36 Tasty Tex-Mex Recipes To Bring the Fiesta To Your Family
Amongst all the popular Southern casseroles out there—the beloved squash casserole, the dependable green bean casserole, the hearty ground beef casserole—nothing stands out in flavor and flair as much as a creamy, cheesy Tex-Mex casserole. Texans have mastered their own cuisine of Mexican-inspired dishes that make the whole family happy on any night of the week. We're talking to-die-for brisket tacos, tamale pie, chili cheese enchiladas, cowboy beans, pulled pork nachos, and (of course) corn chip pie.
If your mouth isn't watering yet, just wait until you scroll through all of these sauce-laden, cheese-topped, melty Tex-Mex dishes that are guaranteed to make dinnertime anything but boring. Texans are Southerners, after all—so you'll find your share of casserole bakes, slow-cooker standouts, party dips, and easy cast-iron skillet suppers to make life easy and to feed a crowd.
Here are 33 super tasty Tex-Mex recipes to make every meal at home feel like a fiesta.
Beef Tamale Pie
Recipe: Beef Tamale Pie
We can't decide which part we love the most: the bubbly, super flavorful beef filling or the toasty cornbread topping (made with store-bought corn muffin mix!) dotted with jalapeños.
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Chili Cheese Enchiladas
Recipe: Chili Cheese Enchiladas
Instead of using a canned enchilada sauce, this recipe makes a Texas-inspired chili gravy that is insanely delicious. You can use ground beef, leftover chicken, or even a rotisserie chicken to add extra protein.
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Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos
Recipe: Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos
This convenient shortcut for crowd-pleasing carnitas tacos will totally transform Tex-Mex Tuesday. Broiling the meat on a sheet pan to brown and crisp the entire batch at once makes all the difference.
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Slow-Cooker Cowboy Beans
Recipe: Slow-Cooker Cowboy Beans
Throw pinto beans, bacon, bacon drippings (oh yeah), garlic, onion, chipotle, and other ingredients to a slow cooker and then forget about it. The result? The best Tex-Mex side dish ever.
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Austin Diner-Style Queso
Recipe: Austin Diner-Style Queso
Every meal should start with a batch or two of this creamy cheese dip, but especially when there are little ones or extra company present. Add canned green chiles or jalapeños for extra heat if desired.
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Pulled Pork Nachos
Recipe: Pulled Pork Nachos
You'll love this easy-to-assemble recipe for a fun snack, quick-fix dinner, or party appetizer. To make it easy, grab some shredded smoked pork from your favorite BBQ joint.
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Cheesy Taco Casserole
Recipe: Cheesy Taco Casserole
Turn tacos into a quick and easy beef casserole supper complete with toppings everyone can pick and choose.
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Queso-Filled Mini Peppers
Recipe: Queso-Filled Mini Peppers
Have you ever seen something cuter than these super cheesy mini peppers? They'll disappear before your eyes.
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Frito Pie
Recipe: Frito Pie
Say hello to Texas' version of a walking taco filled with beefy goodness, like chili, crunchy corn chips, shredded cheese, and diced white onion. It starts with traditional West Texas Chili and ends with a happy belly.
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Creamy Tex-Mex Cornbread Bake
Recipe: Creamy Tex-Mex Cornbread Bake
Cornbread? With Tex-Mex? Sounds about right with this Southern crowd. This skillet bake is surprisingly healthy yet hearty with ground turkey.
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Texas-Style Enchilada Casserole
Recipe: Texas-Style Enchilada Casserole
Like a cross between a traditional enchilada and an easy casserole, this beefy supper recipe is bound to hit the table again and again.
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Sheet Pan Fajitas
Recipe: Sheet Pan Fajitas
Don't sweat over the stovetop for this 20-minute recipe that calls for simply combining basic ingredients like chicken breasts, onion, bell peppers, and spices (cumin, chili powder, and paprika) onto a sheet pan.
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Huevos Rancheros Bake
Recipe: Huevos Rancheros Bake
Because brunch deserves a Tex-Mex twist, too. The egg-topped skillet is a cheesy, layered dream.
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Creamy Grits Mexi-Casserole
Recipe: Creamy Grits Mexi-Casserole
This slow-cooker casserole is a hit from morning to dinnertime. Using tortilla soup broth gives it so much extra Tex-Mex flavor.
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Crock-Pot Salsa Chicken
Recipe: Crock-Pot Salsa Chicken
This is the most versatile weeknight recipe to have on hand. Use it as a taco filler, put it over rice with toppings, or spoon over chips to make sheet-pan nachos.
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Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Recipe: Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
After tasting this super flavorful Tex-Mex soup, you'll know why it is one of Martina McBride's most popular recipes from her cookbook.
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San Antonio Beef Puffy Tacos
Recipe: San Antonio Beef Puffy Tacos
This puffy tacos are as fun as they are tasty. Filled with superbly seasoned beef and all the toppings, they're an easy favorite.
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McGuire's Margarita
Recipe: McGuire's Margarita
Say hello to every Tex-Mex taco's best friend. This simple recipe for a classic margarita on the rocks features the perfect ratio of sweet, salty, and boozy.
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Texas Caviar Rice and Beans
Recipe: Texas Caviar Rice and Beans
A beloved Lone Star dip recipe gets transformed into a satisfying main dish, adding rice, cheese, and all the toppings—we recommend a hearty dollop of guacamole!
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Easy Steak Fajitas
Recipe: Easy Steak Fajitas
This dependable recipe is ready after using only a handful of ingredients that work hard so you don't have to. Perfect fajitas coming right up.
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Breakfast Enchiladas
Recipe: Breakfast Enchiladas
This is the ultimate brunch recipe for when you're feeding a crowd or simply want plenty of leftovers.
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Sheet Pan Nachos
Recipe: Sheet Pan Nachos
Take this genius sheet-pan version of nachos straight from the oven to your table—and watch everyone go wild, family-style.
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Brisket Tacos with Summer Salsa
Recipe: Brisket Tacos with Summer Salsa
Slow-cooker beef brisket and crunchy fruit salsa might be the most delicious duo you'll meet all year. These are company-worthy tacos.
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Smothered Enchiladas
Recipe: Smothered Enchiladas
Southerners like anything when it's smothered, especially when smothered with cheesy, creamy, spiced Tex-Mex flavor. This simple recipe is all you need.
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Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup
Recipe: Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup
Word on the street is that this soup is irresistible, made with tender chicken, black beans, corn, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, jalapeño pepper, and chiles.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
It's hard to beat shredded chicken tacos, and now you can turn them out without any huff or fuss using your trusty slow cooker.
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Taco-Tot Casserole
Recipe: Taco-Tot Casserole
The things we'll do with a bag of frozen tater tots...including this casserole bake filled with cheese, ground beef, corn, black beans, and green chiles.
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Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Recipe: Chicken Enchilada Casserole
This casserole calls for layering corn tortillas as opposed to rolling each individual enchilada before baking, which is about to make your life a whole bunch easier.
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Bacon-Pimiento Guacamole
Recipe: Bacon-Pimiento Guacamole
Like regular guacamole—but make it extra Southern. We don't think any Texans would be against the addition of bacon and pimientos.
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Spicy Watermelon Refresher
Recipe: Spicy Watermelon Refresher
Tequila, fresh watermelon, and serrano peppers make the most fun trio you've ever met. This spritz is perfect for any cookout.
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Tex-Mex Shrimp Cocktail
Recipe: Tex-Mex Shrimp Cocktail
A citrusy hot pepper jelly mixture coats shrimp, mango, and chopped veggies in this fun take on a shrimp cocktail. Serve as a main dish or appetizer.
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Taco Pie
Recipe: Taco Pie
This isn't your average taco casserole. Corn tortillas are partially fried before forming the base of the pie, which gives so much extra flavor and texture. Garnished with crumbly queso fresco, fresh cilantro, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime juice, this one is any Tex-Mex lover's dream.
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Flank Steak Tostadas
Recipe: Flank Steak Tostadas
Tostadas are crunchy corn tortillas that are usually deep-fried and topped with yummy ingredients—in this case, tender flank steak and all the fixings.