Award-Winning Frito Pie Recipe

Published Oct 10, 2024 By Elle Ann

Image credit: Cooking Con Claudia via YouTube

I’m having a party for Halloween and I’ve been looking for great recipes that I can serve at the table, one of my top picks is this award-winning Frito pie by Cooking Con Claudia on YouTube. I’ve already tried making this dish a few days ago for a practice test, it’s very delicious and definitely worth the hype.

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This recipe is pretty easy to follow and it turned out great even on my first try. So, if you need some good crowd-pleaser meal ideas, then I highly recommend that you check out this Frito pie recipe, and you won’t regret it. You can even take your version to the next level by going all out with your toppings!

Ingredients for Frito Pie:

Frito Pie

½ onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pound of ground beef
Medium cheddar cheese
2 large bag of Fritos

Chili Mix

5 tsp of chili powder
1 tbsp of smoked paprika
2 tsp of onion powder
2 tsp of garlic powder
1½ tsp of ground cumin
1½ tsp of oregano
1½ tsp of brown sugar
1 tsp of chipotle powder
1 tsp of black pepper
Salt, to taste

Tomato Mix

¼ cup of green chiles, optional
1 (10 oz) can of diced tomatoes
1 (16 oz) can of beans
1 (8 oz) can of tomato sauce
1 (8 oz) can of crushed tomatoes
¼ cup of water

How to Make Frito Pie:

Ingredients for Frito Pie — Image credit: Cooking Con Claudia via YouTube

Step 1

Place a pan on a stove over medium-high heat, then add the olive oil, and once hot, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Saute them for a couple of minutes until translucent and fragrant, then add the ground beef, and season with chili powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, oregano, brown sugar, chipotle powder, and black pepper.

Step 2

Break the meat apart and mix them well, then cook the meat for about 7 minutes, and then add the green chiles, diced tomatoes, and beans. Give them a good mix to combine, then cook them for a few minutes before adding the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and water, and keep mixing until combined. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then add the salt to taste, and reduce the heat to low.

Step 3

Let it continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, then turn off the heat, and remove the pan from the stove. Add a layer of Fritos to the bottom of a baking dish, then pour in the chili mix, and sprinkle the cheese on top. Add more Fritos and cheese, then let it bake for about 12 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly, and let it cool down for a few minutes. Top it with sliced jalapeños, chopped onions, sour cream, or any topping that you want, then serve, and enjoy!