Easy Cheesy Frito Pie Recipe

This easy Frito pie recipe is a comforting, crowd-pleasing dish loaded with bold flavors! Featuring a hearty beef and bean chili topped with melted cheddar cheese and crunchy Fritos, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner ready in just 40 minutes.

Easy Frito Pie Recipe

• Bold Flavors. You won’t believe how delicious this Frito pie recipe is. The ingredient list is short and sweet but the flavors really pack a punch! A quick chili simmers together with classic pantry staples for a savory meal the whole family will love.
• Quick and Easy. The best part about this recipe is how quickly it comes together. Make the simple chili, top it with cheese, and bake. Then add a hearty layer of crispy Fritos along with your garnishes of choice and dinner is done!

Ingredients for Frito Pie

• Yellow Onion: Adds a sweet and savory base flavor. White onion works as a substitute.
• Garlic: Enhances the depth of flavor. Use 1 teaspoon garlic powder if fresh isn’t available.
• Ground Beef (80/20): Provides a juicy, flavorful base. Leaner beef or ground turkey can be used instead but it will have a bit less flavor.
• Tomato Paste: Adds concentrated tomato flavor and depth. You can use tomato sauce or skip it if you don’t have any on hand.
• Brown Sugar: Balances acidity and enhances the chili’s richness. Granulated would work as well but I like the deeper flavor that brown sugar has.
• Spices: Chili powder and cumin come together to add warm, smoky, earthy flavor. Use your favorite chili seasoning or homemade chili seasoning!
• Chiles in Adobo: Provides a smoky, spicy kick. Skip if you prefer a milder dish.
• Rotel Tomatoes: Bring a flavorful tomato base with mild heat. Use fire-roasted diced tomatoes if you can’t find Rotel.
• Dark Red Kidney Beans: Adds texture and protein. Black beans or pinto beans can be substituted instead.
• Tomato Sauce: Creates a rich base for the chili.
• Medium Cheddar Cheese: Melts beautifully and adds a creamy, tangy richness. Sharp cheddar is great too!
• Fritos: The signature crunchy topping for this classic dish. Tortilla chips or fried tortilla strips would be delicious as well!

How to Make Frito Pie

Create the Base: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic. Add ground beef and brown, crumbling with a spatula. Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, and chiles in adobo. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Add Tomatoes and Beans: Stir in Rotel tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato sauce, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper.

Simmer the Chili: Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning as needed.

Assemble: Transfer chili to an 11.5 inch deep dish pie pan and top with shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake the Pie: Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Add Fritos & Serve: Top with Fritos, garnish with sour cream and green onions, and enjoy!

Tips for Making Frito Pie

Make-Ahead Instructions

• Prepare the chili base ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• When ready to serve, reheat, transfer to a baking dish, top with cheese, and bake.
• Then add Fritos and garnishes and serve!

Storing Leftovers

• Let the Frito Pie cool completely before storing it in an airtight container.
• Keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezing Frito Pie

• Freeze the chili mixture in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
• When ready to serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
• Then reheat, add cheese, bake, and add Fritos.

Reheating Frito Pie

• Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes or until warmed through.
• If using a microwave, reheat in short intervals, stirring between each, and add fresh Fritos before serving for extra crunch.

Serving Suggestions

Try these easy family dinner recipes next!

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Frito Pie

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This easy Frito pie recipe is a comforting, crowd-pleasing dish loaded with bold flavors! Featuring a hearty beef and bean chili topped with melted cheddar cheese and crunchy Fritos, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner ready in just 40 minutes.

• Author: Kylie
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Stove Top + Oven
• Cuisine: American

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add 1 small diced onion along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 6 minutes or until they’re super soft and almost starting to brown.
3. Add 5 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
4. Make a small well in the center of the large saute pan. Add 1 pound ground beef along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper, and cook, crumbling with a spatula until cooked through. Use the fat from the beef to deglaze the bottom of the pan and scrape all the yummy bits off.
5. Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon chiles in adobo, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
6. Add 1 can of Rotel tomatoes, 1 can dark red kidney beans, 1 can tomato sauce, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper.
7. Bring to a simmer and simmer gently over low heat, uncovered, for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. While the chili mixture is simmering, heat oven to 375 degrees.
9. Transfer to an 11.5 inch deep dish pie pan. Top with shredded cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese on top melts and the edges are bubbly.
10. Top with Fritos and garnish with sour cream and sliced green onion. Enjoy!
11. If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating and review below!

Notes

• • Adjust spice level by increasing or reducing the chiles in adobo. A pinch of cayenne is another great way to add some heat.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/8 of the pie
• Calories: 361
• Sugar: 3.6 g
• Sodium: 367.5 mg
• Fat: 17.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 29.5 g
• Fiber: 4.1 g
• Protein: 21.8 g
• Cholesterol: 54.9 mg