FRITO PIE: Easy and Delicious Recipe with Homemade Chili

If you've never had Frito Pie before, you're in for a treat. Frito Pie isn't an actual pie, it's a bowl full, or a bag full, of yumminess: a bed of crispy corn chips, followed by a ladle full of hot chili (beans optional), and then it's sprinkled with a generous helping of cheese. Mix it all together and the corn chips soak up the chili, the cheese melts, and you're left with a delicious combination of flavors that were just meant for each other. Growing up in southern New Mexico, Frito Pie was something that was made for school fundraisers and you always hoped your parents would give you enough money to buy one. And it's a taste you never outgrow. If you're pressed for time, you can buy chili in a can and throw this all together in just a few minutes. But if you're up for making some homemade chile, read on for the recipe I used in this video.

Frito Pie

For the Chili

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
approx. 1/4 cup red chile powder (amount will depend on how spicy your chile is and how much heat you can handle. Always start with less. You can always add more as you go.)
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. Mexican oregano (preferably crushed)
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
2 1/2 cups beef broth
OPTIONAL:
2-3 cups cooked pinto beans, drained
flour or corn starch for thickening (add in a 1/2 tsp. at a time)

Place enough cooking oil to coat the bottom of a large saucepan and place on stove burner over medium high heat. Fry ground beef and onion in it, until meat is well done and onion becomes translucent. Add in minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and cinnamon and mix well. Let cook for 1-2 minutes and then add beef broth. Stir and let it come to a boil. If adding beans, drain and add them at this point. Reduce heat and let it continue to simmer approximately 20 minutes.

* If chili is not thick enough, you can add flour or corn starch until you achieve desired consistency. If chili is too thick, you can add more beef broth or water.

For Frito Pie:

Fritos corn chips
shredded cheddar cheese
diced onion
sour cream

Place bed of corn chips on bottom of bowl. Ladle hot chili on top, followed by a generous helping of shredded cheese. Garnish with diced onion and a dollop of sour cream and enjoy!

*All music in this video used with rights from Storyblocks.

[gelusvenn]

Frito pie is my absolute jam. It's something I've always loved, that was a comfort food as a kid, and is even moreso as an adult. Makes sense though, I was born in Texas.

[hotrodtex]

I was born and raised in Fort Worth Texas and grew up eating Frito Pie. I love that you added beans to yours. I found a quick hack for easy Frito Pie is to go to Wendy's, order a chili with cheese and onions, then go to a gas station and buy a bag of Fritos and then go home and mix them together. Wendy's for it being a fast food restaurant has pretty good chili.

[clararemmers]

I’m from Houston Galveston area. I grew up eating frito pie. I think it’s name pie because the way we cooked it was like a casserole. It reminds me a bit of the cheese enchiladas. And we did top it off with black olives. I still make it that way. It’s delicious. A friend of mine who ate it for the first time wanted me to make this for her wedding. Lol

[jodig]

I grew up in Santa Fe and we had them all the time. Beans are a must for me!

[Jess_in_Vegas]

I grew up in southern California and the icecream trucks made frito pies in the bag. So good!

[dianejohanson]

Here in Texas, we could always find this treat at little league baseball games and football games! Grew up eating this. My family likes this and I still make it occasionally. My husband is the chili maker, but in Texas, no beans!

[brittnieportis]

I love frito pie I’m from San Antonio, TX born and raised I love mines with nacho cheese and shredded cheese with jalapeños

[allieeverett]

South Texas here...yep, we had Frito pie too 😀

[amandarivera]

Saludos desde Tennessee!
Lo voy a preparar x primera vez para una quinceañera!

[conietrujillo]

El Paso Texas. Love chili frito pie.
I make it like you. Delicious ❤

[RichieDee]

Hey I’m originally from Chicago but I now live in Phoenix, a old timer friend of mine that I met in Phoenix but is from New Mexico showed me this and now I try to cook it myself! Thanks for sharing your recipe!

[michellelongoria]

San Antonio here☺️
It’s big in our town. Always at every outdoor food event and sometimes a quick at home dinner idea😋 It’s always delicious..especially with a dollop of Rico Nacho cheese…which is another San Antonio staple❤️

[rogerkillion]

I live in Washington Indiana and I grew up eating Frito pie and I love it

[BeccaPetersninelives]

I grew up in southwest Colorado..and frito pie was always a part of our family’s dinner rotation.

[normafrausto]

I grew up in Del Rio, TX. I've loved eating chili bags or frito pie since I was young.❤ I still do.

[Kdija]

S.A. and Austin! My dad just made Frito pie for Super Bowl Sunday. What a treat!

[gloriahohman]

My mom always made us Frito pie when ever we had left over chili. I'm originally from Eastern New Mexico but my dad was military so we lived in many places including Panama. I love all your videos especially Mexican themed as that is my heritage.❤❤

[NativeCowboy]

Hi Marcy 👋🏽 I’m from Western North Carolina and Frito Pies were part of my childhood and still are today now that I’m in my 30’s. They were especially popular on chilly Friday nights buying one from the concession stands at the local high school football games in the surrounding counties. All I can say about Frito Pies are YUM 😋

[taosjedi]

Fritos Pie is one of my frenemy foods! I love it but it gives me heartburn bad! But like a fool I still eat it! I use the lighter salt fritos and no beans. I like the small bags but I cut them horizontally like we got them at the Tastee Freeze in Taos! I've made these with Won Ton strips and homemade tortilla chips too. Love that you did this, this I consider a native New Mexican food!

[samariiamerwin]

I grew up in Louisiana a couple of times my cousin had made for your pie It wasn't till I moved to California that I really knew what freedom pie was so when I watched your video it brought back childhood memories Thank you so much Marcy You really do inspire my cooking❤🙂💯💕