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. Perfect for a fun dinner at home, parties and especially game days. Make this ground beef casserole ahead of time, top with Fritos and bake!
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!
Why You’ll Love Our Frito Pie Recipe
This Frito Pie recipe is one for the books. SUPER addicting, fun and so easy to make. It’s perfect for dinner at home instead of taco night, parties, holidays and of course game days. Set out all your favorite taco toppings and let the party begin!
- Fun Party And Game Day Food: Nothing says party food more like a Frito Pie. An indulgent, cheesy casserole that will get cheers all around.
- Make Ahead Recipe: You can make this casserole ahead of time, leaving the Fritos off, and then adding them right before baking.
- Customizable: Customize the ingredients to your liking, aadd or swap out whatever fits your taste.
- Affordable: This ground beef casserole feeds a crowd for just a few dollars per serving.
How Do You Make Frito Pie?
To start this delicious, cheesy, beefy casserole dish, grab a 9″ x 13″ baking dish and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. For complete ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the bottom of the post to the recipe card.
- STEP 1 – MAKE THE BEEF FILLING: Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 pound of ground beef, browning and breaking up into crumbles. Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Drain any drippings from the skillet. Add the salt and taco seasoning, stirring to combine. Stir in the refried beans, salsa and green chilis and then remove from the heat and set aside.
STEP 2 – ASSEMBLE: 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 2 cups of cheese and more Fritos. (top layer shown below)
STEP 3 – BAKE: 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.
What Toppings Are Good On Frito Pie?
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 leave off the top layer of Fritos until right before baking. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before baking, add the top layer of Fritos and place into the oven.
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 about soggy Fritos. 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.
- 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!
Frito Pie 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
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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
