Frito pie is a Tex-Mex comfort classic: crunchy Fritos corn chips topped with taco-seasoned ground beef, beans, tomatoes with green chilies and corn, covered in melted cheddar and finished with more chips for crunch. This casserole version bakes in a 9×13 dish in 30 minutes and serves 6.
How to make Frito pie: Spread three-quarters of the Fritos in the dish. Brown the beef with the onion to 160°F, drain it, and stir in the taco seasoning, drained tomatoes with green chilies, ranch-style beans and corn. Spread it over the chips, top with 1 ½ cups of cheddar and bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes. Finish with the rest of the Fritos and your favorite toppings.
Why You’ll Love It
- Crunchy and cheesy: corn chips under and over a saucy beef filling.
- 30 minutes: brown, stir, layer and bake.
- Pantry staples: canned beans, canned tomatoes, taco seasoning and a bag of chips.
- Game-day food: serve it straight from the pan with toppings.
What Is Frito Pie?
Frito pie is chili and cheese served over Fritos corn chips. The classic version is chili ladled right into a split bag of chips at ball games, fairs and lunch counters. Both Texas and New Mexico claim it as their own, and it’s a Southwest favorite either way. This recipe turns it into a casserole: a chili-style beef and bean filling baked over a layer of chips, so it feeds a family from one pan.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef and onion: 1 pound of beef browned with a small, finely chopped onion.
Taco seasoning: 1 packet seasons the meat like a quick chili.
Tomatoes with green chilies: one 10-ounce can, drained, for tang and mild heat.
Ranch-style beans: one 15-ounce can of seasoned pinto beans in chili sauce. Plain pinto or black beans work too.
Corn: 1 cup of fresh, canned or frozen kernels.
Fritos: one 10.25-ounce bag, divided: most for the base, the rest on top after baking.
Cheddar: 1 ½ cups shredded.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (10 ounces), drained
- 1 can ranch-style beans (15 ounces)
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned or frozen)
- 1 bag Fritos (10.25 ounces), divided
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
How to Make Frito Pie
1. Heat the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Add the chip base. Spread ¾ of the Fritos in a 9×13 inch baking dish to form the base.
3. Brown the beef. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown 1 pound of ground beef and 1 chopped onion for 7-10 minutes, until the beef reaches 160°F. Drain excess fat.
4. Season. Add 1 packet of taco seasoning to the cooked beef. Stir to combine.
5. Add beans and vegetables. Add 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of ranch-style beans, and 1 cup of corn to the seasoned beef. Stir well.
6. Layer. Pour the beef mixture over the Fritos in the baking dish and spread evenly.
7. Add cheese. Sprinkle 1 ½ cups of shredded cheddar cheese over the beef mixture.
8. Bake. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
9. Top and serve. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with remaining Fritos, and serve with toppings such as sour cream, jalapeños, or chopped tomatoes.
Walking Taco vs. Frito Pie
They’re cousins. A walking taco is served right in a single-serving bag of chips, often Fritos or Doritos, with taco meat, cheese, lettuce and salsa spooned inside and eaten with a fork on the go. Frito pie is closer to chili: beef and beans with cheese over Fritos, served in a bowl or, as here, baked in a dish. Same crunchy idea, different toppings and serving style.
Tips for the Best Frito Pie
- Drain the tomatoes. Extra liquid makes the bottom chips soggy.
- Drain the beef well. Grease soaks into the chips too.
- Save some chips. Adding the last of the Fritos after baking keeps a crunchy top.
- Serve right away. The base softens as it sits, so dish it up while it’s hot.
- Set out toppings. Let everyone add their own sour cream, jalapeños and onions.
Variations
- Chili: use your favorite chili in place of the beef and bean filling.
- Vegetarian: skip the beef and add a can of black beans.
- Ground turkey: cook it to 165°F before seasoning.
- Spicy: use hot tomatoes with chilies and pepper jack cheese.
- Single servings: spoon the hot filling into individual chip bags for a party.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. The chips soften overnight. For the best leftovers, store the filling separately and spoon it over fresh Fritos after reheating it to 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Top it with sour cream, jalapeños, chopped tomatoes, green onions, shredded lettuce or salsa. Serve with a green salad or Mexican street corn.
More ground beef casseroles: taco casserole, beef Lombardi casserole, cheeseburger pie, pizza casserole pie and slow cooker Amish ground beef noodle casserole. For a handheld Tex-Mex dinner, try a homemade Crunchwrap Supreme.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ingredients of Frito pie?
Fritos, ground beef, taco seasoning, beans, tomatoes with green chilies, corn and cheddar cheese.
What state is known for Frito pie?
Both Texas and New Mexico claim it.
What’s the difference between a walking taco and a Frito pie?
A walking taco is taco fixings served in a chip bag; Frito pie is chili-style beef and beans with cheese over Fritos.
Can I use chili instead?
Yes. Spread your favorite chili over the chips and top with cheese.
How do I keep the chips from getting soggy?
Drain the tomatoes and beef well, and add the last of the chips after baking.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Final Notes
Drain everything well, save some chips for the top and serve it hot. If you make it with chili or pepper jack, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Frito Pie
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies 10 ounces, drained
- 1 can ranch-style beans 15 ounces
- 1 cup corn kernels fresh, canned, or frozen
- 1 bag Fritos 10.25 ounces, divided
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread ¾ of the Fritos in a 9x13 inch baking dish to form the base.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown 1 pound of ground beef and 1 chopped onion for 7-10 minutes, until the beef reaches 160°F. Drain excess fat.
- Add 1 packet of taco seasoning to the cooked beef. Stir to combine.
- Add 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of ranch-style beans, and 1 cup of corn to the seasoned beef. Stir well.
- Pour the beef mixture over the Fritos in the baking dish and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle 1 ½ cups of shredded cheddar cheese over the beef mixture.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with remaining Fritos, and serve with toppings such as sour cream, jalapeños, or chopped tomatoes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
