Slow Cooker Frito Pie (Chili Pie)
Easy slow cooker frito pie recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Full of chili beans, Fritos chips, cheddar cheese, taco seasoning.
Looking to put a twist on an American classic? Look no further! This simple chili meal will wow your guests and is hearty enough to fill bellies. If you like this recipe, you really shouldn’t miss out on checking out this Slow Cooker Chili and this Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili.
How to make slow cooker Frito pie recipe from scratch?
- Saute meat – Until beef is no longer pink
- Drain grease – If necessary!
- Transfer mixture- To crockpot.
- Add additional ingredients – This includes tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, pinto beans, chili beans, taco seasoning, chili powder, salt, pepper.
- Mix- Until combined.
- Cover- And cook.
- Add remaining ingredients- This includes cornstarch slurry, frozen corn, half the cheddar cheese.
- Enjoy- With cheddar cheese and Fritos on top.
What sides to serve with Frito chili pie?
You can serve with bread:
- Breadsticks
- Biscuits
- Dinner rolls
- Cornbread
- Crusty artisan bread
Serve it alongside vegetables:
- Salads
- Roasted or sauteed vegetables
Homemade taco seasoning
Make your own homemade version from scratch by mixing together the following ingredients:
- 1 tbsp Chili powder
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1/4 tsp Red chili flakes
This can last in a sealed jar for up to 3 months at room temperature.
Variations for frito casserole
Baked Fito pie- Spread the sauteed beef and other ingredients in a large casserole dish. Add lots of cheese on top and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly. Prior to serving, sprinkle crushed Fritos.
Frito pie in a bag- Add Slow Cooker Taco Meat (Ground Beef), lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, beans, corn in a Frito bag. Mix and enjoy with a fork or spoon.
Add turkey- Use ground turkey in place of beef or even shredded leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
Make it vegetarian- Skip the meat and add more of your favorite beans instead or even tofu or soy meat.
Add chicken- Use ground chicken in place of the beef. You can also use chicken breast cubes or shredded chicken.
Add variety of beans– Such as garbanzo, Great Northern beans, black beans, red beans.
Add crumbled mild Italian sausage– You can replace some of the ground beef quantity with this.
Add other herbs and spices or spice blends or spice packets– Try Adobo seasoning, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, turmeric, cayenne, ground mustard, even a little nutmeg tastes delicious.
Add vegetables– Such as zucchini, mushrooms, pumpkin, yellow squash, green, red, or yellow bell peppers.
Add liquid smoke– A small amount at the end adds another layer of flavor.
Add balsamic vinegar– A few tablespoons of balsamic will also add additional flavor.
Add beer– Instead of beef broth, try your favorite ale instead.
Try other cheeses– Such as mozzarella, pepper jack, gouda, manchego . Freshly shredded is best since it doesn’t have any additives that can lead to a grainy texture!
Tips and Teqniques
How to thicken chili? There are a few methods to do this. Use an immersion blender to blend a small portion of this chili to thicken it up. Don’t blend it fully! You can also remove about 1 cup of the chili and blend it separately and mix it back into the pot. The next method is to cook uncovered for a bit longer to reduce excess liquid. If you decide to add rice or quinoa, that would also absorb a lot of the extra liquid and make this dish thicker.
How to make chili thinner? Simply add more broth or water.
Do I need to drain and rinse the canned beans? Yes, drain and rinse the beans to remove the discolored liquid and preservatives from them. Don’t skip this step!
Why is my leftover chili so thick the next day? If you added extra ingredients like rice or quinoa, it will absorb a lot of the liquid overnight. To solve this problem, add more broth and reheat for a few minutes on the stove.
Adjust seasoning– Add more or less according to your personal preference.
What kind of tomatoes to use? Fire-roasted tomatoes are great but you can also use diced tomatoes or even fresh tomatoes.
Add Fritos at the very end- If they are added in the beginning, they will become soggy and lose their crunch.
Storage
Don’t include Fritos when storing leftovers because they will become soggy.
Refrigerate- In a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Freeze- In a sealed container for up to 1 month.
Reheat– In the microwave or stovetop.
More slow cooker beef recipes
Slow Cooker Frito Pie (Chili Pie)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1 pound Ground beef
- 1 cup Onion , Finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, Finely minced
- 1 can Tomato sauce, 8 oz. can
- 1 can Diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz. can
- 1 can Pinto beans, 15 oz. can, Drained and rinsed
- 1 can Chili beans, 15.5 oz. can
- 2-3 tbsp Taco seasoning, Adjust according to your preference
- 1 tsp Chili powder
- Salt, To taste
- Pepper, To taste
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch , Dissolved in 2 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup Frozen corn
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese, Full fat, Shredded
- 2-3 cups Frito corn chips, Adjust according to your preference
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat.
- Add ground beef, onions, garlic and cook until beef is browned and no longer pink.
- Drain grease, if necessary.
- Transfer this mixture to a crockpot (6 quart or larger).
- Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, pinto beans, chili beans, taco seasoning, chili powder, salt, pepper.
- Mix until combined.
- Cover and cook on Low heat for for 5-6 hours or High heat for 3-4 hours.
- Remove lid and mix in cornstarch slurry, frozen corn and half the cheddar cheese and allow the residual heat to melt and make the chili ooey gooey. This takes about 5-10 minutes.
- Just before serving, sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese on top, along with lots of Fritos. Serve immediately! Instead of doing this, you can also serve chili in individual bowls and sprinkle lots of cheddar cheese and Frito chips on top.
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- After the Frito chips are sprinkled on top, this must be served immediately. Leftovers (without Fritos topping) can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave or stovetop. Sprinkle Fritos on top after heating.
