Kids and adults alike go crazy for this Frito Pie Recipe! A ground beef and bean casserole topped with crunchy Fritos corn chips and tons of cheese!
Easy and fun dinner recipes like this one are always good to have on hand! Be sure to check out this Fiesta Taco Casserole too, along with a big side of our Homemade Guacamole!
What Is Frito Pie?
Frito Pie is really a ground beef casserole, that you can adapt to your liking. Obviously, this beef casserole gets topped with Frito corn chips, or it wouldn’t be fair to call it a Frito Pie!
There are many varieties of this dish, even a to go version that’s called walking tacos. Open up a mini size bag of Fritos, add a scoop of chili or taco meat and top with all your favorite taco toppings!
How Do You Make Frito Pie?
To make this delicious, cheesy, beefy casserole dish, start by layering Fritos and cheese in the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
Next make the beef filling by browning ground beef in a skillet with onion and garlic. Stir in salsa, refried beans and green chilis and season with taco seasoning. Pour the beef mixture on top of the cheese covered Frito layer and spread out to make an even layer.
Top the beef filling with more cheese and more Fritos, then get into the oven to bake for just about 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the filling is hot.
How About Some Toppings?
We like to top this cheesy casserole with chopped scallions and tomatoes for a bit of a fresh crunch on top of all that beef and cheese. Then, of course, you can scoop it out into bowls and top with even more taco toppings!
- Guacamole
- Sour Cream
- Pico de Gallo
- Cilantro
- Limes
- Pickled Jalapeños
Can You Make This Casserole Recipe Ahead Of Time?
You can! Just stash in the fridge until you’re ready to bake., but leaver off the top layer of Fritos until right before baking. Remove from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before placing in the oven, top with Fritos and bake!
This beef and cheese casserole makes parties and holidays so much fun. Having a Cinco de Mayo get together? This Frito Pie will be the start of the show.
Leftovers, if you have them, are going to be a little trickier. The Fritos on top of the casserole will get soggy as it sits, so the best way to reheat leftovers is warming it back up in the oven. Our boys just throw it in the microwave, they don’t care one bit.
But if you want those chips on top to crispy back up, the oven is the best bet.
What Can You Serve With Frito Pie?
The beauty of making a casserole like this one is that it really doesn’t call for a side dish! It’s pretty much the entire meal in one bowl. But we do like options, especially if you’re making this Frito Pie for a party, holiday or game day. We’ll give you some ideas!
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Cheesy Mexican Garlic Bread
- Restaurant Style Spanish Rice
- Tex-Mex Crab Dip
- Fiesta Sausage Queso
What Are Walking Tacos?
Walking tacos were supposedly invented at football concession stands in Texas. Open up a bag of Fritos and spoon a beef chili like filling over the Fritos. Pile on your favorite taco toppings and walk away to enjoy the game!
This dinner recipe is really derived from walking tacos, just in a casserole form. Same great flavors, but we can sit down and enjoy this one.
Looking For More Tex-Mex Inspired Recipes?
- Baked Tacos
- Tequila Shrimp Quesadillas
- Taco Casserole
- Slow Cooker Taco Chicken
- Beefy Taco Soup
- Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
Frito Pie
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeThis super fun Frito Pie is a fun dinner to make any night of the week! Top with all your favorite taco toppings like sour cream and guacamole!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 16 ounce can refried beans
- 1 1/2 cups salsa
- 4.5 ounce can diced green chilis
- 9.25 ounce bag Fritos
- 4 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, browning and breaking up into small pieces. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Drain any drippings from the skillet.
- Add the salt and taco seasoning to the beef and onions, stirring to combine. Stir in the refried beans, salsa and green chilis and then remove from the heat and set aside.
- Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Add half of the bag of Fritos to the bottom of the dish, followed by 2 cups of cheese, spreading into an even layer.
- Pour the beef mixture on top of the Fritos and cheese, spreading out into an even layer. Top with the remaining 2 cups of cheese and the remaining Fritos. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the filling is warmed through.
- If you want the chips on top to be brown and crispy, you can turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes at the end of the cooking time.
Recipe Notes
Store: Let the leftover casserole cool to room temperature before storing in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Leftovers will keep for 3 days.
Reheat: If you want the Fritos to crisp back up again, reheat leftovers in a 350 degree oven until warmed through. If you don’t mind the chips being a little on the soft side, just reheat in the microwave!
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top / Oven
- Cuisine: American / Tex-Mex
Keywords: mantitlement, casserole recipes, recipes with ground beef, frito pie, chili pie, easy recipes, kid approved meals
