Get ready to dig into the ultimate comfort food with this mouthwatering Frito pie recipe, featuring layers of crunchy Frito corn chips, hearty homemade chili, and gooey melted cheese!
FRITO CORN CHIPS TOPPED WITH CHILI AND CHEESE
Looking for a hearty and delicious comfort food recipe that's easy to make? Look no further than this Frito Pie! Whether you're feeding a crowd at a tailgate party or just looking for a quick and tasty weeknight dinner, this recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Plus, it's a great way to use up leftover chili! So grab a bag of Fritos and get ready to dig in!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Frito pie is a popular dish typically made with Frito corn chips, chili, and cheese. It's usually served in a single-serving container, such as a bowl or even the Frito bag itself (those are usually referred to as Frito Walking Tacos - see my photos below to see how to do that.)
Yes! I was first introduced to Frito Pie when I lived in Texas. The dish originated in Texas in the 1930s or 1940s and was served at football games or as a cheap and easy meal option. The Frito company later popularized the recipe in the 1960s by printing it on the back of their bags of corn chips.
There is a whole lot of guessing on this one. The dish is supposedly called Frito pie because of its layers like those of a pie. But we all know it's not actually a pie by any stretch of the imagination. However, I suppose you could use a pie dish to stack all your layers for this meal!
There are countless ways to customize Frito pie to your liking! Some popular variations include adding extra toppings like sour cream, avocado, or jalapenos, or switching up the type of meat used in the chili, such as ground turkey or vegetarian meat substitutes.
I love this idea! You basically put all the different ingredients in bowls and you keep the chili in a crock pot. Then allow folks to go down the line and customize their own Frito pies. This is where the individual bags of Fritos come in handy. It makes for an easy clean up!
Frito pie is best served fresh and hot, but you can certainly assemble the ingredients in advance and store them until you're ready to serve. You can also store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat them in the oven or microwave.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- ground beef
- garlic cloves
- onion
- tomato sauce
- tomato paste
- chili powder
- ground cumin
- salt
- water (or beef broth)
- Fritos corn chips
Note: This is a basic, thick chili recipe. If you like chili with beans, add in a can of drained and rinsed kidney beans. Also, if you have it on hand, try beef broth instead of water to give this chili and even "beefier" flavor.
HOW TO MAKE FRITO PIE:
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown and crumble ground beef along with onions and garlic. Drain excess grease.
Add in tomato sauce, paste, seasonings and water (or beef broth.)
Stir well until combined. Give it a taste, see if it needs a bit more salt and pepper.
Turn heat down to medium-low and allow mixture to simmer for at least 20 minutes.
Put a handful of Frito chips on a plate or in a bowl. Top with chili mixture. Then add on any toppings you enjoy like sour cream, shredded cheese, diced red onions, and for some spicy heat, add minced jalapeños.
To make Walking Frito Chili Pie, just cut open the tops of single serving bags. Pour a little chili on top of the chips.
At this point you can allow everyone to top them how they like (shredded cheese, sour cream and diced onions).
CRAVING MORE RECIPES? GIVE THESE A TRY!
Originally published August 2013
Updated and republished: November 2021
Frito Pie (+Video)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 3 cloves small garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 1-2 Tablespoons chili powder (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¾ cup water (or beef broth)
- 9.25 ounce bag Fritos corn chips (original or chili cheese flavor)
For topping:
- sour cream
- grated cheddar cheese
- diced red onion
- minced jalapeño peppers
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown and crumble 2 pounds ground beef along with 3 cloves small garlic, minced and 1 small onion, diced. Drain excess grease. Place back into skillet.
- Add in 15 ounce can tomato sauce, 6 ounce can tomato paste, 1-2 Tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons salt and ¾ cup water. Stir well until combined.
- Turn heat down to medium-low and allow mixture to simmer for at least 20 minutes.
- Put 9.25 ounce bag Fritos corn chips on a large plate or in a large bowl. Top with chili mixture. Or do this as individual servings.
- Serve and add desired toppings (sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, diced red onion, minced jalapeño peppers)
Video
Notes
- This is a basic, thick chili recipe. If you like chili with beans, add in a can of drained and rinsed kidney beans or a can of chili beans.
- Also, if you have it on hand, try beef broth instead of water to give this chili and even "beefier" flavor.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Jeff Houser
Delicious!!!