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Easy Weeknight Ground Beef Frito Pie Casserole

A spatula lifts a cheesy, layered slice of baked frito pie out of the pan.
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Make this simple, hearty Frito Pie casserole for a satisfying weeknight meal or game day gathering. It combines seasoned ground beef chili, crunchy corn chips, and melted cheese for classic comfort food flavor with minimal effort.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles, undrained
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 (10 ounce) bag Fritos corn chips, divided
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef and chopped onion. Cook, breaking up the beef, until the meat is browned and the onion is soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain off any excess grease.
  3. Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Stir in the rinsed beans, diced tomatoes (with juice), tomato sauce, green chiles, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add the water.
  5. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the flavors to combine. This creates your homemade chili base.
  6. Remove the chili mixture from the heat. Stir in half of the Fritos corn chips into the chili mixture. Spread this mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
  7. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top of the chili mixture.
  8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  9. Remove the casserole from the oven. Immediately sprinkle the remaining Fritos corn chips over the melted cheese layer.
  10. Slice and serve warm with your preferred toppings.

Notes

  • For a ‘Walking Taco’ style serving, layer individual servings in small bags or bowls instead of baking as a casserole.
  • You can substitute canned chili for the homemade base to make this an even quicker dinner idea.
  • Customize the heat level by adding a dash of cayenne pepper or hot sauce to the chili base.
  • Consider adding 1 cup of frozen corn kernels when you add the tomatoes for extra texture.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://hearthbite.com/easy-weeknight-frito-pie-recipe/