Frito Pie
Last Updated on September 22, 2022 by Annie
Cozy up to a big serving of this comfort food classic, Frito Pie! Hearty and mildly spiced chili tops salty Fritos for a filling dinner you’ll want to make again and again. Packed with two different beans, ground turkey, and zesty chili spices this easy Frito chili pie is sure to hit the spot.
Growing up, Frito pie signaled the beginning of fall. This warm and filling chili smothering a salty bed of crispy Fritos and topped with melty cheddar cheese brought the feeling of cozy, comfort that paired perfectly with cool fall evenings (okay as cool as it can get in Houston in the fall…)
My mom made this comforting dish sparingly (maybe twice a season) but every time she made it we would devour it whole. If you have not been introduced to Frito pie before, allow me to help make your acquaintance with this comfort food classic. Frito pie is a midwestern/southwestern dish featuring a spicy and hearty chili, salty Fritos, and is typically served with cheese.
This filling chili recipe is perfect for a cozy night in or taking to a tailgate before the big game. No matter how you dish it out, it’s sure to be a hit!
Why We LOVE Frito Chili Pie
- Easy to make. From browning the meat to adding seasonings and canned beans there really aren’t too many difficult steps for this chili.
- Versatile. You can make it as a single serving dish, portable (in a Frtios bag), or as a casserole. The choices are endless.
- Customizable. From the meat to the spices and the toppings you can easily customize this dish for all of your preferences.
How to Make Frito Pie
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ground meat- I typically use ground turkey but you can also use ground beef or ground chicken.
- Rotel
- Tomato Sauce
- Chili seasoning- A blend of chili powder, cumin, salt, and oregano.
- Beans- Drained and rinsed kidney beans and pinto beans.
- Cornmeal + water- This makes a slurry that thickens the chili and adds a little extra corn flavor to tie in with the Fritos.
- Fritos- The original salty, crunchy corn chip that makes Frito Pie, well, Frito Pie!
- Toppings- I typically like to enjoy my Frito Pie with dairy-free cheese and green onions.
Directions for Frito Pie
- Brown the meat: In a pot over medium heat, brown the ground meat until cooked through. Crumble while your brown to get chunks of cooked meat.
- Add aromatics: Once cooked through, add the diced onion. Cook about 2-3 minutes then add the garlic and stir in until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Season and simmer: Next, add the Rotel, tomato sauce, salt, chili powder, cumin, and oregano to the meat. Stir until combined then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Stir in beans and simmer: After 15 minutes, add the pinto and kidney beans to the chili and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes.
- Thicken with cornmeal slurry: Mix the water and cornmeal together then add to the chili, stir and simmer an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve: When you are ready to serve, fill a bowl with about 1/4 cup of Fritos then top with the chili and garnish with any toppings you like!
Helpful Kitchen Tools
A few kitchen tools you might find helpful with this recipe include:
- Ground Meat Chopper– Great for cooking and crumbling the ground turkey in the recipe.
- Dutch Oven– This is the dutch oven I used to cook and style the Frito Pie.
How to Serve Frito Pie
Depending on personal preference or regional differences the assembly and serving of Frito pie might look different. Here are a few different ways to dish out your Frito pie.
- Casserole: Some versions of this recipe dish it out casserole-style with layers of spicy chili, then crunchy Fritos, followed by a hearty sprinkling of cheese and other toppings.
- Single Serve: In a bowl scoop chili, sprinkle with fritos and cheese, mix and enjoy.
- Fritos on Bottom: My personal favorite start with the Fritos at the bottom of the bowl. Top with chili, cheese, and additional toppings (see suggestions below).
- Portable: A classic at football and baseball stadiums in Texas. Grab a single serve bag of Fritos and cut it open, top with chili, cheese, and other toppings grab a fork and dig in. No bowl required.
Additional Toppings
- Green Onion
- Chopped red onion
- Shredded Violife Just Like Cheddar Shreds
- Diced jalapeño
- Add a dollop of dairy-free sour cream
- Diced tomato
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
- Storing: The best way to store frito pie if you’re not planning on serving it right away is separatly. Meaning the chili should be stored separate from the fritos. Only add the fritos when you are ready to serve. Keep the chili in a refrigerator safe container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Left-overs or looking to prep this in advance? Keep the chili in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months in the freezer. When you are ready to use or reheat transfer to the refrigerator and allow to thaw overnight.
- Reheating: Pop the chili back on the stove and heat on over medium-low for about 30 minutes, stirring ocassional. To heatindividual servings of chili simply scoop out the amount you want into a bowl a heat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until it reaches the desired heat.
Frito Pie FAQs
Is Frito Pie a Texas thing?
Maybe? While there are definitely deep roots for Frito pie in Texas, it might have originated south of the border in Mexico. You can also find regional differences to Frito pie all across the midwest and southwest of the US.
How else can you serve Frito chili pie?
Frito pie can easily be served as a casserole, single-serve, or portable dish. See the serving suggestions above for how to prepare each variation of this comforting dish.
More Comfort Food Classics
If you tried this delicious and dairy-free Frito Pie recipe and enjoyed it feel free to leave a comment below! I would love to hear how it went! Or, snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!
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Frito Pie
Hearty and mildly spiced chili tops salty Fritos in this comfort food classic, Frito Pie!
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Meat
- 1 Onion diced
- 3 pods Garlic diced or microplaned
- 12 ounces Tomato Sauce
- 10 ounces Rotel
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
- 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
- 14 ounces Kidney Beans drained and rinsed
- 14 ounces Pinto Beans drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup Masa or Cornmeal
- ½ cup Water
- Fritos
- Chopped Green Onion
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese dairy-free
Instructions
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In a pot over medium heat, brown 1 pound ground meat until cooked through. Crumble while you brown to get chunks of cooked meat.
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Once cooked through, add 1 diced onion. Cook about 2-3 minutes then add 3 minced pods of garlic and stir in until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
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Next, add 10 ounces Rotel, 12 ounces tomato sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 Tablespoons chili powder, 1 Tablespoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon oregano to the meat. Stir until combined then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes.
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After 15 minutes, add 14 ounces pinto and 14 ounces kidney beans to the chili and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes.
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Mix ½ cup water and ¼ cup cornmeal together then add to the chili, stir and simmer an additional 10 minutes.
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When you are ready to serve, fill a bowl with about 1/4 cup of Fritos then top with the chili and garnish with any toppings you like!
Recipe Notes
Recipe adapted from: Frito Chili Pie by Ree Drummond
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*Nutritional information based on one serving of chili without Fritos and shredded cheddar cheese.