Frito Pie Recipe
If you need an easy dinner idea, this Frito Pie Recipe is just what the doctor ordered! It is big on taste! It’s a little crunchy, with a Tex-Mex vibe your family is sure to enjoy! Whether it is an easy weeknight dinner for the clan or a quick and hearty meal on a busy weekend, this is a recipe you will go back to again and again.
Looking for some other great new dinner recipes for the family? This Greek Lemon Chicken with Potatoes is a classic Mediterranean dish featuring juicy roasted chicken and tender potatoes infused with bright lemon, garlic, and herbs. This vegetarian Three Cheese Baked Penne is creamy, comforting, and packed with fresh flavor.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy to cook.
- Great Tex-Mex flavors.
- Can lighten it up with ground chicken or turkey.
- Hearty meal for a family on the go.
- The Fritos add the perfect crunch.
Helpful Items For This Recipe
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Casserole Dish for Oven, 4.2 QT Baking Dish, 9×13 Large Porcelain Baking Pan
2PCS Wooden Spatula for Cooking – Premium Teak Wood Turner & Scraper Set
4-Piece Stainless Steel Serving Spoons Set, Include 2 Serving Spoons and 2 Slotted Spoons
Ingredients To Make Frito Pie
In this classic chili Frito pie, crispy Fritos are topped with a rich homemade chili filling and finished with more Fritos plus gooey cheese and your favorite toppings like sour cream, avocado, parsley/cilantro or green onions. The combination of crunchy, creamy, and savory textures makes this dish incredibly satisfying.
Ingredients
Lean ground beef – You want an 80/20 mix, or you can use ground chicken or turkey to lighten it up.
Yellow onion, finely diced – The onion adds a nice Tex-Mex flavor.
Homemade taco seasoning (*see recipe below in the recipe card) – You can use store-bought if you need to, but I find them so high in sodium.
Water – This helps the taco seasoning mix well with the ground beef.
Chili powder – A must-have spice in any Tex-Mex recipe.
Diced tomatoes with chilis (like Rotel) – I like the tomatoes with chilis, they add a little kick to the recipe.
Tomato sauce – Adds the needed tomato flavor and sauce.
Frozen corn, thawed – Frozen corn is easy and a great way to get some veggies into the family meal.
Red kidney beans, drained and rinsed – Adds texture, color, flavor, and protein to the dish.
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper – Season to taste.
Original Fritos corn chips, divided – I like original Fritos, but you can substitute your favorite corn chips if you like.
Shredded Tex-Mex cheese blend, divided – I buy the pre-shredded; it’s just easy. You can definitely shred your own, though, but for time-saving for this simple recipe, the store-bought is fine.
Fresh lime juice – Fresh squeezed is best, but you can use bottled juice in a pinch.
Chopped parsley, chopped green onions – Garnish with one or both if desired.
Sliced avocado and sour cream – Adds that South-of-the-Border flair that helps complete the recipe.
How to Make this Frito Pie Recipe
To make the Homemade Taco Seasoning: Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
You can make this and store it in an airtight container rather than buying commercial taco seasoning that is high in sodium.
Grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and diced onions over medium heat until the beef is cooked. Drain the fat, if any.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Stir in the homemade taco seasoning, chili powder, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until most of the water has evaporated.
Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, and beans, and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Add 4 cups of the corn chips to the bottom of the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with 1 cup of the Tex-Mex cheese.
Spread the beef mixture evenly over the top of the corn chips and top with the remaining cup of cheese.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and it is heated through.
Squeeze the lime over the casserole and top with the remaining corn chips.
Garnish with chopped parsley and chopped green onions. Serve with sour cream and slices of avocado.
Little Chef’s Secrets
- You can mix it up by changing the Frito corn chips to another corn or tortilla chip if you like.
- Use lean or extra lean ground beef to help reduce the fat in the recipe.
- Add more green chilies, diced jalapenos, or additional spices like cayenne pepper if you like your Tex-Mex with more spice.
- Serve with a light salad on the side to add more vegetables to your meal.
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Frito Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well, set aside. Salt as needed.
- You can make this and store it in an airtight container rather than buying commercial taco seasoning that is high in sodium.
- Grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish and set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and diced onions over medium heat until the beef is cooked. Drain the fat, if any.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Stir in the homemade taco seasoning, chili powder, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until most of the water has evaporated.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, and beans, and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
- Add 4 cups of the corn chips to the bottom of the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with 1 cup of the Tex-Mex cheese.
- Spread the beef mixture evenly over the top of the corn chips and top with the remaining cup of cheese.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and it is heated through.
- Squeeze the lime over the casserole and top with the remaining corn chips.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and chopped green onions. Serve with sour cream and slices of avocado.
- Enjoy!
