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Overhead shot of a partially eaten Frito pie in a casserole dish, showing layers of ground beef, melted cheese, Fritos corn chips, beans, and chopped green onions. A serving spoon is in the dish, and a white and black striped napkin is nearby
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Frito Pie

Take a bag of Fritos pair it with a meaty base, dump in a casserole dish and you've got a Frito Pie! This is hands down my fav variation of Frito pie.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 635kcal
Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 15 ounce bag Fritos Scoops
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion chopped fine (about 1 cup)
  • 1 bell pepper red or green (about 1 cup)
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon course ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder preferably dark
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano Mexican if you have it
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
  • 1 15- ounce can diced tomatoes preferably fire-roasted
  • 1 15- ounce can Ranch beans
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ cup canned enchilada sauce mild
  • ½ cup canned corn preferably fire-roasted
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
  • 8 ounces shredded fiesta/Mexican blend cheese
  • 4 green onions chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Set rack to middle position. Spray 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Reserve 1 cup Fritos and gently crush them; set aside. Layer in about half of the remaining Fritos, completely covering the bottom of the dish.
  • In a large skillet, add olive oil, onion, and bell pepper. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook over medium-high heat until just starting to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Add garlic and spices and continue to cook for 1 minute.
  • Add ground beef and break up into small chunks. Cook until beef is almost cooked through, about 6 minutes.
  • Add in diced tomatoes, Ranch beans, enchilada sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Continue cooking until the sauce starts to thicken, but is still thin enough that when you run a spoon through it, it comes back together fairly quickly, about 5 minutes.
  • Add corn and cilantro, stir together and remove from heat.
  • Pour about ½ of meat mixture on top of Fritos layer. Layer on half of the cheese, add the remaining meat. Layer on the remaining half of the Fritos, then the remaining half of the cheese.
  • Place in oven and bake until the mixture is hot and bubbling slightly, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and garnish with green onions. Let sit for 5 minutes, garnish each serving with crushed Fritos. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Drain the Excess Moisture: After cooking the ground beef and veggies, be sure to drain off any excess liquid. This way, when you add the beans and sauces, the filling won't come out too watery.
  • Make It a One-Pot Wonder: Save yourself some dishes and use an ovenproof skillet for the whole shebang. Cook everything up on the stovetop, then slide that same skillet right into the oven. Less mess y'all!
  • Don't Overbake: Most of the ingredients are already cooked, so you just need to heat it until it's hot and bubbly. Overbaking can dry it out, and nobody wants a dried-out pie.
  • Rest Before Serving: Let your Frito pie casserole sit for about 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This helps it set up a bit, making it easier to serve and letting those flavors get to know each other even better.

Nutrition

Calories: 635kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 1184mg | Potassium: 643mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1485IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 338mg | Iron: 4mg