Frito Pie is a beloved Texas classic—common at county fairs and a favorite for tailgating. This Frito Pie recipe is simple to prepare: about 10 minutes of hands-on work, then let a flavorful Texas-style chili simmer for an hour. When ready, rip open a bag of Fritos, ladle the chili over the chips and eat right from the bag or serve in bowls.
Why This Frito Pie Recipe Is So Good
- Quick to prep and deeply satisfying.
- A hit with kids and adults alike.
- A rich, layered chili built from dried chiles and warm spices.
- Perfect for BBQs, summer parties, or casual gatherings.
Ingredients For This Frito Pie Recipe
- Fritos (individual bags or large bags to share)
- Dried ancho, chipotle, and pequin chilies (pequin optional)
- Cooking oil (or bacon grease/lard)
- Onion
- Cumin, oregano, ground cinnamon, ground clove
- Ground beef (or substitute ground turkey)
- Lime juice
- Shredded cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How To Make This Frito Pie Recipe with Texas Chili
- Remove stems and seeds from the ancho and chipotle chilies and soak them in 1 cup of hot water for 10 minutes to rehydrate.
- Heat the cooking oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Transfer the onions and garlic to a blender.
- Add the soaked chiles with their soaking liquid to the blender, plus the dried pequin chilies if using (these don’t need soaking). Add the cumin, oregano, clove, cinnamon, salt and pepper, then blend to a smooth puree.
- Return the pot to the stove and brown the ground beef, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Pour in the chili puree and add 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Taste and adjust seasonings—add more salt or pepper if needed. Stir in the lime juice. Serve the chili over Fritos and top with shredded cheese. Add optional toppings like sour cream, guacamole, salsa or chopped cilantro.
Customize Your Frito Pie
This version is adapted from Lisa Fain’s Homesick Texan cookbook, with a few shortcuts to reduce hands-on time. You can customize the recipe by adding a can of diced tomatoes (Rotel), a can of beans, or using ground turkey instead of beef. The one key element to preserve is the use of dried chiles rather than relying solely on chili powder—dried chiles give the chili a deeper, more complex flavor.
Lisa’s original calls for ancho, chipotle and pequin chilies; if you can’t find pequin, ancho and chipotle still produce excellent flavor. Dried chiles keep a long time in the pantry and are easy to rehydrate, then blend with the aromatics and spices to create a homemade chili base that’s far more nuanced than boxed seasoning.
Top your Frito Pie with extras like sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or a sprinkle of fresh cilantro to brighten the dish.
What To Serve With This Frito Pie Recipe
Frito Pie pairs well with southern sides such as collard greens, a simple garden salad or a crunchy broccoli salad. A creamy coleslaw also complements the richness of the chili and adds a refreshing counterpoint.
Top Tips For This Frito Pie Recipe
- For an easy hands-off option, add all ingredients except the Fritos to a slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours.
- The chili freezes and refrigerates well—make it ahead, then reheat and serve over fresh Fritos.
- Control the heat level by reducing or omitting the pequin chilies for a milder dish suitable for children.
- Serve with simple sides like collard greens or a crisp salad to round out the meal.
Frito Pie Recipe with 1 hour Texas Chili
Ingredients
- 6 dried ancho chilies, stems and seeds removed
- 2 dried chipotle chilies, stems and seeds removed
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil (or bacon grease/lard)
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 dried pequin chilies (optional)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (about 1 teaspoon table salt)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Big bags of Fritos or individual snack-sized bags
- 8 ounces shredded cheese
Instructions
- Soak the ancho and chipotle chilies in 1 cup hot water for 10 minutes in a bowl.
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, then transfer onions and garlic to a blender.
- Add the soaking chiles with their water to the blender, plus the pequin chilies if using. Add cumin, oregano, clove, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- In the same pot, brown the ground beef, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the chili puree and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, stir in lime juice. Serve the chili over Fritos and top with shredded cheese and any preferred garnishes.
Notes
Add all ingredients except the Fritos to a slow cooker in the same order and cook on high for about 2 hours for an easy, set-it-and-forget-it method.
The chili reheats well—make it ahead and freeze or refrigerate, then reheat when ready to serve.
To make this more kid-friendly, reduce or omit the pequin chilies and adjust spice levels to taste.
Serve with collard greens, a simple salad, or coleslaw to balance the richness.
Nutrition
Calories: 722 kcal • Carbohydrates: 45 g • Protein: 31 g • Fat: 47 g • Saturated Fat: 15 g • Cholesterol: 103 mg • Sodium: 1153 mg • Potassium: 661 mg • Fiber: 5 g • Sugar: 5 g • Vitamin A: 844 IU • Vitamin C: 100 mg • Calcium: 283 mg • Iron: 4 mg