Frito Pie

This Frito Pie is made with rich homemade chili, crunchy Fritos, and melty cheddar cheese for the ultimate cozy comfort-food dinner. Layered chips give every bite the perfect mix of chili-soaked flavor and crispy crunch.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chili recipes, easy dinner recipes, fritos recipes

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 810kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

Homemade Chili

1 pound 80/20 ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (10-ounce) can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional

Frito Pie

1 (9.25-ounce) bag Fritos
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1/2 cup red onion finely chopped

For Serving

1 cup sour cream
1 jalapeno sliced

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare Chili

Cook the onion. Heat the olive oil (1 tablespoon) in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion (1 cup) and cook until softened, about 4–5 minutes.
Brown the beef. Add the ground beef (1 pound) and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.
Build the flavor. Stir in the garlic (1 tablespoon) and tomato paste (2 tablespoons) and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant and slightly darkened.
Simmer the chili. Stir in the Rotel (1 can), tomato sauce (1 can), beef broth (1 cup), chili powder (1 tablespoon), cumin (1 teaspoon), smoked paprika (1 teaspoon), oregano (1 teaspoon), salt (3/4 teaspoon), black pepper (1/2 teaspoon), and cayenne (1/4 teaspoon), if using. Simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened but still saucy.
Make it cheesy. Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese and cook until melted and the chili is creamy.

Assemble the Frito Pie.

Set oven to broil.
Layer the Fritos. Spread about 1 1/2 cups of lightly crushed Fritos over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. You want rustic pieces and chunks, not fine crumbs.
Add the chili. Spoon the hot chili evenly over the chips, then sprinkle with the chopped red onion (1/2 cup).
Add the remaining Fritos. Scatter the remaining Fritos over the chili. Lightly crushing some of the chips helps them absorb flavor while leaving plenty of crunchy texture.
Broil. Sprinkle remaining 2 cups of cheese over top of Fritos. Place baking dish under the broiler and cook until cheese is melty, about 2–4 minutes. Watch closely so the topping doesn't burn.
Serve. Spoon into individual plates or shallow bowls. Top with a dollop of sour cream and sliced jalapeños. Serve immediately for the best crunchy texture.

Notes

Keep the chili slightly loose. The chili thickens as it sits and the Fritos absorb moisture quickly. A slightly saucy chili gives the finished dish the best creamy texture.
Don’t over-broil the casserole. You only need a few minutes under the broiler to melt the cheese. Too much heat can dry out the chips and chili.
Add fresh Fritos before serving. A handful of fresh crunchy chips on top right before serving gives the dish incredible texture contrast.
Freshly shredded cheese makes a difference. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as smoothly and can make the topping feel greasy instead of creamy.

Nutrition