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.
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
Frito Pie
Ingredients
For the Chili:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 yellow onions, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
- ¼ cup (0.03 g) chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 pounds (907.18 g) ground beef, 85-90% lean
- 30 ounce (850.49 g) canned dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 28 ounce (793.79 g) canned diced tomatoes
- 28 ounce (793.79 g) canned tomato puree
For the Frito Pie:
- 10.25 ounce (290.58 g) bag Fritos corn chips
- 16 ounces (453.59 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- 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 ½ 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 ½ 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.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Serve with an R-O-C Co-cola (outside of the South, known as RC Cola, or any cola) and a Mooooon Pie. Now that’s larrupin’!
My husband has stage 4 kidney cancer. His appetite has not been good. He has lost 50 lbs in 9 weeks. I made this recipe for him using all organic ingredients from Walmart, including the meat. I only used half the cayenne pepper and left out the bell pepper because his palate has been so sensitive. It was awesome! He ate a good portion! Our kiddos loved it too.
I’m so happy to hear that you all enjoyed this recipe, and sending you tons of hugs and good thoughts for what you’re going through, xo.
I haven’t tried this “Frito Pie” recipe yet, but I have plans to surprise my family with it very soon. It looks and sounds amazing. (When will the scratch-n-sniff computers be on the market?!)
I noticed that your chili recipe is lacking the one ingredient that made my chili-craving husband’s eyes open wide as he took notice — being a chemist, he rarely uses superlatives, but that day, he said, “That’s the best chili I’ve ever eaten in my entire life!” (and he would gladly admit that he’s put away quite a lot in 42 years of marriage). Want the same comment from your family? Add 2-3 tablespoons of excellent quality Smoked Paprika to your favorite chili recipe. The quantity you use depends on how big a pot of chili you usually make and if you use Simply Organic Smoked Paprika. Don’t bother wasting your money on smoke-scented paprika from the grocery store (like Durkee, McCormick, etc), because you’ll need way yonder too much to even notice the smokiness. I only buy Simply Organic Smoked Paprika; it comes in a large 2.7 ounce glass jar that will last quite a while. Simply Organic Smoked Paprika is a sweet (not fiery) spice that is one of two America’s Test Kitchen top choices. If you can’t find it locally, , the best price I found online today for 1 bottle was from MrOrganicStore.com (6/2019, $6.48 with free shipping).
Go ahead and try it — I guarantee that your family will enjoy the most delicious chili they’ve ever eaten in their lives!
By the way, I do NOT own stock in Simply Organic, nor do they reimburse me for sharing my love of their products. (Hmm, there’s an idea,…naw, just kidding!)
I love Frito Pie. Sometimes for a change of pace I make this Cheesy Hash Brown Bake from Martha Stewart. https://www.marthastewart.com/336524/cheesy-hash-brown-bake
This was spectacular, some had 3 even 4 bowls, no leftovers, nothing left to say!
Did you go to St Joe’s in Natrona Heights? One of my very best friends, Theresa Melnick taught French & Spanish there. She’s gone now but your Steeker comment and the bowling alley made me think if St Joe’s. I’m going to make this on a rainy day here in The Burgh!
Was really looking forward to eating the Fritos chilli pie. Very disappointing. Will have to make lots of alterations to make it tasty.
I made this frito chili pie yesterday, and it was so delicious I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. Whew!
This was the worst chili I have ever made. I followed the recipe to the letter. I can’t believe all of the rave reviews. Despite the 1/4 cup of chili powder, it was actually bland. Total waste of $10 of ground beef. Even my hubby, who is not a picky eater, asked me to never make this recipe again.
You do realize that blandness is the best way for a recipe to go wrong. If it’s too spicy or salty, it can be challenging to fix, but bland can be fixed in a few minutes with some very easy tweaks. Try adding more cumin, dried ancho chilies, sriracha sauce, pickled jalapenos or saute’d fresh hot peppers, more cayenne pepper, more chili powder, roasted peppers from a jar, smoked paprika…..any of those would spice it up. As with any recipe, you should adjust it to your preferences. That’s what I’ll do with it.
I’m going to make frito chili pie for supper tonight. BTW, we got this from Sonic growing up where we also ate foot-long chili cheese coneys (with mustard and raw onions). I had almost forgotten about that and those cute little tinted acrylic animals that sat on the rim of Sonic’s drinks. Everyone collected those. :)
My Husband called from work and asked me to find a frito pie recipe, wa la… yours sounds like just the one I can’t wait to try it
Wowzerz! This is definatly an uprgrade from highschool frito chili pie…which wasnt all that great, i guess that is why i havent ate it since…untill one night me and my hubby were watching king of the hill, revenge of the lutefisk episode my fav one, and peggy makes a frito chili pie..me being pregnant immediatly started craving it! I found this recipe and my chili is on the stove as i type this..it smells AMAZING and i snuck a taste and it tastes even better than it smells! Cant wait until its done ..thank you for posting this delicious recipe
Kristen, you’re so cute! Love King of the Hill too. I will be making Frito chili pie for the first time tonight and, since it’s officially Fall and there’s a chill in the air here in the mountains of Southern California, it’s the perfect time. I will be using my own chili recipe with a smokey flavor, but will use parts of this recipe as well. Hope it tastes as good as everyone says it does.
It’s insane to me that everyone didn’t grow up with Frito Pie. It was always a tradition at my house to serve this on Christmas Eve, along with tamales. I’m actually making some chili to construct a pie today ! :)
What size baking dish for the entire amount? Making this tomorrow!
Hi Susan, It all depends on how thick you want the chili layer. You could probably pack it all into a 9×13, but a slightly larger lasagna pan (they’re usually 10×15) might be better.
Hello,
just had to leave a comment:) since I have cooked this yesterday!!!
What can I say….it was delicious!!! Didnt have no Fritos though since I am in germany but got a different kind I thought it was similar Fritos!
We will definatly have that again:)
Thank you for the sharing!
Stephanie
I was thinking about adding corn to the chili, to get another veggie in there. Would that be good?
Sure!
So you cook/simmer for 45 minutes and simmer with no lid for an additional 45 minutes? Thanks…
Yes, correct. Enjoy!
Where was that gym class all my life? Gym class was THE WORST for me. I exercise a lot now, but I am not the least bit athletic. I have also rediscovered my love of Fritos recently. So good!
Love the crunchy Frito topping – it may just be my favorite pie yet!
I used my own chili recipe, but made the rest as directed. It was delicious! My friend and I both loved it, and will make it again. Thank you for a simple yet yummy dish!
Boy! This brings back memories. I wonder if I can fit all of that in a Frito Bag?
We never cook the onions for Frito Pie here in Okla. and we don’t add the other veg either–our Frito Pie is chili, chopped raw onions, and Fritos. Add cheese if it’s handy!
How long do you steam the pepper for?
Hi Dawn, No steaming of the pepper; it’s added to the pan with the onion. See step #1.
Michelle, the long winded old granny again, just had to let you know, our chili is made with way more chili powder, cumin and garlic, no bell peppers, no kidney beans. We cook a pot of pinto beans for those who want to add beans, no tomatoes, guess it’s more like an enchilada sauce to you, but it’s mostly cooked like that in south Texas I think.(I have a son and daughter-in-law who participate in chili cookoffs and participate in the Terlingua chili championship every year. you have to win points in local cookoffs to be able to go to Terlingua.) I think chili can be whatever suits your taste! Keep up your wonderful site, never miss checkiing it out.
Just wanted you to know , I am probably old enough to be your grandmother, born, raised Texan, die hard Dallas Cowboy fan. I read your blog always, your photos are outstanding, recipes wonderful! Now, what in the world could we have in common? I had a pot of chili on Sunday night as we watched the Cowboys, like you with the intention of eating frito pie. Grew up eating it, probably the original way from concession stands at football games and home. slit a bag of fritos (think the small bag was a nickel) add chili cheese and onions..Think they originated in San Antonio made from masa. Just a long note to let you know how truly small this world can be when it comes to food!
We don’t have Fritos in England but I’ll look for an alternative here! I also made a batch of chilli yesterday so this might be on tonight’s menu
Love frito pie- I remember buying it for lunch at the school cafeteria. So many good memories- although none of bowling. Jealous that you all go to bowl, while we got to run laps around the gym for PE
This has fall comfort food written all over it!! I love Fritos, they’re a total guilty pleasure (along with Cheetos!) :)
Never heard of this combination before–looks delicious!!! I’m really looking forward to cooler days too, good days for pots of chili or chowder,
I love Fritos. I am making this dish this weekend. It is supposed to drop to 60 degrees here in Michigan. This will be perfect for watching the Lions! Sorry about the Steelers. They are my second favorite team.
Here’s what I like about this recipe… I could cut it in half, and it would work for my husband and me, and in fact, I see you made it in a small baking dish… so many recipes call for such huge amounts…and this looks like something I can scale down easily for a cold autumn night (if they ever come!)
Yes! Frito pie! Such a classic! I love your version – it just looks like the perfect thing to serve for dinner tonight!!
OH MY goodness! My Son would go CRAZY for this frito pie! Never heard of it and maybe that’s because we are new-bies in the blog world!
I. Want. That. Frito pie is one of those things I’ve always wanted to to make!
I love knowing I’m not the only woman in the world who often went bowling for gym because the very small gymnasium/all purpose room was being used for some other purpose! Small Catholic schools, indeed :)
Continuing to love your blog and this recipe is on my calendar to create!
:O :O :O This looks AMAZING!! Making me so hungry!
I love Frito Pie. It’s actually been around for a long time. It was served at the Woolworth’s counter–cut a small bag of fritos open down the front but leave the fritos inside, add chili, top with cheese and whatever other toppings you like, and eat straight out of the bag! But yours is more elegant!
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!