Frito chili casserole also known as frito pie casserole, taco casserole, and chili pie plus a million other names from Pinterest, Facebook, and other social media accounts. This is one of those comforting foods that most families enjoy around the table. It is super simple to make and the whole family would love the crunchy Frito chips with chili in a casserole dish. This dinner is one of those comfort meals that can be thrown together super fast on busy weeknights and tastes yummy, warm, and nourishing. We always seem to have ingredients for this easy Frito pie recipe on hand so this Frito casserole is definitely in permanent rotation around our house. Even the pickiest of eaters love this dish!
Ingredients in Easy Frito Casserole
This Frito casserole seems to have it all for a well-rounded meal! It has a little bit of protein, fiber, calcium, and a ton of flavor. Plus it is made with easy-to-find ingredients that can store in your pantry all year long. It is the perfect combination of a savory and comforting dinner that kids to adults love!
Ground beef – Use lean ground beef that won’t have too much excess grease. Remove the grease if there is too much in the pan before adding other ingredients. Onion – regular yellow onion does the trick! If you have green onions, chop them up too, and use some as garnish on top. Taco seasoning – Use your favorite store brand or make your own! We have a delicious homemade taco seasoning mix recipe made from ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and other spices that’s easy to make and lasts forever! Frito corn chips – This is the main event and the crunch that everyone loves! Buy Frito chips at the grocery store and enjoy the salty flavorful bag on top of this Frito casserole. Shredded Cheese – Cheddar cheese or a combination of Monterey jack cheese works great! Mexican cheese blend is another easy cheese to sprinkle overtop. Freshly grated is best and will melt the easiest.
Canned Ingredients for the Best Frito Casserole
Make this Frito casserole dinner even easier by using canned goods! The best part of this recipe is the ease of it as well as pantry staples that you can store year round. This Frito casserole is one of those recipes you will be making often. It is always a huge hit with family and friends!
Green chilis – Alter the amount of green chilis you need. You can either go less because of kids or more depending on who you are serving. Black olives – Chop whole olives or grab a can of pre-sliced ones. Chili – Any kind of canned chili will work. Choose your favorite for this Frito casserole recipe. Chili beans – I usually dump in whatever kind of beans I have on hand. Kidney beans or pinto beans taste delicious! These are easy to store and always have on hand for soups or casseroles. Corn – Make sure to drain it thoroughly before adding to the mixture. You can even rinse them off if needed.
Steps to Make Chili Frito Casserole
This Frito casserole comes together in just a few simple steps! Cook the meat and onions together, combine all the ingredients, then assemble into a pan. It is a quick and easy dinner that everyone loves!
Additions and Substitutions
This chili casserole is so simple to add and substitute ingredients when making. Make it Southern style, change the chips, make it spicy, and so much more! The options are endless and the variety is perfection every time with this chili casserole! This Frito casserole is the ultimate comfort food!
Southwestern chili casserole – We like this “Southwestern” spin on the traditional chili casserole by adding some salsa or red enchilada sauce, black beans, corn, bell peppers, taco seasoning, and diced chiles. Meat – You can also substitute ground turkey or ground chicken. Both options will have less excess fat to drain off and less cholesterol than beef. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Frito chips – You can use regular Fritos or Chili Cheese-Flavored Fritos for a different flavor on top. Make it spicy – For an extra kick, try Rotel tomatoes and shredded pepper jack cheese. I love my Frito pie with a dash or two of hot sauce; my dad likes it with ketchup. To each his own! Consistency – If the mixture is too thick, you can thin it out with a little tomato sauce. Other chips – Don’t have any Fritos on hand? Use crushed tortilla chips! This is the perfect casserole to make with the remnants of the tortilla chips bag (you know, the bits that aren’t big enough to scoop salsa?) Go crazy with toppings! We like to add onions, lettuce diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, sour cream, salsa, a sprinkle of cilantro, and guacamole. Any toppings you would typically put on a taco would work great.
Make this Frito Pie Gluten-Free
It is SO EASY to make this Frito pie casserole recipe GF. All you have to do is make sure you use a gluten-free Taco seasoning (homemade is always a sure bet). Gluten-free taco seasoning is really easy to find at your local grocery store. McCormick’s brand makes a great one. Also, you need to make sure the chili you are using is gluten-free as well. Hormel brand (original style) is gluten-free. That is a great bet. Just check those couple of things and you are good to go!
How to Store Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container or tightly covered in aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheating is easy with a microwave. Or place in a warm oven for about twenty minutes until heated completely through.
More Easy Dinner Ideas
You will love how simple these dinner recipes are and how easy to make! Each of these recipes has meat and cheese plus various ingredients that help these three recipes stand out from each other. Try these family favorite recipes like Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole and Walking Tacos today!
How to Make Frito Casserole
Walking Tacos Recipe
Easy Chili
Cheeseburger Pie
Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
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