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Frito Pie
First, apple dumplings. Now, Frito pie. I’m definitely in a fall state of mind. On Sunday afternoon, I put a big pot of my favorite chili recipe on the stove to simmer while I watched football. While this is my go-to fall and winter chili, this time I made it with ulterior motives. Yes, it’s absolutely fabulous all on its own, but I had my sights on something I’ve been lusting after for quite some time – Frito Pie. I’ve seen this chili, Fritos and cheddar concoction on tons of blogs and have been waiting for the weather to cool ever so slightly so I could have an excuse to throw this together.
Let’s talk about Fritos for a second. They have and will always remind me of high school gym class. Yes, gym class. Strange, right? Well, I went to a very small Catholic high school that did not have a gymnasium. During the warmer fall and spring months, we would hold gym class in the large field outside of the school, but during the winter we… bowled. As in, walked to the strip plaza adjacent to the school where there was a bowling alley, and spent an hour bowling. It sounds ridiculous, right? I’m so totally serious. For the most part, it was an hour of shenanigans, snacks and goofing off. For some reason, my group of friends and I always raided the vending machine for Fritos.
I really haven’t eaten very many Fritos since those bowling days in high school, but man, aren’t they good?! When I realized that something existed that combined chili, Fritos and cheese, I was in heaven. Folks in the southwest certainly know how to eat!
I have seen versions of Frito Pie that are simply chili mixed with the corn chips and cheddar cheese, but I was drawn to this version by Bev Cooks because, really, who can resist melted, gooey cheese? It ups the ante, that’s for sure! You can certainly use your own favorite chili recipe as the base, but I do highly recommend the recipe below; I tried countless chili recipes before discovering this one. It’s really the perfect quintessential chili.
MY OTHER RECIPES Grab a spoon, an extra handful of Fritos and your favorite hoodie, and let’s dig in!
One year ago: Baklava
Two years ago: How to Measure Butter
Four years ago: Pittsburgh Steelers Cookies
Did you make this recipe?
The famous Frito Pie - a generous serving of chili topped with Fritos corn chips and shredded cheddar cheese, then baked until melted and bubbling.
For the Chili:
- 2
tablespoons
vegetable oil
- 2
yellow onions
(finely chopped)
- 1
red bell pepper
(stemmed, seeded and finely chopped)
- ยผ
cup
chili powder
- 1
tablespoon
ground cumin
- ยฝ
teaspoon
cayenne pepper
- 1
teaspoon
salt
(divided)
- 6
garlic cloves
(minced)
- 2
pounds
ground beef
(85-90% lean)
- 30
ounce
canned dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 28
ounce
canned diced tomatoes
- 28
ounce
canned tomato puree
For the Frito Pie:
- 10.25
ounce
bag Fritos corn chips
- 16
ounces
sharp cheddar cheese
(shredded)
- 2
green onions
(thinly sliced)
Make the Chili: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until it is shimmering. Add the onions, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, cayenne and ยฝ teaspoon of the salt. Cook until the vegetables have softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add the beef and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Stir in the beans, diced tomatoes (with their juice), tomato puree and the remaining ยฝ teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat so it maintains a slow simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes.
Remove the lid and continue to simmer for an additional 45 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the Frito Pie: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Transfer some or all of the chili to a baking dish or individual ramekins. Top with Fritos, pressing them lightly into the chili. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top and bake until the cheese is melted and the chili is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and serve immediately.
Nutritional values are based on one serving
Calories: 814kcal
Fat: 39g
Saturated fat: 18g
Cholesterol: 129mg
Sodium: 1091mg
Potassium: 1649mg
Carbohydrates: 65g
Fiber: 13g
Sugar: 10g
Protein: 53g
Vitamin A: 34.9%
Vitamin C: 52.5%
Calcium: 57.7%
Iron: 56.2%
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Fritos in a pie! Great idea!
Frito pie is up on there on my list of things but never have yet, so thanks for the reminder!
Well, holy cow, I think I need this immediately!
Ha ha hhahh, sorry, but laughing about your winter guym clas :)))
I’ve heard many a friend from Texas rave about the Frito Pie and I’ve always wanted to try it. I can’t wait to make this one!
I was wondering what I would be making for dinner tonight and this is it. Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve seen something similar to this bouncing around the internet… I need to try it… THanks for sharing
Frito pie is quite possibly my favorite meal, could be that I’m a native New Mexican and the fact that it’s easily made vegetarian. I like to load mine with chunks of chopped white onion for an extra crunch, shredded lettuce, tomato and avocado. I’ve never tried baking it, I just might have to have this for dinner tonight!
We were just talking about how much we love Frito pie in our office. Your recipe looks amazing. This is definitely going on the rotation…can’t wait to share it!
I think my husband would go crazy for this! Perfect football food!!
What a fun pie! I would love to try this but we do not get fritos down here. What texture are they? like corn chips?
Oh that cheese is drool worhty
Yes, corn chips! :)
I’ve never had Frito Pie, but this is certainly making me want to try it, like, yesterday! Looks awesome!!
Yum! My grandmother used to make a similar dish, but in dip form, and she would serve it with fritos. But I can’t wait to try this version with the fritos baked right in. I can just imagine all the savory goodness!
Being a transplanted Texan, we eat this year round. We do it the easy way, Wolf brand canned chili, Fritos & shredded cheddar cheese. I remember eating Frito Pie at numerous fundraisers: church,little league, school… Take a single serving bag of Fritos, cut a slit on the side, add the chili and top with cheese and add a fork!
I also went to Catholic High School and we actually had bowling lanes in the basement of the gym. One session is gym during the year was bowling and we were graded on knowing how to score the games!
I too am so ready for fall comfort food and the pie looks great. I love Fritos!
Ah I miss Fritos!! It’s the one remaining thing I crave that I can’t get in the UK. It wouldn’t be the same with tortilla chips would it. :-(
I love Frito pie with made with homemade chili. No beans and I use Rotel tomatoes in mine. Have lived in Texas all of my 64 years.
We are still having 90 degree weather.
God I love Fritos. I am vegetarian, so I’d maybe make this with mushrooms. Looks scrumdiddilyumptious.
What a fun use of Fritos. I love those salty things :) I have a couple baked chips-n-dip type recipes, casseroles, etc. that use them and have salmon cakes with a Frito crust rather than breadcrumbs! They’re pretty darn versatile!
I love fall foods! So comforting and cheesy and just plain awesome! This frito pie has my name written all over it! Can’t wait to make it!