Tex-Mex is a type of food that's hard to define. It's inspired by many but has its own unique spin that was born straight out of the American Southwest. One distinction that sets Tex-Mex recipes apart from the rest is that it's beefier, cheesier, and often seasoned with cumin or chili powder. There are like cowboy caviar and Texas chili along with Ree Drummond's twist on green chile cheeseburgers and tamale pie! For more distinct Tex-Mex recipes, check out the , , and on the list ahead.

If you've ever been to a Tex-Mex restaurant before, you know the sound of sizzling fajitas coming around the bend.

"When I get a hankering for beef fajitas, I pretty much can think of nothing else until I eat them," Ree says of the classic Tex-Mex dish. Luckily, her recipe for fajitas will satisfy that craving, but we've also made sure to include chicken fajita pasta for another fun twist. The best part is that these Tex-Mex recipes are easy to make any night of the week. Try the taco casserole for a or make the Southwestern pasta salad for your next backyard . There's even a recipe for cinnamon-spice sopapillas that's perfect for a Southwestern dessert! So, go ahead shake up a classic Texas cocktail and cook up one of the recipes here.