Frito pie casserole is loaded with taco seasoned ground beef, plenty of cheese, ranch-style beans, and crunchy Frito chips for an easy and affordable weeknight meal!
Why this recipe works
This Frito pie casserole is a larger version of what some call Frito pie or walking tacos where all the fillings and toppings are tossed in a mini chip bag. It has a mixture of everything from onions, taco seasoned ground beef, cheese, beans, jalapenos, olives, and plenty of crunchy Frito corn chips.
Much like any casserole, the ingredients you use can be substituted or added in as you would like. Corn, green chiles, salsa, avocado, bell peppers, and even chili all make delicious additions or substitutions. This dish is popular in the South but has been loved and adapted by many around the states. Don’t be scared to play around with your ingredients!
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
FILLING – Hearty ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning, either homemade or store-bought, browned, then tossed with ranch style beans and rotel tomatoes. This dish has some spice to it. To reduce the spice, use canned pinto beans instead of the Ranch style beans and/or regular diced tomatoes instead of Rotel tomatoes. You can also add in a can of corn to the meat mixture if desired.
How to Make Frito Pie
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Grease a 9×13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Over medium heat, cook the ground beef and onion in a large skillet until the meat has browned and the onions are soft.
- Stir in the taco seasoning, water, beans, and Rotel tomatoes.
- Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes longer, stirring regularly.
- Add half of the Fritos corn chips to the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese over the chips.
- Spread the meat mixture over the chips and cheese. Then top with the remaining chips and cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot and bubbly.
- Garnish with diced tomatoes, olives, parsley, and jalapenos.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
The Fritos added to the bottom of the baking dish acts as a base for your casserole. Once baked, this layer becomes soft and no longer crunchy.
You can assemble the dish a day in advance, minus the Fritos on top so they don’t get soggy overnight. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. Pull the casserole from the fridge to sit at room temperature as the oven preheats and add the Frito topping when ready to bake.
This dish is best enjoyed the day of, but you can store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Note that the Frito topping will get soggy as it sits in the refrigerator but you can always add more for crunch!
Serving Suggestions
Frito pie is hearty and filling on its own, but if you would like a side to serve it with, try cornbread or a side salad. The toppings are entirely up to you with this one, we chose to use freshly chopped tomatoes, sliced jalapenos, olives, and parsley. Sour cream, guacamole, cubed avocado, or salsa are great choices as well. Enjoy!
More Casserole Recipes
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Frito Pie
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 9.25 ounces Frito corn chips 1 bag
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ medium yellow onion diced, about 1 cup
- ¼ cup taco seasoning
- ½ cup water
- 15 ounces ranch style beans undrained
- 10 ounce Rotel tomatoes 1 can, undrained
- 2 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese
- 2 medium tomatoes diced
- 2.25 ounce sliced black olives 1 can, drained
- jalapeno slices optional as garnish
- 1 Tablespoon freshly chopped parsley optional as garnish
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- Don’t be afraid to add all the juices from the canned beans and tomatoes, as well as some additional water when you’re mixing up the meat mixture. You want plenty of moisture in the meat mixture when it goes into the oven – the Fritos absorb a lot of moisture and you don’t want it too dry.
- This dish has some spice to it. To reduce the spice, use canned pinto beans instead of the Ranch style beans and/or regular diced tomatoes instead of Rotel tomatoes.
- A can of corn can also be stirred in with the meat and bean mixture.
- Other toppings that would go great with this casserole include chopped cilantro, raw bell peppers, sour cream, and avocados.
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Over medium heat, cook the ground beef and onion in a large skillet until the meat has browned and the onions are soft.
- Stir in the taco seasoning, water, beans, and Rotel tomatoes.
- Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes longer, stirring regularly.
- Add half of the Fritos corn chips to the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese over the chips.
- Spread the meat mixture over the chips and cheese. Then top with the remaining chips and cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot and bubbly.
- Garnish with diced tomatoes, olives, parsley, and jalapenos.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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