Tex-Mex is one of the most famous American cuisines, symbolizing the rich melting pot of cultures and influences in the state of Texas. The blurring of boundaries between Tex-Mex cuisine and authentic Mexican food makes it easy to confuse them. This guide will help you discern your tortilla from your taco and your yellow cheese from your queso dip.
But when it comes to Tex-Mex vs. Mexican food, there is no loser. Thanks to the delicious flavors guaranteed to give your tastebuds — Texan or otherwise — a treat, so everyone’s a winner.
Where Does the Term “Tex-Mex” Food Come From?
The “Tex” of Tex-Mex represents Texas, and the “Mex” represents Mexico. Tex-Mex was initially coined for the Texas Mexican Railway, established in the 19th century.
However, locals soon took the phrase to describe the food they made at home that borrowed from Mexican cooking practices and mixed them with ingredients brought over by Europeans.
English food writer Diana Kennedy’s book, “The Cuisines of Mexico,” brought new life to the word in the 1970s. Kennedy sought to quantify the differences between Tex-Mex cuisine and Mexican cuisine, arguing that Texan food was distinct from Mexican food.
She popularized the Tex-Mex moniker to distinguish it from Texan food, identifying it as distinct from its Mexican cousin, albeit heavily influenced by Mexican culture.
Where Does Tex-Mex Food Come From?
Spaniards, Mexicans (Tejanos), and other nationalities lived in Texas before it briefly became a republic in 1836. Texas then agreed to join the United States at the end of 1845.
Tex-Mex food was called Mexican food at that time and it was the food of the working class. As with all melting pots, new arrivals brought ideas, tastes, and even ingredients, many of which were absorbed into the predominant Mexican cooking culture.
Many traditional Mexican recipes have been passed down for generations — some claim since Mayan times. These dishes and their ingredients mixed with new ones, like beef and wheat flour, and developed into what we know today as Tex-Mex food.
How Would You Describe Tex-Mex Food?
Tex-Mex cuisine combines bold flavors provided by several base ingredients. Chefs often mix these in different ways or add their own touches to dishes to make them stand out from the crowd.
Common Tex-Mex ingredients include chicken, pork, beef, cheese, beans, peppers, and spices. Some dishes come with a tortilla, which is often a big clue as to whether you’re eating Tex-Mex or Mexican food.
How Can You Tell the Difference Between Tex-Mex and Mexican Food?
Your food’s ingredients are one of the easiest ways to identify if you are eating Tex-Mex or Mexican food.
Traditional Mexican food uses lots of corn and beans as staples, with lots of chili peppers and spices to create deep, complex flavors. The arrival of the Spanish and then Anglo-world ranchers saw more meat (beef and chicken), wheat, and cheese become available.
Key ingredients that almost certainly make a Tex-Mex meal include:
- Yellow cheese
- Beef
- Wheat flour
- Black beans
- Chili powder
- Canned vegetables, like tomatoes
What Separates Tex-Mex Food From Mexican Cuisine?
The taco can indicate if your food is from the north or south of the border. Tex-Mex tacos feature ground beef, a flour tortilla, salad, and yellow cheese. A Mexican taco is always served in a corn tortilla, filled with slow-roasted pork or barbecued meat, and topped with lime, onion, and cilantro.
Other tell-tale differences between Tex-Mex vs. Mexican food include sweet corn, which is a Tex-Mex thing. In contrast, Mexican food features whole corn cobs or corn tortillas. Yellow cheese is an American influence that indicates Tex-Mex, while chefs creating Mexican dishes use white cheese.
Cumin is quite popular in Tex-Mex cuisine but it’s also used in authentic Mexican dishes. Chili powder is commonly used in Tex-Mex dishes while Mexicans are more likely to adorn dishes with herbs and spices like the aromatic epazote, oregano, and cilantro. Traditional Mexican salads don’t come with tortilla chips on top, either.
Of course, these different cooking styles blur the lines between cultures, so there’s a lot of overlap.
Tex-Mex vs. Mexican Food: What Am I Eating?
How can you tell if you’re eating a Tex-Mex dish or Mexican food? Tex-Mex is sometimes, unfairly, labeled as bready and smothered with cheese. If your plate comes with pinto beans, it’s probably Mexican. If it has black beans, it’s Tex-Mex.
Quantity, as well as key ingredients, is another tell-tale sign as to what you are enjoying. But it’s important to remember that many Tex-Mex dishes are adaptations of Mexican food.
What Are Some Examples of Tex-Mex Food?
Here are some of the most popular Tex-Mex dishes you may come across.
Queso dip: This has a Spanglish name, but it’s 100% Tex-Mex. Featuring melted cheese with chili pepper, queso dip is often an appetizer that’s served with tortilla chips.
Chili con carne: This is a 100% Tex-Mex invention with ground beef and cumin.
Nachos: In Mexico, nachos were invented by a Mexican for North Americans but they’re still considered Tex-Mex. Nacho is a short form of the name Ignacio, the man credited with creating the cheese-smothered snack. He served some hungry Americans a bowl of freshly fried tortilla chips — covered in cheddar cheese and sliced jalapenos — that were baked in the oven and the rest is history.
Chimichangas: These are the Texan version of a quesadilla. The classic chimichanga is like a burrito but baked or deep-fried with meat, cheese, rice, veggies, and refried beans.
What Are Some Examples of Mexican Tex-Mex Foods?
Some Mexican dishes live in both worlds of Mexico and Tex-Mex.
Burritos: Mexican burritos are small and simple, often with meat, refried beans, and a sprinkling of cheese. Tex-Mex burritos are often giant, stuffed with ingredients including rice and veggies, and served with sour cream. The flour tortilla wrap may have originated in California, making the burrito a hand-held food that’s perfect for takeaway.
Enchiladas: Tex-Mex cheese enchiladas feature yellow cheese, while Mexican versions use white cheese. However, if your enchilada has ground beef, it’s Tex-Mex because ranchers introduced beef. Mexican versions are usually chicken or pork.
Quesadillas: These are a Mexican classic. The most basic quesadilla is a flat corn tortilla filled with melted cheese. Still, people can add more ingredients to raise it above grilled cheese status.
Taco shells: These corn tortillas are a Mexican classic that can be hard or soft. However, the crispy taco is a Tex-Mex invention as Mexican tacos are usually made from a soft tortilla wrap.
Guacamole: This iconic avocado side dish is served alongside both Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes.
Are Fajitas Mexican or Tex-Mex?
Fajitas means “little strips.” They include slender cuts of meat, onion, and peppers wrapped in a flour or corn tortilla. Fajitas are a Tex-Mex invention.
Is There Any Original Tex-Mex Food That Isn’t Mexican?
Some people claim that Tex-Mex dishes are 100% original, new, and not Mexican in origin. However, many dishes appear to be adaptations of existing Mexican foods, so you’ll need to join the long line of food experts in this debate. This is where the Tex-Mex vs. Mexican food battle heats up.
Hard shell tacos lay claim to be a 100% American invention, different from the original fried Mexican tacos. Chili con carne is another Tex-Mex creation.
Taco salads are Tex-Mex and usually include ground beef, salsa, chili powder, cumin, cilantro, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, and tortilla chips.
What’s the Most Popular Food in Texas?
Texans love eating — and are known to love big portions too. Barbecues are incredibly popular, as are breakfast tacos. Chili con queso — melted cheese with chilis — is a popular appetizer. Pecan pie is the Lone Star State’s official pie.
What’s the Difference Between Tex-Mex Chili and Regular Chili?
source
An authentic Tex-Mex chili con carne sticks to the literal translation of its name from Spanish to English: chili with meat. There are no beans in this robust Texan meal, and the beef is cubed rather than ground. Hardcore fans won’t allow tomatoes in Tex-Mex chili con carne. By contrast, a regular chili typically features ground beef, tomatoes, and beans.
Is Tex-Mex the Same as Taco Seasoning?
Tex-Mex is not the same as taco seasoning. Tex-Mex covers a whole range of dishes and a dining style while taco seasoning is a mix of herbs and spices. People alter their taco seasoning to their tastes. Most use salt, paprika, chili, cumin, black pepper, and red pepper flakes as a base, with oregano, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Are There Any New Tex-Mex Dishes to Eat?
Tex-Mex is a vibrant, ever-changing cuisine that doesn’t stand still.
The Tex-Mex culinary vocabulary will continue to expand as more and more chefs experiment with new flavors and combinations. Diners can choose restaurants, to-go spots, and food trucks to find their favorite dishes.
Today, you can find Asian-inspired tacos filled with Korean beef or tortillas filled with only plant-based ingredients.
What Is the History of Mexican Cuisine?
Mexico’s food is as diverse as one would expect for what is the 14th-largest country in the world.
Mexico has two large water borders — the Gulf of Mexico in the East and the Pacific in the East, along with the Gulf of California. The country has mountains, rainforests, deserts, and areas of extreme heat, all of which means there are many regional variations in ingredients and food.
As well as geography, many cultures have influenced its traditional cuisine after various invasions down the centuries. Spanish and European cooking had a strong effect, and there are nods to Asia and Africa, too. The new arrivals brought new ingredients, including pigs, cows, cumin, and more.
Classic Mexican dishes found in many places include mole sauces, tamales, and cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork).
The northern area, or Norteño, covers everything from seafood like ceviche to burritos. Oaxaca in the south is home to the mole. This complex sauce comes in several varieties, including a cacao and chili variation.
Veracruzana has a paella-like dish called arroz a la tumbada, and Yucateco, Poblano, and Jaliscence have distinct food, too. There’s even Cal-Mex cuisine (Californian and Mexican cooking) that focuses on lighter proteins, fresh produce, and brighter flavors.
Other famous dishes from around Mexico are tacos al pastor (pulled pork, and pineapple). Mole poblano is the famous spicy chocolate sauce, and tinga de pollo is shredded chicken in a spicy tomato sauce accompanied by avocado, Mexican crema (similar to sour cream), white cheese, and salsa.
Keep an eye out for napoles (cactus) as well. This juicy green plant forms the base of many main dishes, harking back to age-old Mexican recipes that predate the arrival of Europeans into the Americas.
Who Wins in the Tex-Mex vs. Mexican Food Battle?
There will never be a winner in the Tex-Mex vs. Mexican food debate because it all depends on individual tastes. Many Texans and Mexicans — and people from other cultures and nations — are lucky to live in a world where such fantastic culinary options are readily available.
Some recipes are more complex, while others are easier to throw together. Some people have signature dishes and love to show them off at barbecues and parties. Perhaps this article has whet your appetite, and you want to move to Texas and enjoy the food scene firsthand.
Whether it’s Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, or Austin, a wonderful world awaits your tastebuds, so enjoy your journey of discovery!
Brought to you by amigoenergy
All images licensed from Adobe Stock.
Featured image:
