Go to Homepage
Get Our Cookbook

    Frito Pie

    January 30, 2025

    A layered casserole version of the classic “walking taco,” Frito Pie, this recipe is easy, satisfying Tex-Mex magic. Whip it up for your next party — it’s a guaranteed win.

    Categories

    frito pie made with ground beef, kidney & pinto beans, topped with onion, green onion, jalapenos, and pico de gallo
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    A speedy beef chili is the core of our cheesy, easy Frito Pie recipe. Rather than the classic hand-held served-in-the-Fritos bag, we’ve option to cook our Frito Pie in a casserole dish. It’s just a lot more crowd-friendly and truly we only cook this beloved retro recipe for big crowds. Easy, delicious, a little cheeky, and beloved by all, it’s a Super Bowl party MUST.

    ground beef, kidney & pinto beans, cheese, enchilada sauce, tomatoes and taco seasoning in prep bowls to make frito pie

    What Is Frito Pie?

    Some folks call it a “walking taco,” but we usually opt for the basic “Frito Pie” moniker. Whatever you call it, Frito pie is a famous (maybe infamous) Tex-Mex dish that’s absolutely iconic in the Lone Star State, and becoming beloved across the country. The origins of Frito Pie are murky — it seems to have popped up in Texas sometime around the early 1940s, but exactly who first thought to pour chili over Fritos and top it with cheese, well, that is lost to history. Frito cashed in on the idea in the ‘50s by producing their own brand of canned chili, but we’re scratch-made folks, ourselves. What we know for sure is how to make a delicious Frito Pie, and now, we’re going to teach you!

    ground beef, garlic and onion being cooked in a skillet
    taco seasoning and water being added to a skillet with ground beef, garlic and onion
    diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, kidney beans, and pinto beans being added to a skillet with cooked taco meat
    taco meat, diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, kidney beans, and pinto beans being stirred in a skillet

    Frito Pie Ingredients

    • Ground beef: We like a 90/10 beef here, because you don’t want a super fatty chili on your Fritos. This recipe is enough of a gut-bomb, start with lean beef.

    • Taco seasoning: Homemade Taco Seasoning is great, store-bought packets are also fine.

    • RO*TEL®: Ahh yes, Rotel. Not just for Rotel Dip (though that does rock!). It also is awesome in Frito pie casserole.

    • Red enchilada sauce: Key ingredient for our quick chili — so much flavor, and all you have to do is open a can.

    • Beans: We like to use a combo of kidney beans and pinto beans

    • Garlic & onions: A little freshness, to balance out all those cans and packets.

    • Frito corn chips: Fritos! The star of the show. And yes, it’s really got to be Fritos. No substitutes please.

    • Cheese: Shredded cheddar is great here, or you could use one of those Mexican-style cheese blends (usually a combo of cheddar and Monterery Jack).

    Fritos covered with mexican shredded cheese in the bottom of a baking dish
    ground beef and beans being spooned on top of Fritos and shredded cheese in a baking dish

    How To Make Frito Pie

    1. Make a quick beef chili: Brown the beef with the onions and garlic. Stir in taco seasoning, then add tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and beans. Simmer for about 20 minutes. You could also use leftover Chili Con Carne, if you’ve got it.

    2. Dump a bag of Fritos into a 9 x 13 baking dish.

    3. Now, you see the magical order of this Frito Pie casserole recipe. A bit like lasagna (or a little bit like 7 layer dip, with just 3 layers) Frito Pie layers go like this: Fritos, cheese, chili. Repeat: Fritos, cheese, chili.

    4. Cover and bake until the cheese is melted. Top with a few more Fritos, and then any and all additional toppings your heart desires!

    a baking dish of frito pie made with ground beef, kidney & pinto beans, cheese, enchilada sauce, tomatoes and taco seasoning
    a baking dish of frito pie made with ground beef, kidney & pinto beans, cheese, enchilada sauce, tomatoes and taco seasoning

    Tips & Variations

    • You could swap in a different ground meat if you prefer — ground chicken or ground turkey would be fine.

    • It’s fine to use all kidney beans or all pinto beans, if that’s what you have on hand.

    • Any great melty cheese is OK to try here. We like the “Mexican-style cheese blends” but good old sharp cheddar is great, too.

    • To make a vegetarian Frito pie casserole, try swapping a vegetarian ground ‘meat’ in for the beef. There are a lot of products on the market now, and many of them would probably work well.

    frito pie made with ground beef, kidney & pinto beans, topped with onion, green onion, jalapenos, and pico de gallo

    Serving Suggestions

    Serve Frito Pie with a big spread of toppings! We like to offer lots of little bowlfuls of anything we’d serve with tacos or with chili, like:

    • Diced white onions

    • Green onions

    • Avocado

    • More cheese

    • Sliced fresh jalapeños

    • Pickled jalapeños

    • Sour cream

    • Fresh or even homemade Pico De Gallo

    frito pie made with ground beef, kidney & pinto beans, topped with onion, green onion, jalapenos, and pico de gallo

    More Tex Mex Super Bowl Recipes

    For More More Maximalist Casserole Ideas, —>

    For more recipe inspiration, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest or order our cookbook. We love when you share your meals. Tag us on Instagram using #themodernproper, and we’d love to hear what you think of this recipe in the comments below. Happy cooking!

    💌 Let's Stay Together

    There are so many great ways to receive all of our latest recipes, meal tips, and inspiration.

    Frito Pie

    January 30, 2025

    • Serves:  10
    • Prep Time:  10 min
    • Cook Time:  25 min
    • Calories:  407
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Related Recipes

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound 90/10 ground beef
    • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 (1-ounce) packet taco seasoning, or 3 tablespoons homemade
    • 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, (such as RO*TEL®)
    • 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
    • 1 (15-ounce) can light kidney beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
    • 2 (9¼-ounce bags) packages Frito corn chips
    • 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese

    For serving (optional)

    Method

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position.

      ground beef, kidney & pinto beans, cheese, enchilada sauce, tomatoes and taco seasoning in prep bowls to make frito pie

    2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, onion, and garlic and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the beef is browned and the onion is softened, 8-10 minutes.

      ground beef, garlic and onion being cooked in a skillet

    3. Stir in the taco seasoning and ¼ cup water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the diced tomatoes and their juices, enchilada sauce, kidney beans, and pinto beans. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened about 20 minutes.

      taco meat, diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, kidney beans, and pinto beans being stirred in a skillet

    4. Add 1 bag of Fritos to the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese. Spoon half the beef mixture over top and sprinkle with 1 cup of the remaining cheese and half of the chips from the remaining bag. Top with the remaining beef mixture and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.

      ground beef and beans being spooned on top of Fritos and shredded cheese in a baking dish

    5. Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and discard the foil. Return to the oven uncovered and bake until the cheese is completely melted, about 15 more minutes. Top with the remaining Fritos and toppings of your choosing.

      frito pie made with ground beef, kidney & pinto beans, topped with onion, green onion, jalapenos, and pico de gallo

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 407
    • Protein 20 g
    • Carbohydrates 31 g
    • Total Fat 22 g
    • Dietary Fiber 6 g
    • Cholesterol 52 mg
    • sodium 728 mg
    • Total Sugars 3 g

    Frito Pie

    Questions & Reviews

    Start the discussion with a question or review.

    or