Home » Course » Main DishFrito Pie with Ground Beef Pin RecipeRate RecipeFebruary 10, 2023 This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our full Disclosure Policy for details. This yummy, quick and easy comfort food combines perfectly seasoned beef and beans with melty cheese and crispy Frito chips. A classic ground beef taco casserole cooked in one skillet makes a great weeknight meal. Jump to Recipe This amazing Frito pie with ground beef is loaded with juicy beef, melty cheese and crunchy Frito chips. While quick and easy to make, this family-friendly one pan meal is bursting with flavor. So, if you are looking for a less-mess and less-hassle weeknight dinner, then this crowd pleasing Frito pie recipe is perfect for you. It is ready in less than 30 minutes and your whole family will want to have seconds and thirds. We have also included instructions on how to turn this scrumptious recipe into the always popular “walking tacos” for your next party. Table of Contents What is Frito Pie with Ground Beef? Ingredients Recommended ToolsInstructionsMake AheadMelting the Cheese in the Oven Recipe Tips What To Serve With Frito PieMore One Pan RecipesHow To StoreHow To ReheatCommon QuestionsFrito Pie with Ground Beef Recipe What is Frito Pie with Ground Beef? A Frito pie is basically a thick hearty chili, made with ground beef, onions, ranch-style beans and tomatoes. The chili base is topped with gooey cheese and Frito corn chips. This delicious dish is the ultimate comfort food. Moreover, it comes together in only one pan and is ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. Notable: succulent beef chili topped with melty cheese and crunchy Fritos Main Ingredients: ground beef, diced onion, taco seasoning, water, kidney beans, fresh tomatoes, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, Fritos, cilantro Cooking Method: stovetop Nutrients: great source of protein, with 42g per serving Cooking Time: 10 minutes prep time, 10 minutes cooking time Pairs well with: Mexican rice, guacamole, pico de gallo, taco salad Special Equipment Needed: skillet with cover, cooking spatula or spoon Ingredients You may have all of these ingredients for this cheesy frito taco skillet recipe in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making this easy Frito pie recipe you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients. Ingredients 1 pound ground beef ½ cup onion, diced ¼ cup taco seasoning (or 1 packet) ¾ cup water 15 oz canned ranch style kidney beans (chili beans) 1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced (about 2-3 Roma tomatoes) 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1 bag of Fritos corn chips Optional Garnish 1 fresh tomato, diced ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped dollop of sour cream Variations and Substitutions Ground beef: You can substitute ground chicken or ground turkey for the lean ground beef. Cheddar cheese: Substitute some cheddar cheese for Monterey Jack cheese or Pepper Jack cheese. WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love this Frito pie recipe, try our Loaded Beef Nachos. These colorful and mouthwatering loaded nachos are an amazing game day and party snack and most likely the best homemade nachos you have ever tasted. Recommended Tools Links to our favorite tools are affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link we may get a tiny portion of the sale. Skillet — We love making this dish in a cast iron skillet, because it is perfect for browning the beef. Additionally it works well as a serving dish, because it keeps the Frito pie warm for a while. Instructions This section shows how to cook ground beef Frito casserole on the stovetop, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full step-by-step instructions, photos and nutritional information see the recipe in the printable recipe card below. MAKE BEEF MIXTURE: Firstly, in a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Drain grease. Then add the chopped onions and stir. Next add the water and taco seasoning to the ground beef. Mix and simmer for 5 minutes. Finally, add the beans and diced tomatoes to the cooked ground beef mixture. Stir to combine and heat through for 3-4 minutes. LAYER DISH: Spread the bean and meat mixture out evenly and top with 1½ cups of shredded cheese. Then add 2 handfuls of Fritos to top the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the Fritos. COOK AND SERVE: Cover with a lid and continue heating on the stovetop over low heat for about 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Garnish with diced tomato, cilantro and sour cream. Serve. WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love Mexican inspired meals with crunchy chips then you’ll love our Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup. This hearty and spicy chipotle chicken soup is quick and easy to make and a family favorite all year round. Make Ahead You can prepare the chili base for the Frito pie up to 3 days ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Whenever you are ready to serve your Frito pie, start by reheating the chili in a skillet. Then top with a layer of cheese, Fritos and some more cheese and finish according to the recipe. Stef says…. I prefer this stovetop method of making Frito pie so that I don’t have to turn on the oven and, most importantly, the chips stay crunchy and fresh. Casserole versions with chips on the bottom leave soggy chips and a dry casserole. Melting the Cheese in the Oven If you prefer, you can also melt the cheese under the broiler of your oven. Just make sure you keep a close eye on it, so the corn chips and cheese do not burn. For this method we recommend using an oven-proof skillet. Recipe Tips Follow these tips to make the best Frito pie casserole. Tip: Add chili beans instead of plain pinto beans or black beans, as they add immense flavor to the meat mixture. Tip: Only add Fritos to the top of the pie. This way they stay nice and crunchy, instead of getting soft and soggy. Tip: Serve warm and garnish with all your favorite taco toppings, such as more cheese, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo or sliced black olives. What To Serve With Frito Pie We love to eat classic Frito pie all by itself. But sometimes you need to serve it as a meal. Try one of these delicious recipes: Bread: Serve Frito Pie Casserole with freshly baked cornbread. Our delicious Cornbread Muffins are fluffy and have a perfect crumbly texture. They are just the right amount of sweet and savory. Salad: Pair this Frito chili pie recipe with a fresh salad. A green salad like our easy Italian salad or Stef’s delicious Taco Salad Shells taste amazing with this delicious meal. Sides: Another great side dish with Frito pie is rice. Have you tried our scrumptious Mexican rice or cilantro lime rice? Toppings: Crockpot Frito pie tastes great garnished with tomatoes, cilantro and sour cream, but you can additionally top it with guacamole, restaurant style salsa or pico de gallo. Cornbread Muffins Instant Pot Mexican Rice Easy Guacamole Recipe (No Onion) Mild Pico de Gallo Salsa (Chipotle Copycat Recipe) More One Pan Recipes One pan recipes can be a real lifesaver, because they do not require any fancy equipment, come together quickly and taste absolutely scrumptious. Whether you are looking for a quick meal for busy weeknights or an easy dinner recipe to cook on vacation, you have to try our Sheet Pan Fajitas or Meatball Pasta Bake. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas Easy Dump And Bake Meatball Pasta Casserole Baked Ravioli How To Store Refrigerate: While Frito pie with ground beef is best eaten fresh, you can store leftovers in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the fridge for up to 3 days. However, the Fritos might get soft during storage and taste more like tortillas. We therefore recommend storing just the chili beef mixture by itself. Add cheese and Fritos only when you are ready to serve the dish. Freeze: You can freeze the ground beef and bean mixture in a freezer safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. You can also add the cheese before freezing if you prefer. We do not recommend freezing the Fritos. Add them fresh to keep them super crispy. Defrosting: Thaw chili mixture in the refrigerator overnight. Andrea says…. I love this dish, because it comes together quickly and most importantly it is a ONE pan meal! How To Reheat Reheat the bean and beef mixture in a skillet on the stovetop, then top with cheese and Fritos and continue heating until the cheese is melty. Hearty ground beef taco casserole with crunchy corn chips in a cast iron skillet. Common Questions What are “Walking Tacos”? Walking tacos are a popular way of serving Frito pie at parties. Prepare the beef and bean mixture as described in the recipe. Then transfer to a crockpot or Instant Pot to keep warm during the party. Provide mini Fritos or single serve Frito bags and complete your walking taco station with all your favorite taco toppings, such as sour cream, salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, sliced black olives, sliced jalapeños, cilantro… Guests tear open the Frito bags, scoop some warm chili mixture on top of the crunchy Fritos and add as many of their favorite toppings as they like. Yum yum! Can this dish be made ahead of time? You can prepare the chili beef mixture up to 3 days ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. We recommend adding the cheese and Fritos only right before finishing the dish. Can I add Fritos to the beef mixture as well? Of course you can add additional Fritos to the beef mixture as well. However, these chips will not stay crunchy. They will get soft and resemble tortilla strips. 5 from 2 votes Frito Pie with Ground Beef Recipe Course Main Dish Cuisine American, Mexican Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Total Time 20 minutes Print Pin Rate 4 servings This yummy, quick and easy comfort food combines perfectly seasoned beef and beans with melty cheese and crispy Frito chips. A classic ground beef taco casserole cooked in one skillet makes a great weeknight meal. Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark Equipmentskillet with covercooking spatula or spoon Ingredients 1x2x3x▢ 1 lb ground beef▢ ½ cup onion diced▢ ¼ cup taco seasoning one packet▢ ¾ cup water▢ 15 oz canned ranch style kidney beans chili beans▢ 1 cup fresh tomatoes diced, 2-3 Roma tomatoes▢ 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded▢ 1 bag FritosOptional Garnish:▢ 1 fresh tomato diced▢ fresh cilantro chopped▢ sour cream InstructionsIn a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Drain grease. Then add chopped onions and mix with the browned beef. Add taco seasoning and water. Stir until combined. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add beans and diced tomatoes. Then heat through, 3-4 minutes. Spread out beef mixture into an even layer within the skillet and top with 1½ cups of cheese. Add 2 handfuls of Fritos to top of cheese. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese. Continue heating on the stovetop over low heat. Cover. Heat for about 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Garnish with chopped tomatoes, cilantro and sour cream. Serve. Notes You can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the ground beef. Add chili beans instead of plain pinto beans or black beans, as they add immense flavor to the meat mixture. Only add Fritos to the top of the pie. This way they stay nice and crunchy, instead of getting soft and soggy. Serve warm and garnish with all your favorite taco toppings, such as more cheese, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo or sliced black olives. NutritionCalories: 920kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 59g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 2171mg | Potassium: 888mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2520IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 532mg | Iron: 5mg Did you create this? Share it on Instagram and follow us on Pinterest for more cleverly simply recipes. Email Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe PinShareTweet