Frito Pie Recipe

Frito pie in a white bowl with a casserole in the background

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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

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 635kcal

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Equipment

9x13 Baking Dish
large skillet

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

Recipe Tips

Drain the Excess Moisture: After cooking the ground beef and veggies, drain off any excess liquid so the filling won't get watery.

One-Pot: Use an ovenproof skillet for the whole thing. Cook everything up on the stovetop, then slide that same skillet right into the oven.

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.

Rest Before Serving: Let your casserole sit for about 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven so it sets up and the flavors intensify more.

How to store & reheat Frito Pie

Once your chili Frito pie has cooled down, cover it up nice and tight with some aluminum foil or stick it in an airtight container. Place it in the fridge, and it'll be ready and waiting for your next craving!

To reheat, you can pop the whole dish back in the oven at 350°F until it’s heated through, usually about 15-20 minutes. For individual portions, the microwave works just fine – simply heat on high for 1-2 minutes until it's nice and warm.

How long will Frito Pie last in the fridge?

This casserole will stay good in the fridge for about 3-4 days. Perfect for meal preppin’ or enjoyin' those tasty leftovers throughout the week.

Can I freeze frito pie casserole?

If you want to freeze it, make sure it's completely cooled, then wrap it up real good in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, or use a freezer-safe container. It'll stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to dig in, thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat like I mentioned above.

Nutrition