper. A jar of taco sauce ain’t exactly gonna break the bank anyways, but it costs about $2 for one jar at the store and you can make this for about 50 cents, depending on the cost of living in your area obviously. Makes me question my judgement on all that taco sauce I’ve bought over the years.

I dunno why I didn’t start doing this sooner. It’s seriously just as easy as can be. You can make it ahead of time or you can make it right when you need it.

I plan on using some of my summer garden’s tomato bounty to make up several jars worth and canning it for future use.

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Homemade Taco Sauce

Servings 2 cups / 16 ounces

Ingredients

• 1 16 ounce can tomato sauce
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper add more for more spice

Instructions

• Stir tomato sauce, water, vinegar, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, garlic salt, chili powder, paprika, sugar, and cayenne pepper together in a saucepan over low heat. Cook on medium/low heat (at a simmer) until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Cool sauce slightly before serving.
• Can be made ahead.

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