The first time someone offered me a “Frito pie” after moving to Texas, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. A pie made with corn chips? It sounded bizarre. But one bite of those crispy, salty Fritos smothered in hearty chili and melted cheese changed everything. This isn’t fancy cuisine, it’s pure comfort food that hits all the right notes. Now, years later, whenever I’m craving something indulgent and satisfying, Frito pie is my guilty pleasure go-to.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The genius of Frito pie lies in its perfect contrast of textures and flavors. The corn chips provide satisfying crunch and saltiness that balances the rich, hearty chili. The melted cheese adds creaminess while the fresh toppings contribute a cooling contrast and bright flavors. It’s comfort food engineering at its finest, creating maximum satisfaction with minimal effort. This frito chili pie was initially created in the 1960s.
Frito Pie Recipe Ingredients
For the Base
- Fritos corn chips – Provide the essential salty, crunchy foundation that holds up beautifully under hot chili without becoming soggy
- Canned or homemade chili – Delivers the hearty, savory protein component that makes this a satisfying meal rather than just a snack
- Shredded cheese – Melts over the hot chili to create creamy richness that binds all flavors together.
- Yellow onions (chopped) – Add a sharp bite and textural contrast that cuts through the richness of cheese and chili, you could use chopped green onions if you prefer
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream – Provides cooling creaminess that balances the heat and richness of the chili
- Jalapeño peppers (sliced) – Contribute fresh heat and crisp texture for those who like extra spice
- Yellow mustard – Adds tangy acidity that brightens all the rich flavors in the dish
How to Make Frito Pie
- Heat the chili in a small pan or in the microwave.
- Place Fritos in the bottom of a bowl.
- Pour the heated chili on top of the Fritos.
- Sprinkle cheese on top.
- Sprinkle chopped onions on top.
- Place sour cream, jalapeno slices, and mustard on top if desired.
Scaling Tips
- Party Size: Set up a topping bar and let guests build their own for easy entertaining
- Individual Portions: Use snack-size Frito bags for perfect single servings
- Large Batch: Keep chili warm in a slow cooker and provide multiple topping stations
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Best Fresh: Frito pie is best consumed immediately after assembly to maintain the chip crunch
- Leftover Chili: Store unused chili in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat as needed
- Not Recommended: Do not store assembled Frito pie, as chips become soggy quickly
Love pie for dinner? Try these savory pie recipes!
Favorite Comfort Food Recipes
- Chicken Fried Steak
- Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Chili Cheese Tater Tots
- Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
- Ground Beef Casserole
- Hamburger Beef Stroganoff
- Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole
- Salmon Patties
Check out more of my savory pie recipes and the best comfort food recipes here on CopyKat!
Thanks to my friend Denise we have the Frito Bandito!
Frito Pie Recipe – Easy Southern Comfort Food
Ingredients
- 1 cup Fritos corn chips
- 10 ounces chili
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped onions
Optional Toppings
- Sour Cream
- Yellow mustard
- Jalapeno pepper slices canned or fresh
Instructions
- Heat chili in a pan or in the microwave.
- Place the Fritos corn chips in a bowl.
- Ladle hot chili on top of the Fritos.
- Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.
- Sprinkle onions over the cheese.
- Top with sour cream, jalapeno slices, and mustard if desired.
I LOVE Frito pie ….. sometimes I change it up and make Cheeto pie … 🙂
We add a scoop of rice between fritos and chili and call them ‘haystacks’.
Wow that sounds good!!! I have made it with browned hamburger and onion, then mix in the taco seasoning, according to pkg. directions, and a can of drained kidney beans. Top the Fritos with the mixture, shredded cheddar, lettuce and tomato.
I’m gonna make Frito Pie this weekend for a picnic and i hadn’t made it for awhile, so i was just checking the internet for different recipes, but i have had it with browned hamburger and onion, then mix in the taco seasoning (mix according to pkg. directions) and a can of drained kidney beans. Then top the Fritos with the mixture, cheese, lettuce and tomato.
WOW We have been eating this for years but somehow we had the name wrong. We called it Texas Straw Hats, but we had the recipe like yours except for the mustard. My “kids” are now feeding their kids this wonderful easy meal!
In Ohio, this is served in the bag of Fritos and called a ‘walking taco’ because you can walk around with it. I like your version better though!
tinamarie hit the nail on the head. that is the traditional way to make it. not gonna tell anyone how to enjoy something, but that is the “authentic” recipe.
Why didn’t my 3 high schools (I moved a lot) serve these with shredded cheese? Mine served them with the liquid cheese 😉
Do you use a spoon to eat the Frito pie out of the bag or your fingers? I have never heard of this but it sure sounds fun! ( I’m from NY) 🙂
Even in the South, we use utencils whenever possible, I would guess some would eat this with their fingers, most of us use a spoon or fork though 😉
Ohhh! yea I also didn’t know what this was until I got into the trucking industry.I have not met an over the road driver that does not rave about Frito pie. I have received at least 10 different variations including the truck driver 7-11 version. 1 bag of fritos heat Hormel singles chilli in m-wave dump into frito bag add cheese and onions and eat straight outa da bag. now that is a guilty pleasure, especially when you’re doing this at home.
Growing up in West Texas, I can’t ever remember NOT eating Frito pie. We ate them all year long. Always made with Wolf Brand chili (unless mom broke down and made homemade), grated longhorn colby, grated Texas 1015 sweet onions….my mouth is watering right now. I know what I’ll be having for lunch tomorrow. We always ate them at the football games in the Frito bag. I’d rather have a Frito Pie rather than nachos with peppers. My dad is the Frito Pie King. He always ate his pie with dried chili petines (the little round pepper…very hot) crumbled on top. He ate at least two a week when he was working and still eats at least one a week now. He is pushing 80 and his cholesrerol is still 130.
Grew up in Houston myself; we did the same thing. Make up some chili, grate some longhorn colby and onions, pour it right into those little Frito snack bags. Sour cream tops it like a champ.
This is the second time today, I have heard to top a frito pie with sour cream. I am going to have to try it next time with sour cream.
People in Oklahoma introduced us to Frito Chili Pie, but we’d been making it for years before we knew what it was. I make my chili from scratch, and in addition to the cheese, we serve with sour cream. I’ll have to try the mustard!
I too, have had frito pie served in bags, but you know, I couldn’t really take a nice picture of that. I couldn’t hold the camera, and a handful of frito pie!
I had Frito Pie for the first time last year (in Las Vegas of all places) and it was just as delicious as I thought it was going to be. I can never go back to my beloved Chili Cheese Fritos again.
I top my Frito Pies with cheddar and sour cream…YUMM. Now I want one of these too.
My wife and I have always loved Frito pies. You just can’t beat them for a quick and satisfying meal. Thanks for the mustard tip, I’ll try that. I agree with tinamarie on using Wolf Brand Chili, but in the past I have also found Iron Kettle Chili to be a winner. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Iron Kettle in my supermarket lately. Is it still available?
I grew up in Texas and we would have a version of this in my elementary school cafeteria. It was heaven! Wolf Brand Chili (<only one to use), cheddar cheese, onions and fritos. Bake until onions are tender. Yummy. I also had it at many football games. Like the other post said they would split open the bag and pour on the chili over the fritos and top with shredded cheese. That's the way to do it…it's a Texas tradition. Oh and NEVER use liquid nacho cheese, that is just wrong.
Our high school sold bags of Fritos with a dip of chili and a hand full of shredded cheese at basketball games. They always sold out fast!
My grandmother made a similar pie, but baked it in the over to melt the cheese – GOD I miss her and her hot tamale pies!
A hundred years ago when I was a carhop( in the southwest of course) we made the chili pie right in the individual serving size Frito bag. We would cut the bag open along the side edge, and pour on the chili and mustard.
I just have to share this story with you about Frito Pie…our youngest daughter had to have braces and when the orthodontist told her all the things she couldn’t eat Frito Pie was one of them..she broke down and cried in the dentist chair..she didn’t care that he would be pulling some of her teeth and all the other painful things to come–just DON”T tell her she can’t have Frito Pie for 3 or 4 years..Needless to say, I told her we would figure out someway to get around this. She simply had to let the chili sit on the Fritos a little longer than usual and they were soft enough to eat, even with braces. Long live the Friito Pie !!
Wow, mustard? I had no idea. Ok, so maybe I’ve never actually had a Frito Pie to know that mustard goes in it. I would never have guessed.