This Frito Pie Casserole is an easy recipe with all my favorite Tex-Mex flavors. I’ve layered corn chips, seasoned beef, cheese, and more in a delicious dish that’s perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Everyone will love this Frito Pie recipe!

Close up on Frito Pie recipe.

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5-Star Review

“I love making Frito pie! It’s such a splurge for me but always worth it! YUM!” -Allyson

Easy Frito Pie Recipe

Frito Pie Casserole is one of those meals I can never get enough of—it’s all the best Tex-Mex flavors layered into one easy, fork-friendly dish. I start with crunchy Fritos, then add savory ground beef, black beans, and tomatoes, all smothered under a gooey blanket of cheese. It’s simple, hearty, and always a hit.

I love pulling this recipe out for Cinco de Mayo, Taco Tuesday, or honestly any busy weeknight when I need something quick and satisfying. The best part is how easy it is to customize—sometimes I’ll swap in different beans, add extra veggies, or switch up the toppings depending on what I’ve got in the pantry.

At the end of the day, it’s basically tacos you can eat with a fork—and since I’ll take tacos in any form, this casserole has become one of my absolute favorites!

Recipe Card

Frito Pie Recipe

4.61 from 41 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Author: Becky Hardin
Frito Pie Casserole is an easy recipe with all the best Tex Mex flavors! Layer up the corn chips, beef, cheese, and more in a delicious dish that's perfect for weeknight dinners. Everyone will LOVE this Frito Pie recipe!
Frito Pie Casserole is an easy recipe with all the best Tex Mex flavors! Layer up the corn chips, beef, cheese, and more in a delicious dish that's perfect for weeknight dinners. Everyone will LOVE this Frito Pie recipe!
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
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Ingredients 

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 lb. ground chuck
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 packet taco seasoning (1.25 oz packet)
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 can black beans, drained (15 oz.)
  • 1 can tomato sauce (8 oz.)
  • 1 can petite diced tomatoes (16 oz.)
  • kosher salt to taste
  • 1 bag Fritos Corn Chips (9.25 oz.)
  • 2-3 cups Mexican-style shredded cheese

Extras (optional):

  • lettuce, scallions, raw onions, fresh tomatoes, black olives, fresh cilantro, sour cream, avocados, guacamole, hot sauce

Video

Instructions 

  • Heat oven to 350°F and spray a 7×11-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add the olive oil and butter. Add the chopped onion and cook 3-4 minutes or until translucent and tender. Add the minced garlic, stir and cook 30 seconds until the garlic has blossomed and is fragrant. Transfer the onion and garlic to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
    1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 medium yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic
  • Place the ground chuck in the skillet and cook until browned. Drain the fat from the beef in a mesh colander and return the beef to the skillet. Add the onion/garlic mixture, salt, pepper, taco seasoning, Worcestershire Sauce, cider vinegar, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.
    1 lb. ground chuck, 1 packet taco seasoning, 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can petite diced tomatoes
  • Mix well and bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat.
  • Reduce the heat to low and add the beans, mix well. Simmer, stirring often, for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and most of the liquid has evaporated. Season to taste, with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep in mind, Fritos are very salty and so is cheese, so use salt lightly.
    ¼ tsp ground black pepper, 1 can black beans, drained, kosher salt
  • Place 2 cups corn chips in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Top with 1 cup shredded cheese, taco meat, 1 cup cheese, and another 2 cups corn chips.
    1 bag Fritos Corn Chips, 2-3 cups Mexican-style shredded cheese
  • Bake 15-20 minutes or until the casserole is heated throughout.
  • Serve with chopped tomatoes, lettuce, black olives, chopped scallions, chopped cilantro and/or your other favorite taco toppings. Enjoy!
    lettuce, scallions, raw onions, fresh tomatoes, black olives, fresh cilantro, sour cream, avocados, guacamole, hot sauce
Calories: 335kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 21gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 412mgPotassium: 487mgFiber: 5gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 330IUVitamin C: 3.2mgCalcium: 354mgIron: 2.6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Frito Pie Casserole Step by Step

Get the oven going and prepare a baking dish: Heat the oven to 350°F and spray a 7×11-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Sauteeing onion in butter and olive oil.

Cook the aromatics: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet, then add in 1 chopped onion and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Then add 2 cloves of garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, remove and transfer the onion & garlic to a plate.

Cooking ground beef in a skillet.

Prepare the meat: In the same skillet, cook 1 lb. ground chuck until browned. Drain fat from the beef, return it to the skillet, and then add the onion/garlic mixture back in.

Adding seasonings and tomatoes to the drained ground beef.

Stir in the salt & pepper, 1.25 oz. packet taco seasoning, 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, an 8 oz. can tomato sauce, and a 16 oz. can petite diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce to low.

Mix in 1 can of black beans and let everything simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the mixture has thickened (stir often).

Layering the ingredients in the casserole dish.

Prepare the casserole: Place 2 cups of Fritos on the bottom of the casserole dish, top with half the shredded cheese, then the taco meat, more cheese, and then 2 more cups of Fritos.

Bake 15-20 minutes until everything is heated through.

A bowl of Frito pie.

Serve: Once it’s done cooking, serve with your preferred toppings: lettuce, olives, tomatoes, cilantro, etc. Whatever you want!

How to Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven until warmed through. Note the Fritos will soften as the casserole sits, but it will still taste great.

Fritos, beef, cheese, olives, tomatoes, onions layered into a casserole dish

Serving Suggestions

This dish is a meal in itself. That’s what I love about casseroles: you just throw everything into one dish, bake, and it’s ready to go!

Of course, you can also serve other favorites along with it, which is especially helpful when you’re feeding a lot of people. No Tex-Mex dish is complete without a side of chips and guac, homemade salsa, or decadent queso. And this cheesy Mexican rice makes a great side dish too!

more casserole recipes to love

Meet Becky Hardin

Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.

4.61 from 41 votes (34 ratings without comment)
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19 Comments
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Susanne
Susanne
May 7, 2022 4:28 pm

5 stars
Followed recipe exactly and it turned out really yummy! I liked the soft tortilla-like Fritos on the bottom and crunchy ones on top. And even though the Fritos were all soft the next day, the leftovers were super yummy too!

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
May 9, 2022 9:44 am
Reply to  Susanne

Thanks for sharing, Susanne!

Richard Fuller
Richard Fuller
March 17, 2021 4:44 pm

5 stars
This Frito pie is AWESOME!!!!

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
March 25, 2021 11:06 am
Reply to  Richard Fuller

Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Richard!!

Dee Dee
Dee Dee
February 8, 2023 2:49 am
Reply to  Becky Hardin

So how do you make this into a freezer meal without getting soggy Frito Chips?

Samantha Marceau
February 8, 2023 9:13 am
Reply to  Dee Dee

Leave the fritos off until you bake it!

Gina Horne
Gina Horne
December 3, 2019 8:22 am

You forgot to add the step to add the taco seasoning.

April
April
April 28, 2019 12:00 pm

Looks fantastic, this is definitely on my list to make this week.
I’m not a big fan of Black Beans but, I will use them because of the health benefits …
leg cramps.
muscle and bone pain.
anxiety and depressed moods.
high blood pressure.
insomnia.
fatigue.
So, I guess that cancels out anything bad right ? Lol ????

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
April 30, 2019 1:30 pm
Reply to  April

Yes, that definitely does ;). Can’t wait for you to try it, April.

Aimee Shugarman
Aimee Shugarman
April 24, 2019 1:12 pm

5 stars
This is a childhood classic. We have it often :)

Tanya Schroeder
Tanya Schroeder
April 24, 2019 1:03 pm

5 stars
This is such a family friendly recipe, I’m pinning this for later!

Allyson Zea
Allyson Zea
April 24, 2019 12:57 pm

5 stars
I love making frito pie! It’s such a splurge for me but always worth it! YUM!

Sara Welch
Sara Welch
April 24, 2019 12:56 pm

5 stars
You are speaking my language! I love this so much; looks delicious!

Courtney O'Dell
Courtney O'Dell
April 24, 2019 12:40 pm

5 stars
So full of flavor – and love that frito crunch!