Food and Recipes Recipes 33 Tasty Tex-Mex Recipes To Bring The Fiesta To Your Family By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on December 2, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Antonis Achilleos 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. 01 of 33 Beef Tamale Pie Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Break out your cast-iron skillet for a comfort-food fix. 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. 02 of 33 Chili Cheese Enchiladas Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall 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. Serve with crema, onions, and lime. 03 of 33 Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall 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. Serve with your favorite taco toppings: We like shredded cabbage, diced avocado, queso fresco, and cilantro. 04 of 33 Slow-Cooker Cowboy Beans Southern Living 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? A hearty Tex-Mex dish you can spoon over rice or mashed potatoes. 05 of 33 Austin Diner-Style Queso Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Every meal should start with a batch or two of this cheese dip, but especially when there are little ones or extra company present. For a smooth and creamy dip, we melt shredded white American cheese into a spicy milk mixture. Add canned green chiles or jalapeños for extra heat if desired. 06 of 33 Easy Taco Casserole Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Maggie Ruggiero Turn tacos into a quick and easy beef casserole supper complete with toppings everyone can pick and choose. Our method is simple: layer ground beef sauteed with fire-roasted tomatoes, pinto beans, and spices over corn tortillas. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and bake. 07 of 33 Queso-Filled Mini Peppers Antonis Achilleos Once you've had a bite, these adorable and cheesy mini peppers will disappear before your eyes. We lightly char the peppers before whisking together a cheese mixture to spoon inside. The peppers are topped with buttery panko breadcrumbs and a sprinkling of cilantro. 08 of 33 Pulled Pork Nachos Antonis Achilleos 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. We've got a list of our favorite ingredients, but this is your chance to personalize a dish according to your tastes. 09 of 33 Frito Pie Southern Living 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. To keep the chips crunchy, ladle chili just before serving. 10 of 33 Creamy Tex-Mex Cornbread Bake Hector Sanchez Cornbread? With Tex-Mex? Sounds about right with this Southern crowd. This skillet bake is hearty but lightened up with ground turkey and low-fat milk. It's quick to prepare, too, with cornbread mix and canned soup. 11 of 33 Texas-Style Beef Enchilada Casserole Photo William Dickey / Styling Katherine Eckert / Food Styling Alyssa Porubcan A cross between a traditional enchilada and an easy casserole, this beefy supper recipe is bound to hit the table again and again. A tasty mixture of ground beef, corn tortillas, black olives, green chilis, sour cream, and cheese awaits in this Southwest-style dish. 12 of 33 Sheet Pan Fajitas Photography and Styling: Karen Rankin Don't sweat over the stovetop for this 20-minute recipe. The ingredient list includes basics like chicken breasts, onion, bell peppers, and spices (cumin, chili powder, and paprika). The fajita fillings char beautifully on a sheet pan before getting tossed with freshly squeezed lime. 13 of 33 Easy Huevos Rancheros Bake Antonis Achilleo; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Because brunch deserves a Tex-Mex twist, too. This egg-topped skillet is a cheesy, layered dream. Instead of tortillas, use crispy tostada shells, which soften slightly while baking. 14 of 33 Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Caitlin Bensel 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. And with just five ingredients to prepare, this recipe is a no-brainer. 15 of 33 Martina McBride's Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Courtesy Oxmoor House 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. This creamier version is as refreshing as the classic recipe but heartier for cooler nights. 16 of 33 Texas Caviar Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox This beloved Lone Star dip stars black-eyed peas and a colorful mix of chopped vegetables. The addition of green tomatoes in this version adds a bit of tartness. Toss with Italian dressing and serve with tortilla chips. 17 of 33 Easy Steak Fajitas Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox This dependable recipe is ready after using only a handful of ingredients that work hard so you don't have to. We use sliced flank steak, the traditional go-to for fajitas, lovingly marinated in seasonings and lime. The simple flavors are powerful alongside caramelized peppers and onions. 18 of 33 Breakfast Enchiladas Hector M Sanchez This is the ultimate brunch recipe for when you're feeding a crowd or simply want plenty of leftovers. The enchiladas are stuffed with a satisfying egg-sausage-and-cheese mixture, then covered with peppery Cheese Sauce. You can prepare the dish the night before and bake it in the morning. 19 of 33 Sheet Pan Nachos Greg DuPree What kind of nachos do you feel like tonight? Try using seasonal ingredients like fresh corn or tomatoes. Substitute black beans for pinto, add browned sausage in with ground beef, or substitute shredded chicken. This flexible sheet-pan recipe is destined to become a family favorite. 20 of 33 Brisket Tacos For this recipe, we slow-cook brisket in a smoky adobo sauce lightly sweetened with honey. Try one of our favorite salsa recipes and spoon over top for ultimate flavor. 21 of 33 Smothered Enchiladas Southern Living Southerners like anything when it's smothered, especially when smothered with cheesy, creamy, spicy Tex-Mex flavor. This simple recipe has a short ingredient list and requires only 10 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of baking. You'll be craving these enchiladas for every weeknight dinner. 22 of 33 Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup This irresistible soup is made with tender chicken, black beans, corn, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, jalapeño pepper, and chiles. Try to get your hands on New Mexico chile powder—a single-chile powder made from grinding dried New Mexico chiles—instead of standard chili powder, which is a seasoning blend. A store-bought rotisserie chicken will make this dish come together fast. 23 of 33 Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos Caitlin Bensel 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. This dish is fast to prepare for a slow-cooker recipe, requiring only 70 minutes of simmering in a flavorful enchilada-and-chipotle sauce. You can use that time to slice and dice your favorite taco toppings. 24 of 33 Chicken Enchilada Casserole Hector Sanchez This dish 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. The chicken and tortillas bake in a rich sauce of cream of chicken soup, poblano peppers, and sour cream. Layered with lots of cheese, this is the supreme comfort casserole. 25 of 33 Bacon-Pimiento Guacamole Hector Manuel Sanchez Like regular guacamole—but made extra Southern with two other favorite appetizer ingredients. We don't think any Texans would be against the addition of bacon and pimientos. Guacamole is best made right before serving. 26 of 33 Spicy Watermelon Refresher Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Tequila, fresh watermelon, and serrano peppers make the most fun trio you've ever met. You can vary the strength of your margaritas with the amount of seltzer water. Simultaneously cold and hot, this spritz is perfect for any cookout. 27 of 33 Taco Pie Micah A. Leal 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. 28 of 33 Slow-Cooker Brisket Chili Greg Dupree; Styling: Claire Spollen This meaty chili includes black beans, beef brisket, a healthy dose of spices, and veggies to take it to the next level. To amp up the flavor, dredge the beef in flour and spices and sear before you add it to the slow cooker. The remaining ingredients are simply poured in and cooked on LOW for an easy dinner. 29 of 33 Baked Tex-Mex Red Pepper Cheese Dip Hector Sanchez This recipe came to us from the kitchen of Josie Spain of Woodstock, Georgia. Bake Cheddar cheese, pepper Jack cheese, cream cheese, roasted red bell peppers, mayonnaise, cilantro, green onions, jalapeño peppers, and Worcestershire sauce until brown and bubbly. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips and it won't last long. 30 of 33 Southwest Chicken Tortillas Greg DuPree This dish uses microwaveable rice and precooked chicken for easy preparation. They're tossed in a blend of mayonnaise, buttermilk, cilantro, chipotle chile, lime juice, and adobo. Before topping the tortillas, dip them in water and heat in a nonstick skillet over high heat until nicely toasted. 31 of 33 Tex-Mex Deviled Eggs Hector Manuel Sanchez Yes, even the storied deviled egg can be made with Tex-Mex flavor. All it takes is chopped serranos and cilantro and a sprinkling of chili powder. After you try these, you may not go back. 32 of 33 Tasty Tex-Mex Mashed Potato Bake Jennifer Davick This potato bake gets a spicy kick with the addition of chorizo sausage, green chiles, and pepper Jack cheese. But we stick with the tangy buttermilk and rich, melted butter. The dish can be baked in individual ramekins or a baking dish. 33 of 33 Tejano Red Rice Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Kelly Flavored with tomatoes, carrots, corn, and peas, Pati Jinich's recipe is a delicious Tex-Mex homage to the traditional side dish. Jinich toasts the rice in oil, then simmers it in a puree of tomatoes, onion, garlic, and cumin to saturate the rice with flavor and add the distinctive red hue. Serve it alongside your favorite Tex-Mex main dishes to round out the meal. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit