Tex-Mex recipes

Tex-Mex cuisine brings bold flavours, vibrant colours, and easy-to-enjoy meals to any table. Rooted in a mix of Mexican and Texan traditions, it is built on simple, adaptable ideas: soft tortillas, spiced fillings, melty cheese, and lively sauces that you can mix, match, and adjust to your taste. Whether you are making tacos for a quick weeknight dinner or enchiladas for a festive gathering, Tex-Mex recipes turn everyday ingredients into meals that are both comforting and exciting.

Expand your cooking with tasty Tex-Mex foods

Are you looking to expand your cooking repertoire? Tex-Mex cuisine is built around simple, easily adaptable ideas, meaning there is something for everyone to enjoy as well as create.

Spiced fillings, cheese, and sauces combine in tortillas with bold, warm Tex-Mex flavours to create dishes that are easy to assemble, share, and adapt. From baked parcels to hands-on finger foods, this cuisine offers many ways to bring colour, texture, and flavour to the table.

Explore these many ways to enjoy the cuisine, for example, by trying these taquitos, which are oven-baked, thin savoury pancakes filled with warmly spiced minced beef and cheese, and served with tomato salsa, guacamole, lime, and fresh herbs.

Burritos make for a flexible, handheld meal: a well-seasoned filling, something creamy to soften the spices, and something fresh to lift it all, wrapped so it holds together. It is the perfect way to enjoy intuitive cooking, use what you have, and create dishes you want to return to again and again.

Enchilada recipes

Enchiladas are baked parcels where soft tortillas or thin pancakes wrap around fillings, topped with sauce and cheese, and baked until everything melds together. They are versatile, easy to fill, and perfect for sharing. They combine spiced fillings, melty cheese, and fresh toppings, and recipes range from fillings exclusively with vegetables or beans to classic beef or chicken, giving plenty of ways to enjoy enchiladas at home.

Vegetable lovers can try our vegetarian enchiladas with roasted aubergine, courgette, and peppers, baked with cheddar on top and finished with tomatoes and lime. We also have a tasty turkey enchilada recipe that combines shredded turkey, black beans, and taco sauce, baked with mozzarella and jalapeños, and a salsa verde enchilada recipe, pairing shredded chicken with a creamy green sauce and cheese, baked and topped with fresh tomatoes and coriander.

You can also try these classic beef enchiladas with spiced beef and peppers, cheddar and Maasdam cheese, and served with salsa roja. These bean enchiladas use lentils and kidney beans for a hearty, meat-free option. Quick and creamy, enjoy these easy chicken enchiladas with a hint of chilli, refreshing sour cream, and bright coriander.

Taco recipes

Tacos are all about hands-on eating. Soft or crisp tortillas hold fillings from spiced meats to beans and vegetables, while cheese, salsa, and herbs make each bite a mix of textures and flavours. Everyone can build their own taco. They are quick to assemble and endlessly adaptable with a variety of fillings, toppings, and approaches to make them both entertaining and satisfying.

Start the taco journey with crispy chicken tacos, where golden, breaded chicken meets mango and avocado salsa, a drizzle of chilli yogurt, and a bit of mozzarella. For something lighter, these veggie tacos combine salted red cabbage and sweet corn with tomato, lime, avocado, and crumbled white cheese.

If you enjoy rich, slow-cooked fillings, try our classic beef tacos featuring spiced beef, soft homemade tortillas, guacamole, crème fraiche, cheese, and fresh coriander. Birria tacos take it further, with tortillas dipped in cooking fat, filled with tender beef and mozzarella, and served with lime, onion, and coriander.

Go crisp with chicken tacos, where everyone builds their own version with lime-marinated chicken strips, crisp shells, cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and corn, or these crispy cheese tacos with fried golden cheese topped with spiced beans, folded, and served with lime and coriander.

Fajita recipes

Fajitas bring sizzling flavours straight from the pan. Strips of spiced meat or vegetables are cooked with just-softened peppers and onions, then served hot with tortillas or on their own. There are many ways to enjoy fajitas, but in general, they combine heat, seasoning, and fresh toppings in deliciously flexible ways, with ingredients ranging from chicken and steak to paneer, and preparation methods from pans and ovens to air fryers.

Get a taste of fajitas with chicken fajitas with peppers, onions, and sweet mango, all wrapped in tortillas with avocado, coriander, and white cheese cubes. For an even more savoury option, steak fajitas feature marinated entrecôte with peppers and shallots, served with guacamole and a tangy cream cheese dip.

Paneer fajitas swap meat for spiced paneer and peppers. If you want to stick to tradition, classic chicken fajitas hold simple, delicious marinated chicken strips and are served with crème fraiche, salsa, cheddar, and fresh coriander. Try a cosy, family-friendly twist with our chicken fajita pasta bake with cheesy béchamel, or choose a low-effort version with this air fryer fajitas recipe.

Chilli con carne recipes

Chilli con carne is a classic Tex-Mex stew made from tomatoes, chillies, spices, and often beans or meat. It is hearty, versatile, and layered with flavour, beautiful served on its own, spooned over baked potatoes, or used as a filling for tacos, wraps, or tortillas.

It is easy to prepare for everyday meals, easy to adapt to varying spice levels for everyone from chilli lovers to kids, and ideal for make-ahead cooking. Regardless of the recipe you use, you can easily experiment with ingredients, seasonings, and heat to create your own unique version.

We have lots of inspiration for you, for example, this baked potato with chilli con carne, turning leftover chilli con carne into something special. Our classic chilli con carne recipe follows the familiar combination of minced beef, beans, tomatoes, and cumin, cooked until thick and comforting, while chilli sin carne swaps out meat for beans and vegetables.

Quesadilla recipes

Quesadillas are simple tortillas filled with lots of cheese and various ingredients, such as beans, meat, or vegetables. The star of the show is cheese, and quesadillas are warmed, baked, or fried until the cheese melts and the edges crisp up. They can be small or large, cut into slices, served as snacks, lunches, or mains, and filled with whatever ingredients you have at hand.

Are you ready to try some delicious quesadilla recipes? Chicken quesadilla with potato mash features chicken, mushrooms, potato mash, cheese, and jalapeños, while classic quesadillas layer chicken, sweet peppers, and mozzarella, and are served with lightly pickled cucumber and red onion. Quesadillas with bean stir-fry and cheese combine a spiced black bean filling with two types of cheese and jalapeños. Meanwhile, our air fryer quesadillas are filled with cheese, beans, and vegetables, turning crisp on the outside and remaining gooey inside.

Tortilla recipes

There is no Tex-Mex cuisine without tortillas. Tortillas are soft, round flatbreads that can be folded, rolled, layered, or crisped, and their mild flavour makes them a perfect base for fillings, cheeses, vegetables, and lots of Tex-Mex spices. Once you know how to use tortillas, the world is open to a never-ending line of hands-on meals that can be customised for any occasion.

Tex-Mex dips and dipping sauces

Dips and sauces are crucial in Tex-Mex meals, adding flavour and textural contrasts. They range from smooth and creamy to chunky and bright, letting every bite be adjusted with spice, tang, or freshness. Dips transform dishes like tacos, quesadillas, nachos, and wraps into interactive experiences. Even without a specific recipe, knowing the basics – for example, using herbs, chillies, lime, or cheese – makes it easy to create sauces that elevate every meal and brighten and complement all the other flavours.

For example, a green chilli sauce blends green chillies, herbs, and white cheese into a smooth, vibrant sauce that cuts through richer dishes. Tomato-based options, such as tomato salsa and pico de gallo, rely on tomatoes, onion, chilli, and lime. A classic salsa verde adds a delicious acidity and herbal flavours, and a spicy jalapeño dip is creamy with a gentle heat, perfect alongside crisp tortillas or grilled fillings.

Tex-Mex salads

You can also create a delicious Tex-Mex meal without tacos or tortillas. Enjoy a flavourful mix of beans, vegetables, and spicy meat with different Tex-Mex salads. They work as mains, sides, or part of a larger spread, adding colour, texture, and brightness. It is easy to prepare the ingredients ahead and assemble the salads when you are ready to eat, making it an option for everyday lunch and dinner, as well as picnics, potlucks, and larger gatherings with many guests.

Try a black bean salad that pairs beans with crisp vegetables, sweet fruit, lime, herbs, toasted nuts, and white cheese, or a Mexican salad with layers of warm spiced minced beef, lettuce, avocado, beans, corn, and sour cream.

Tex-Mex nachos

Nachos are perfect for sharing and offer an irresistible contrast between crisp nachos and toppings with endless textural possibilities. In general, crisp tortilla chips meet hot, melted toppings and cooler finishes, creating a casual, interactive dish that is easy to adapt. There are numerous recipes, including classic versions and alternatives with vegetables, meat, or beans, showing how toppings, cheese, and sauces can be varied to suit any taste and occasion.

Go all out with loaded nachos like this recipe for baked nachos that layer spiced minced beef and cheese over chips, then finish with sour cream, salsa, onion, jalapeños, herbs, and lime. Veggie nachos take a similar approach, topping nachos with spiced vegetables and beans and a spoonful of rich guacamole for balance.

What is Tex-Mex cuisine?

Tex-Mex cuisine grew from everyday meals along the border between northern Mexico and the southern United States. It was shaped by what was available and by how people liked to eat, which made it practical, generous, and full of flavour rather than formal.

At its heart, Tex-Mex food is about simplicity and vibrant flavours. Tortillas are filled, folded, baked, or crisped. Beans and rice add body. Sauces are spooned on in great measures. Cheese softens, rounds, and brings everything together. Burritos, tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, and chilli are all formats you can return to again and again, swapping fillings and toppings while keeping the food unmistakably Tex-Mex.

Tex-Mex seasoning

The seasoning, with all the herbs and spices, is what gives Tex-Mex its warmth and personality. It is not about sharp heat or overwhelming spice. Most Tex-Mex dishes start with a few simple spices: cumin for earthiness, chilli for gentle warmth, and paprika for sweetness and colour. Garlic and onion, fresh or dried, add a savoury base that carries through every bite. These spices are typically cooked briefly at the beginning, allowing them to soften and blend without overpowering the dish. Finish with a few fresh touches – lime, herbs, or a bit of raw onion – to bring everything together at the end, lifting the richer elements and keeping everything bright and full of flavour.