Frito Pie Taco Bake

Frito Pie Taco Bake is the stick-to-your-bones dinner that will warm the coldest of hearts this fall. Quick, super easy…and did I mention all that cheese?!

Frito Pie Taco Bake

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I was inspired to put my own spin on this classic Frito Pie Casserole when I came across a very bare bones version (I’m talking canned chili here, people!) in a church cookbook from Kansas that I found at the rummage sale at our church.

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Those old hand-bound cookbooks are generally a goldmine for some classics that all of our moms made and often a few options that make you go “wait, what?!” Luckily, there were plenty of winners in this book!

What is Frito Pie?

Frito Pie, also called Frito Casserole or sometimes even a taco bake recipe consists of chili, topped with cheese and finished off with Fritos corn chips and any other toppings that your hungry heart desires. Now for my version, I put together a super quick homemade chili in a skillet before  transferring to a baking dish.

I topped it with plenty of shredded cheddar cheese before adding Fritos (which are dangerously addictive, by the way. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!) and a little more cheese on top of the Fritos, for good measure. And some chopped scallions after it came out of the oven because they look pretty and taste great too!

Tips for making Frito Pie Taco Bake Casserole

• If you’re making this for kids, you can total mince the peppers and onions nice and small. I did this and my kids ate it happily.
• If you want it to have a little kick to it, use Ancho Chili powder.
• I baked this in a 10 inch pie plate (like this one!). You could also use a 9 Inch Baking Dish, as long as it has high sides.
• Feel free to get crazy with toppings. Whatever you like on your tacos would taste fantastic on this as well!

Helpful tools:

1. Large saute pan
2. Wooden spoon
3. Chef’s knife
4. Cutting board
5. Measuring cups
6. Measuring spoons
7. Deep Pie Plate or 9 Inch Baking Dish

Print

Frito Pie Taco Bake

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

50 mins

 

Frito Pie Taco Bake is the stick-to-your-bones dinner that will warm the coldest of hearts this fall. Quick, super easy and seriously delicious!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: taco bake

Author: Jessy Freimann, The Life Jolie

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium green pepper, diced
• 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, you can substitute with cayenne pepper if you prefer the chili to be spicier
• 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 can kidney or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 3-4 cups fritos corn chips
• 1-2 scallions, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and spray well with cooking spray.

2. Add onions, peppers and ground beef to the pan and saute for 5-7 minutes until the beef in browned and the vegetables have softened. Use the spoon to break up the ground beef and stir everything periodically. Drain the grease.

3. Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, water and beans and stir well to combine.

4. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes stirring often.

5. Transfer to a deep dish pie plate or a 9 x 9 inch baking pan.

6. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar.

7. Top with Fritos and then sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar.

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and serve immediately.

If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it 🙂 I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions!

Try some other delicious Mexican-inspired recipes:

• Ground Beef Oven Baked Tacos
• 20 Minute Taco Pasta
• Cheesy Chicken Taco Bowls

You can find a full index of my recipes here.

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