Tex-Mex is one of America’s greatest fusion cuisines, and it’s a staple in the South. From cheesy casseroles to enchiladas and sizzling fajitas, Tex-Mex dishes are popular in restaurants and home kitchens across the region. Put a tamale pie on the table and people will come running when they smell the beef and cornbread crust topping. Any night is good when Tex-Mex is on the menu.
These days, the term “Tex-Mex” is used to describe everything from cheese-topped nachos to charro beans, but the cuisine has its own unique eating habits and rich history — and depending on where you are in Texas, it might mean something entirely different.
Some of the recipes featured are traditional Tex-Mex favorites, like Tejano Red Rice and Beef Fajitas, while others are Tex-Mex-inspired, like burrito bowls and walking tacos. Everything on this list is guaranteed to be delicious.
Enjoy this hearty dish in a cast iron skillet. You won’t be able to decide whether you prefer the flavorful beef filling or the toasty cornbread topping (made with store-bought corn muffin mix and a sprinkling of jalapeños).
This super flavorful fajita recipe uses jalapeño pickle juice as a marinade for the beef.
Just throw pinto beans, bacon, bacon fat (yes, that’s right), garlic, onion, chipotle, and other ingredients into your slow cooker and let it cook. The end result? A hearty Tex-Mex dish to spoon over rice or mashed potatoes.
Dried chilies are at the heart of the sweet, spicy and smoky flavors of many Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes, and this easy guacamole recipe is the perfect way to learn how to work with dried chilies, in this case the fiery chile de arbol.
A serving or two of this cheese dip is the best way to start a meal, especially if you have guests over. To create a smooth, creamy dip, melt shredded American white cheese into a spicy milk mix. For extra heat, add canned green chiles or jalapeños.
Transform tacos into a quick and easy beef casserole dinner with everyone’s favorite toppings. It’s easy to make: ground beef sautéed with fire-roasted tomatoes, pinto beans and spices is layered on corn tortillas. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake.
Seasoned with tomatoes, carrots, corn and peas, chef and author Patty Jinich’s recipe is a delicious Tex-Mex twist on a traditional side dish. Jinich toasts the rice in oil and simmers it in a puree of tomatoes, onion, garlic and cumin, infusing the rice with flavor and giving it its distinctive red hue. Plate it up with your favorite Tex-Mex main dish for the perfect meal finish.
You’ll love this easy-to-make recipe for a fun snack, a quick dinner, or a party appetizer. For a quick start, stock up on shredded smoked pork from your favorite BBQ joint. We have a list of our favorite ingredients, but this is your chance to customize the dish to your tastes.
Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Andrea Fanning
Poblano peppers add a mildly spicy flavor to this gooey queso dip. Perfect for parties, you can prepare the dip up to 3 days in advance, then store it in the refrigerator before popping it in the oven.
This handy shortcut to crowd-pleasing carnitas tacos will transform your Tex-Mex Tuesday. Browning the meat on a baking sheet and crisping it all in one go makes all the difference. Serve with your favorite taco toppings; our favorites are shredded cabbage, diced avocado, queso fresco, and cilantro.
Even brunch calls for a Tex-Mex twist: this skillet topped with eggs is a cheesy, layered dream, and instead of tortillas, use crispy tostada shells, which soften a bit while baking.
This is useful when feeding a large group of people or simply many Leftover enchiladas are stuffed with a satisfying mix of eggs, sausage and cheese and drizzled with a tangy cheese sauce. You can even prepare them the night before and bake them in the morning.
Victor Protacio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
In Texas and much of the South, a good skillet is a kitchen necessity, so we created this skillet-style version of a traditional Tex-Mex dish. You can also make chili con carne the next day with leftover enchiladas, so this recipe makes two Tex-Mex recipes for the price of one.
Charro beans are cowboys and Charros Grown in the areas now known as Texas and Mexico, this bean is packed with flavor from fresh jalapeños, bacon, oregano and smoked paprika, making it a delicious accompaniment to any Tex-Mex meal, even if you’re not cooking it over a campfire.
Once you taste this incredibly flavorful Tex-Mex soup, you’ll understand why it’s one of the most popular recipes in Martina McBride’s cookbook. This creamy version is just as comforting as the classic recipe, but it’s a hearty soup perfect for cooler evenings.
Enjoy the Texas version of the Walking Taco, packed with beefy goodness including chili, crunchy corn chips, shredded cheese, diced white onions and more. Start with traditional West Texas chili and you’ll be completely full. To keep the chips crispy, scoop the chili on just before serving.
Cornbread? Tex-Mex? Perfect for a Southerner. This pan-fried dish is hearty yet light with ground turkey and low-fat milk, and it’s easy to prepare using cornbread mix and canned soup.
In Texas, breakfast tacos are a great way to start the day, and ours are made with spicy chorizo sausage, queso fresco and avocado, adding flavor to fluffy scrambled eggs wrapped in a warm tortilla.
This 20-minute recipe doesn’t require any sweating over the stove, and the ingredient list includes the basics: chicken breasts, onions, peppers, and spices (cumin, chili powder, and paprika). The fajita ingredients are nicely browned on a baking sheet before being mixed with a fresh squeeze of lime.
This is the most versatile recipe to have on hand for weeknights: use it as a filling for tacos, serve over rice with toppings, or spoon it onto chips for sheet pan nachos. With only five ingredients to prep, this recipe is easy.
This popular Lone Star Dip features black-eyed peas and a colorful mix of vegetables. This version adds green tomatoes for a little tang. Toss with Italian dressing and serve with tortilla chips.
Southerners love everything seasoned, especially with cheese and creamy, spicy Tex-Mex seasoning. This simple recipe requires few ingredients and only 10 minutes to prep and 25 minutes to bake. You’ll crave these enchiladas for a weeknight dinner.
Shredded chicken tacos are hard to beat, and with your trusty slow cooker, you can make them with no hassle. This dish is quick as slow cooker recipes go, simmering in flavorful enchilada and chipotle sauce for just 70 minutes. You can use that time to slice or cube your favorite taco toppings.
For this dish, corn tortillas are layered rather than individually rolled before baking, making the process much easier. The chicken and tortillas are baked in a rich sauce of cream of chicken soup, poblano peppers, and sour cream, and topped with a generous layer of cheese, this is the tastiest casserole ever.
It’s similar to regular guacamole, but with the addition of two other popular appetizer ingredients for a Southern twist: bacon and bell peppers, and we’re sure no Texan would object.
This meaty chili takes it to the next level with black beans, beef brisket, plenty of spices, and veggies. For extra flavor, drown the beef in flour and spices and sear it before adding it to the slow cooker. Simply pour the remaining ingredients over the beef and cook on low for an easy dinner.
Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn
Cheesy, spicy and colorful, this dip is a crowd-pleasing appetizer that has everything you love about tacos, but you can customize the toppings to suit your tastes by adding avocado or sliced jalapeños for extra heat.
Victor Protacio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daly
This salad is loaded with all your favorite taco toppings, from creamy avocado to pickled red onions.
What’s more fun than eating dinner straight from a bag of potato chips? These tacos are designed to be on the go and, as the name suggests, are loaded with your favorite taco toppings, plus crunchy corn chips.
All the classic nacho ingredients are combined into a hearty, flavorful family-style casserole.
Victor Protacio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shel Royster
We’ve added charcoal grilled veggies to this chunky guacamole for extra flavor and texture, making this colorful dip sure to be a hit at your next barbecue or potluck.
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daly
“I made this for the first time last night to serve with chicken tacos and it was so good! I’m definitely adding it to my recipe book,” writes a recipe reviewer named Kim, and we agree: this salsa would also go great with chicken, beef, or seafood tacos.
This meatless burrito bowl proves that you can have a hearty, satisfying dinner without any meat.
This go-to recipe requires just a handful of ingredients that will save you a ton of effort. We use sliced flank steak, a traditional fajita staple, gently marinated in seasonings and lime, and cooked with caramelized peppers and onions.
Yes, the famous deviled eggs can also be made with a Tex-Mex flavour. All you need is some chopped serrano peppers and coriander, and a sprinkle of chili powder. Once you try them, you might never go back.
Victor Protacio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daly
Prepare the brisket for tacos in your slow cooker the night before and you can easily whip up this delicious Tex-Mex breakfast in the morning.
And we haven’t forgotten about drinks! The combination of tequila, fresh watermelon and serrano peppers is one of the most fun you’ll ever come across. You can change the strength of your margarita by adding more or less soda. Cold or hot, this spritz is the perfect addition to any BBQ.
By Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Tory Cox
Everyone should add this drink to their repertoire. We used pink Himalayan salt to create a fancy rim, but regular kosher salt will work just fine.
Looking for a tequila cocktail that’s a little lighter than a margarita? Try the Texas Ranch Water.
Victor Protacio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daly
This Tex-Mex recipe is super easy to make. Chicken enchiladas are perfect for busy weeknights and leftovers can be frozen.
