Frito Pie is a favorite casserole meal all in one! It’s packed with tender ground beef, beans, all in an enchilada sauce dripping with cheese and topped with Fritos! This will be an instant family favorite!
If you love comfort food like this, try our popular hamburger casserole.
FRITO PIE CASSEROLE
Having a comfort dish I can cook and have on the table in less than an hour is a must for me and our busy family! Frito Pie Casserole is one of those meals that I can prep and have ready in a snap, just like my spaghetti pie recipe.
I like to cook Frito pie casserole when I am looking for a meal to throw together quickly during the week night and my family will still love it and also think it is fun to eat. Frito pie casserole is a fun quick and easy meal to make and is super yummy.
FRITO PIE RECIPE
I like to cook this Frito Pie Casserole when I am looking for a meal to throw together quickly during the weeknight and I know it is a dish my family never gets sick of. Frito Pie Casserole is a fun, quick, flavorful meal that you will want to save and make over and over again.
FRITO PIE RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Ground beef – choose a lean version so you will have less grease in your dish.
Onion – a simple white onion will be the perfect flavor addition to this recipe just be sure to finely chop so you do not have to chew large onion bits in the casserole.
Taco seasoning – brings all the flavors of chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper in one bold package which is a perfect package of flavoring to add to Frito pie casserole.
Enchilada sauce – brings a rich zesty flavor and helps create a tasty filling for all the ingredients of Frito pie. You can choose a mild or medium spice level depending on your preference.
Pinto beans – brings a creamy and soft texture with added protein to this Frito pie recipe.
Fritos chips – a crunchy corn chip that helps add a crunchy texture to every bite.
Mexican cheese blend – choose a Mexican cheese blend because it adds the perfect blend of cheeses to this dish.
Green onions – when sliced and added to the top of a dish it can add a nice slash of color and a nice texture when bitten into.
Sour cream – can help add a flavorful addition to an already bold dish with a creamy texture.
HOW TO MAKE FRITO PIE CASSEROLE
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish (glass dish) with cooking spray and set aside.
- Brown ground beef and onions together until brown in a medium skillet.
- Drain excess grease and pour back into the skillet.
- Stir in taco seasoning and water. Be sure to continuously stir while heating.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Pour in enchilada sauce and beans, stir until combined.
- Place 4 cups of the Fritos at the bottom of the baking dish and top with 1 cup of shredded cheese blend.
- Layer the meat in the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. Add the remaining cup of cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Top with remaining Fritos and garnish with jalapeños, if desired.
- Serve warm and top with sour cream or other toppings if desired.
TIPS AND NOTES FOR MAKING FRITO PIE RECIPE
- Be sure to drain and rinse your pinto beans before using them. This helps cut down on the sodium by half.
- Choose a ground beef that is lean. Choosing a leaner meat will help cut down on the amount of grease that is baked in the Frito pie recipe.
- Some great toppings for Frito pie casserole are jalapenos, lettuce, and tomatoes.
- You can indeed substitute ground beef for another meat such as ground turkey or venison but they can change the flavor of this dish but are other great meat options.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH FRITO PIE CASSEROLE
This dish is perfect to serve by itself but if you are looking for something else to add try adding a pot of Mexican rice or a yummy bowl of guacamole.
WHAT IF I DO NOT HAVE FRITOS ON HAND?
Since this meal is a perfect casserole to throw together when you are needing to put something on the table fast you may find that you are out of Fritos. Do not worry you can use tortilla chips and crush them up or just use the crumbs at the bottom of the bag!
You can even use different flavored Fritos like chili cheese which are my favorite and can bring even more flavor to this Frito pie casserole.
CAN I MAKE FRITO PIE CASSEROLE GLUTEN FREE?
Yes, to make this Frito pie recipe gluten-free all you will need to do is have taco seasoning on hand that it is gluten-free. Also, you will want to check your enchilada sauce to confirm it is gluten-free as well. Once you have checked these two ingredients packaging you are able to call this dish a gluten-free Frito Pie!
CAN I MAKE AHEAD AND BAKE LATER?
I would not recommend making Frito pie casserole ahead of time. If you do make it ahead of time, it may cause your Fritos to become soggy and this would lose the crunchy texture that makes this Frito pie casserole a family favorite!
If you want to be able to save time when making Frito pie I suggest just browning your hamburger meat and placing it in the refrigerator until you are ready to combine all the ingredients into your casserole dish to bake right before serving.
WHAT OTHER TOPPINGS CAN BE ADDED TO FRITO PIE CASSEROLE?
Sour cream is my favorite topping to add to Frito pie but toppings you can add are:
- Lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Guacamole
- Salsa
- Jalapenos
HOW TO STORE FRITO PIE CASSEROLE
It is best to store Frito pie casserole leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do not eat after 3 days have passed.
LOOKING FOR OTHER GREAT CASSEROLE DISHES? BE SURE TO CHECK THESE OUT.
Frito Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 package 1 oz taco seasoning
- 2/3 cup water
- 2 cans 10 oz enchilada sauce
- 15 ounces pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 bag Fritos chips about 5 1/2 cups
- 8 oz. Mexican cheese blend shredded
- green onions sliced (optional)
- sour cream for serving
- jalapeños for serving
- cherry tomatoes chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 baking dish (glass dish) with cooking spray and set aside.
- In medium skilled, brown ground beef and onions until brown. Drain excess grease. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Stir and heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Add in enchilada sauce and beans and stir to combine.
- Place 4 cups of the Fritos to bottom of baking dish and top with 1 cup of shredded cheese blend.
- Layer the meat in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Add remaining cup of cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Top with remaining Fritos and garnish with jalapeños, if desired.
- Serve warm and top with sour cream.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Troy says
Place 4 cups of the Fritos at the bottom of the baking dish and top with 1 cup of shredded cheese blend.
Layer the meat in the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. Add the remaining cup of cheese.
We cooking two different pans or does the Fritos go first with cheese, then the meat is layered on TOP of the fritos.
Susanna says
I don’t know, but it sounds to me like the meat layer should go on top of the Frito cheese layer – with a sprinkle of cheese across the top layer