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Ultimate Easy Weeknight Frito Pie Casserole

A close-up serving of Frito Pie featuring layers of seasoned ground beef and melted cheddar cheese over corn chips.
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Make this ultimate comfort food casserole tonight. It combines seasoned ground beef, beans, and cheese, topped with crunchy Fritos for a satisfying, family-friendly Tex-Mex dinner that is genuinely doable.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 packet (1 ounce) taco seasoning mix
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1 (9.25 ounce) bag Fritos Original Corn Chips
  • Optional toppings: sour cream, sliced green onions, salsa

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 over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain off any excess grease.
  4. Stir in the taco seasoning, chili powder, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  5. Add the diced tomatoes with green chilies, tomato sauce, and water to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
  6. Stir in the rinsed black beans and kidney beans. Cook for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine.
  7. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese until melted into the chili mixture.
  8. Spread half of the Fritos corn chips evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  9. Pour the beef and bean mixture over the layer of Fritos.
  10. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the chili mixture.
  11. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  12. Remove the casserole from the oven. Immediately sprinkle the remaining Fritos chips over the melted cheese layer.
  13. Serve warm with your choice of toppings like sour cream, salsa, or green onions.

Notes

  • For a crunchier Frito topping, reserve half of the chips and sprinkle them on top right before serving instead of baking them.
  • You can substitute canned chili for the ground beef, beans, and seasonings to make this an even quicker dinner idea.
  • This recipe works well as a budget friendly frito pie option when using pantry staples.

Nutrition

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