Sizzling Mexican and Tex-Mex Recipes

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com
Updated November 14, 2020
Credit: Brie Passano
Get our best recipes for enchiladas, tacos, fajitas, casseroles, dips, salsas, soups, drinks and more with Mexican and Tex-Mex flavors.
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Pork and Tomatillo Pozole

Credit: Brie Passano
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Pozole is a traditional Mexican soup thickened with hominy. This version, from Karen Bell, chef and owner of Bavette La Boucherie in Milwaukee, only gets better the next day, so keep extra slaw around for round two.

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Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

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Cumin- and orange-perfumed pulled pork tastes great topped with sliced green onion, jicama and our salsa verde.

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Mariana's Guacamole

Credit: Carson Downing
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At Des Moines restaurant Tacos Mariana's, the classic avocado-lime-cilantro mash is doctored with cucumber, Cotija cheese, and chiles—the result is one of the best guacs we've ever tasted.

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Grilled Steak Fajitas

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All you need is a steak, a three-ingredient marinade, a few veggies and tortillas heated right on the grill. Boom. 

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Chicken Empanadas

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The secret to whipping out these deliciously cheesy chicken- and potato-filled pockets for your next game night or tailgate? Frozen, pre-cut empanada wrappers. The recipe comes from Minnesota chef and author Amalia Moreno-Damgaard.

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Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

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Doctored with onion, chili powder and cocoa, canned sauce becomes a stepping-stone to something deeper.

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Tres Leches Cake

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A Mexican standard and guaranteed backyard crowd-pleaser, our brown-sugar sheet cake is soaked in milky syrup, chilled, then topped with whipped cream and berries.

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Mexican Potato Soup

Credit: Brie Passano
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A favorite comfort food gets a bit of a kick with spicy chorizo sausage and chiles. This recipe is quick enough for a weeknight.

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Garlicky Fish Tacos

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Our pan-fried tilapia is drizzled with garlic butter and lime juice. We garnished ours with fresh cilantro, fresh parsley and sliced pickled red onion. To quick pickle the onions, combine a sliced red onion with a generous pour of cider vinegar, a spoonful of brown sugar, toasted cumin seeds and a bit of salt. Let sit at room temperature for an hour before serving.

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Better-For-You Taco Meat

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Nutrient-filled mushrooms replace some of the beef in this family-friendly taco filling, but they're finely chopped, so you won't even notice they're there! Use the meat for tacos, or on nachos or baked potatoes. (And feel free to trade the ground beef for pork or turkey.)

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Horchata

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Traditionally, this sweet drink is made by soaking rice (and sometimes blanched almonds, too) overnight in water, then pureeing and straining the mixture. We kept the seductively sweet, authentic taste, but skipped the drawn-out process. Our shortcut version uses purchased rice milk, and we could barely tell it apart from the real deal in side-by-side tests.

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Chicken Carnitas Tacos

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These crazy-good fried chicken tacos aren't for weeknights--but they aren't hard at all. Save them for a weekend party, when you'll have time to make TV host and author Andrew Zimmern's Tomatillo-Avocado and Grilled Pineapple salsas, too.

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Frozen Strawberry-Mango Margarita

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The fastest way to downgrade a margarita (or any drink) isn't cheap tequila; it's bottled lime juice. Dig out that squeezer and pull up your sleeves. It's worth it.

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Beer-Braised Brisket Tacos

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Season fork-tender meat with oregano, cinnamon and coriander. Then, for an extra easy-yet-authentic flavor boost, top with cabbage, radish and queso fresco.

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Pick-a-Filling Tamales

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Rotisserie chicken, melty cheese or spicy chorizo? Your choice.

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No-Cook Salsa Verde

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The avocado in this piquant puree of lime, cilantro, onion and tomatillos gives the salsa some richness and body.

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Pepper and Portobello Fajitas

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Portobellos have such a meaty texture, you might not miss a traditional protein in these simple grilled veggie fajitas--but there's enough marinade to dress a steak, if you want. (Plus the recipe, which comes from the book Pretty Simple Cooking, includes a simple bean side dish to make on the grill, too!)

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Quick Green Chili and Chicken Enchiladas

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Chicken tenders, Mexican-style four-cheese blend, green chile peppers and bottled green salsa fill these easy enchiladas. Buy hot or mild chilies to suit your family's taste for heat.

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Spicy Queso Blanco

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If American cheese has a purpose in life, this kicky, ultracreamy dip is it. 

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Mexican Chicken Salad

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A tiny bit of taco seasoning mix packs big flavor in this south-of-the-border twist on traditional chicken salad. Try it in a tortilla wrap with crisp romaine lettuce.

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Blackened Tomato Salsa

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Chipotle peppers and broiled tomatoes make for a bold, smoky challenge to standard salsa.

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Mexican Tacos Carnitas

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Slow-cook pork shoulder roast and Mexican spices to tender goodness, then serve with corn tortillas. Fresh cilantro, green onion and bottled green salsa add the finishing touches.

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Mexican Citrus Salad with Avocado

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It's not just a salad-it's a crunchy, juicy, sweet, salty, tart, buttery, nutty potluck dazzler.

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Pineapple-Cucumber Salsa Pico de Gallo

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This salsa is the zestiest way to get your five a day. For the best results, chop the fruit and vegetables evenly into a 1/4-inch dice.

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Any-Fruit Agua Fresca

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Once you have the method down, you can improvise aguas frescas with almost any soft fruit.

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Mexican Mac and Cheese

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Pair Mexican flavors with pasta for this comfort-food casserole that includes sausage, salsa and Monterey Jack cheese.

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Simple Salsa Skillet

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For a change in routine, substitute green salsa for red in this easy chicken, potato and bean hash.

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Shredded Pork Tacos

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Root beer and chipotle peppers yield pulled pork that's sweet, spicy, smoky and marvelously tender-perfect for wrapping in a tortilla with cheese and vegetables.

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Rice and Red Bean Salad

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Chili powder and cumin flavor this hearty, nutritious Tex-Mex dish from The Spice House in Milwaukee.

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Mexican Sweet Potato-Veggie Medley

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Create a meatless main dish in minutes by sauteing sweet potatoes, then adding canned corn and black beans. Top with a chipotle-flavor sour cream, avocado slices and fresh cilantro.

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Chicken Enchiladas Adobo

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Wrap meat in multigrain tortillas with adobo sauce and fire-roasted tomatoes for a fresh take on chicken enchiladas.

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Mexican Meatball Stew

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This easy slow-cooker meal has just five ingredients, all packaged or canned. Toss it together in minutes in the morning, and come home to a finished meal in the afternoon.

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Tilapia Tacos with Chipotle Cream

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Cumin and cinnamon spice up ordinary frozen tilapia fillets for a fragrant pan-fried fish taco filling. Just add margaritas for the full restaurant experience.

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Mexican Winter Chili

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Cook pork in a blend of cocoa powder, cumin, cinnamon, pumpkin and poblano pepper for a rich, hearty chili.

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Mexican Polenta Pie

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Great for a potluck or family dinner, this 12-serving casserole combines polenta with ground turkey, spices, black beans, tomatoes and Monterey Jack cheese.

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