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Discover the ultimate comfort food with our Chili Frito Casserole recipe. Easy to make, packed with flavor, and loved by all—perfect for busy weeknight dinners!
Table of Contents
- Crunchy, Cheesy, and Oh-So-Easy
- Why You’ll Love This Frito Casserole
- What’s in This Easy Frito Casserole?
- Steps to Make Chili Frito Casserole
- Customizing Your Casserole
- Make this Frito Pie Gluten-Free
- Questions About Chili Frito Casserole
- How to Store Leftovers
- More Easy Dinner Ideas
- How to Make Frito Casserole
- Chili Frito Casserole Recipe
Crunchy, Cheesy, and Oh-So-Easy
Today, I’m sharing one of my all-time favorite comfort dinners: Chili Frito Casserole. This dish is a heavenly combination of crunchy Fritos, savory Southwestern chili, and loads of gooey, melted cheese. Trust me, it’s a weeknight winner that’s super easy to whip up!
You might have heard it called Frito Pie Casserole, Taco Casserole, or even Chili Pie—it’s got a million names floating around Pinterest, Facebook, and beyond. No matter what you call it, it’s one of those meals that brings everyone to the table with smiles on their faces. The best part? It’s simple to make, and even the pickiest eaters in my family can’t resist the crispy Frito chips smothered in flavorful chili.
Why You’ll Love This Frito Casserole
This dinner is a lifesaver on busy weeknights. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s packed with the comforting flavors we all crave. We always have the ingredients on hand, so it’s a go-to recipe in our house. Plus, it’s a crowd-pleaser—perfect for family dinners or when friends drop by unexpectedly.
What’s in This Easy Frito Casserole?
Let’s talk ingredients. This casserole has everything you need for a well-rounded meal – a little bit of protein, a good amount of fiber, some calcium, and a ton of flavor. Plus, it’s made with easy-to-find ingredients that store well in the pantry. This is a crowd-pleaser that kids to adults love!
- Ground beef – Opt for lean ground beef to keep things less greasy. Drain the grease if there is too much in the pan before adding other ingredients.
- Onion – Regular yellow onion does the trick! Got green onions? Use those too, and sprinkle some on top as a garnish.
- Taco seasoning – Use your favorite store brand or make your own! We have a delicious homemade taco seasoning mix recipe made from ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and other spices that’s easy to make and lasts forever!
- Frito corn chips – The star of the show! Their salty crunch makes this casserole irresistible.
- Shredded Cheese – Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend—whatever you have will work. Freshly grated cheese melts the best!
- Canned Ingredients – Green chiles, black olives, your favorite canned chili, chili beans, and corn make this dish a breeze to throw together.
Steps to Make Chili Frito Casserole
This Frito casserole comes together in just a few simple steps!
- Cook – Brown the ground beef with onions over medium-high heat.
- Combine – Stir in green chiles, olives, chili, beans, corn, salsa, and taco seasoning. Let it simmer until everything is well combined.
- Assemble – Grease a pan with cooking spray, layer it with crushed Fritos, pour in the beef mixture, top with more Fritos and cheese, and bake until bubbly and delicious!
Customizing Your Casserole
One of the best things about this dish is how adaptable it is. Want to switch things up? Here are some ideas:
- Make it Southwestern – Add salsa, enchilada sauce, black beans, bell peppers, and diced chiles for a fun twist.
- Switch up the Meat – Swap out the beef for ground turkey or chicken for a lighter option. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper.
- Change up the Chips – You can use regular Fritos or Chili Cheese-Flavored Fritos for a different flavor on top. No Fritos? Crushed tortilla chips work great too.
- Spice it Up – Add Rotel tomatoes, pepper jack cheese, or a dash of hot sauce for some heat.
- Adjust the Consistency – If the mixture is too thick, you can thin it out with a little tomato sauce.
- Go Crazy with Toppings! Top with diced tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, or anything else you love on tacos.
Make this Frito Pie Gluten-Free
Making this casserole gluten-free is a breeze. Just use a gluten-free taco seasoning and ensure your canned chili is gluten-free (Hormel’s original style is a safe bet).
“This was so delicious – my family went crazy for it! Adding it to the list of favorites!”
-Melissa
Questions About Chili Frito Casserole
Frito casserole is perfect on its own. However, you can serve this dish with Spanish rice, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. For the spicy lovers, you can add jalapenos and cornbread on the side.
Yes! You can assemble the casserole ahead of time, cover it tightly, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to eat, bake it as directed, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time if it’s cold.
Absolutely! Assemble the casserole without the Fritos on top, cover it tightly, and freeze for up to three months. When ready to bake, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, add the Fritos and cheese, and bake as directed.
How to Store Leftovers
Got leftovers? Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave or oven, and you’re good to go!
More Easy Dinner Ideas
Love easy dinners? Try these family favorites:
Walking Tacos
Easy Chili
Cheeseburger Pie
Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole
Easy Lasagna Casserole
How to Make Frito Casserole
Chili Frito Casserole
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion chopped
- 4 ounces green chiles chopped, (1 can)
- 4 ounces black olives sliced, (1 can)
- 16 ounces chili (1 can)
- 16 ounces chili beans (1 can)
- 15 can corn drained, (1 can)
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
- 10.5 ounces Fritos (1 bag)
- 2 cups cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gather ingredients.
- In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onions until cooked through and onions become transparent. Discard grease if needed.
- Stir in chiles, olives, chili, chili beans, corn, salsa, and taco seasoning. Bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Crush Fritos and spread half of them evenly in a 9×13 deep baking dish. Add chili mixture and top with remaining crushed Fritos.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Add cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
What kind of chili beans? Pinto or kidney? And do you rinse or drain them before adding?
Chili beans are canned pinto beans that are already flavored with chili seasoning. Don’t rinse them before adding to the dish. Thanks for asking!
This was so delicious – my family went crazy for it! Adding it to the list of favorites!
Yum! This is such good stuff! My husband adores this Frito Pie recipe!
How have I never heard of putting Fritos in a chili casserole before? So stink’n good!!
One of our favorites to make! So easy and so good!
This is exactly what I crave for chowing down and watching the game! So easy and delicious!
We made this for some friends we had over for the bears game last week and it was a HUGE hit. It’s super easy to make, perfect for fall, and it’s really tasty! Thanks for an awesome recipe.
“Da Bears” lol
Love this! It’s like a walking taco…except in a nice, neat, casserole dish! Ever thought about mixing up the flavor combo and using BBQ Fritos? 🙂 I love the ingredients you use in here…black olives get a bad rap, but my family loves them and we always have a few cans on hand! Thanks for this great, new addition to our dinner rotation!
BBQ Fritos are the best! That is a fabulous idea!
Any advice on what to do if making this to bake at a later date? Should I cool the chili mixture before putting on the Fritos? Making this for a friend with a baby due in a month!
I would probably wait until just before serving and after re-heating to add the Fritos. You don’t want them to get soggy in the process of cooling and re-heating. Hope this helps!
How can I print your recipes I can print everything else but can not print any of your recipes.
When I hit print nothing happens. Please help as I don’t want to hand write the recipes.
Did you try hitting the “Print” that is on the recipe itself (right under the small picture next to the ingredients)? You should be able to print it that way. Also, what browser are you using? I am hitting print right now and I see that it is working. I don’t know what the problem could be. Can you send us a screenshot?