Crockpot Frito Pie - Easy Dinner Recipe that's Loved By Kids and Adults. (2024)

Home » Cooking Method » Slow Cooker

Jill Mills

Jump to Recipe Save

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with our Crockpot Frito Pie recipe. This hearty dish combines layers of flavorful chili, crispy Fritos, and melted cheese, slow-cooked to perfection. Easy to make and irresistibly delicious, this Slow Cooker Frito Pie is a crowd-pleaser that will satisfy your cravings. Get ready for a mouthwatering Tex-Mex delight that will have everyone asking for seconds!

Crockpot Frito Pie - Easy Dinner Recipe that's Loved By Kids and Adults. (2)

Slow Cooker Frito Pie

Crockpot Frito pie is a scrumptious, soul-warming dish that takes comfort food to a whole new level. That’s what you get with Crockpot Frito Pie. Just imagine layers upon layers of savory chili, loaded with tender meat and aromatic spices, mingling with the perfect crunch of crispy Fritos. And let’s not forget about the gooey, melted cheese that blankets the entire creation, turning it into a melty, cheesy heaven. Whether you’re hosting a casual get-together, feeding your hungry family, or simply craving some comforting indulgence, Crockpot Frito Pie is the answer you’ve been looking for.

We also have a Baked Frito Pie Recipe if you rather use your oven.

What You Need

  • For the Chili: You can use your favorite chili recipe, but for this recipe I am using lean ground beef, onion, peppers, chili seasoning, garlic, green chiles, beans, tomato sauce, sugar and corn starch. You can also try my favorite Cincinnati Chili recipe.
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Frito Corn chips
  • Toppings
Crockpot Frito Pie - Easy Dinner Recipe that's Loved By Kids and Adults. (3)

How to Make Crockpot Frito Pie

Make the chili: Brown the ground beef and drain the grease. Add ground beef mixture and the rest of the chili ingredients to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4- 6 hours.

Crockpot Frito Pie - Easy Dinner Recipe that's Loved By Kids and Adults. (4)
Crockpot Frito Pie - Easy Dinner Recipe that's Loved By Kids and Adults. (5)

Right before serving: 5 minutes before serving, stir in the cheese. Top with half of the corn chips and then the rest of the cheese. Cover until the cheese has melted.

Serve: Place the remaining chips on a plate and add the the Frito pie on top. Add your favorite toppings.

Crockpot Frito Pie - Easy Dinner Recipe that's Loved By Kids and Adults. (6)

Tips, Tricks, and Variations for Crock Pot Frito Chili Pie

  1. Layer it up: To achieve the best flavors and textures, layer your ingredients. Start with a generous layer of Fritos at the bottom of your slow cooker, followed by a layer of chili, then another layer of Fritos, and continue until you run out of ingredients.
  2. Customize the chili: Experiment with different types of chili to suit your taste preferences. Whether it’s a classic beef chili, a spicy vegetarian version, ground turkey, or even a white chicken chili, the choice is yours. Adjust the seasonings and spices accordingly to enhance the flavors. If tacos are more you speed, you can also use a taco seasoning and make this more like a taco frito casserole.
  3. Spice it up: If you like a little kick, don’t be afraid to add some heat. Sprinkle in some cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or even diced jalapeños to give your Frito Pie a spicy twist.
  4. Toppings galore: Elevate your Frito Pie experience by adding an array of toppings. Some popular options include chopped fresh diced tomatoes or salsa and lettuce, chopped onions, sliced black olives, diced avocado or guacamole, sour cream, and fresh cilantro. Let everyone customize their own bowl with their favorite toppings.
  5. Crunchy perfection: To maintain the desired crunchiness of the Fritos, add them just before serving. This way, they retain their texture and provide a delightful contrast to the tender chili and melted cheese.
  6. Make it a meal: While Frito Pie is a fantastic standalone dish, you can turn it into a complete meal by serving it with a side of fresh salad, vegetables, like Easy Honey Glazed Carrots or Parmesan Zucchini, or even some honey cornbread muffins for a comforting and satisfying dinner.
Crockpot Frito Pie - Easy Dinner Recipe that's Loved By Kids and Adults. (7)

Other Easy Crockpot Dinners:

  • Crockpot Cashew Chicken
  • Slow Cooker Chili Mac
  • Crockpot Crack Chicken with Bacon

Crockpot Frito Pie - Easy Dinner Recipe that's Loved By Kids and Adults. (8)

No ratings yet

Crockpot Frito Pie

Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with our Crockpot Frito Pie recipe. This hearty dish combines layers of flavorful chili, crispy Fritos, and melted cheese, slow-cooked to perfection. Easy to make and irresistibly delicious, this Slow Cooker Frito Pie is a crowd-pleaser that will satisfy your cravings. Get ready for a mouthwatering Tex-Mex delight that will have everyone asking for seconds!

Servings: 6 servings

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 4 hours hrs

Total: 4 hours hrs 14 minutes mins

Print Rate Save

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 ounce chili seasoning
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 ounce diced green chiles
  • 15 ounce chili beans undrained
  • 15 ounce black beans rinsed and drained
  • 29 ounce tomato sauce
  • ½ tablespoon cornstarch
  • ½ tablespoon sugar
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
  • 9.25 ounce corn chips
  • Toppings scallions, sour cream, etc

Instructions

  • In a medium skillet over medium high heat, brown and drain your ground beef.

  • To your slow cooker add the ground beef, onion, bell peppers, chili seasoning, garlic, green chilies, chili beans, black beans, tomato sauce, cornstarch and sugar.

  • Stir to combine.

  • Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

  • 5 minutes before serving stir in 1 cup of cheddar cheese.

  • Top with half the bag of corn chips.

  • Top the chips with the remaining shredded cheese.

  • Cover just until the cheese melts.

  • Place the remaining chips on your plates and spoon the frito pie on top.

  • Top with your favorite toppings, serve!!

Last Step:

Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.

Nutrition

Calories: 728kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 1765mg | Potassium: 1560mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 4029IU | Vitamin C: 60mg | Calcium: 420mg | Iron: 8mg

Did You Make This?

Leave a below or tag @kitchenfunwithmy3sons on social media!

Crockpot Frito Pie - Easy Dinner Recipe that's Loved By Kids and Adults. (9)

Categories:

  • Beef
  • Cooking Method
  • Dinner Ideas
  • Recipes
  • Slow Cooker

We love for you to share our ideas, but require a link back to us for credit. Any of our creations or ideas that are shared without permission are a violation of copyright. On occasion I create posts for sponsors and often use affiliate links. I’ll let you know when that is the case and appreciate your support.

Crockpot Frito Pie - Easy Dinner Recipe that's Loved By Kids and Adults. (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients for a Frito pie? ›

Frito chili pie is simply Fritos, chili, and cheese. You slice open single serving sized bags of Fritos, pour ladlefuls of chili over the chips, and immediately sprinkle the tops with shredded cheese so it melts. Then everyone just grabs a fork and eats it straight out of the Frito bag!

What goes good with Frito pie? ›

You can top your Frito Pie with sour cream, Pico de Gallo, your favorite salsa, hot sauce, guacamole, diced avocados, jalapeños, sliced black olives, sliced green onions, finely diced yellow onions, and whatever else your heart desires! As an alternative, you can turn your Frito Pie into Frito Burritos!

Do you eat Frito pie with a spoon or fork? ›

Frito pie may vaguely resemble nachos, but due to its messy nature, it is always eaten with a (usually plastic) fork.

Why is Frito pie called Frito pie? ›

Frito pie is a dish popular in the Midwestern, Southeastern, and Southwestern United States, whose basic ingredients are chili, cheese, and corn chips (traditionally Fritos, hence the name).

Do Fritos only have 3 ingredients? ›

Ingredients. Corn, vegetable oil (corn and/or canola oil), and salt.

What state is known for Frito pie? ›

And though the origin story seems to be settled, the celebration of Frito Pie goes rightfully on in both New Mexico and Texas. After all, it doesn't have to belong to you for you to enjoy it.

Is Frito pie a Mexican thing? ›

The similarly simple Frito pie is surprisingly (and famously) controversial, with the classic concoction of meat, chile (or chili, depending on the regional variety), cheese, beans, and, of course, Fritos, claimed by at least two possible points of origin: New Mexico and Texas.

What's the difference between Frito pie and walking taco? ›

Unlike a walking taco, a Frito pie is always made with, you guessed it, Fritos. But that's not even the main difference between the two foods—the thing that sets a Frito pie apart from a walking taco is that a Frito pie is topped with chili instead of taco meat.

What makes Fritos taste so good? ›

Fritos use a specific kind of corn

As Doolin perfected his Fritos corn chips recipe, he knew that it all had to start with great corn. After all, not much is added to that main ingredient. According to NPR, Doolin actually came up with his own hybrid of corn, making a custom variety to produce the perfect chip.

Why is Frito pie so popular in New Mexico? ›

“It is such a New Mexican food now,” says Santa Fe food author Lynn Cline. “It's ingrained in our culture.” But it's a relatively new phenomenon. Legend has it that the idea originated in the 1960s at the lunch counter of the old Woolworth's (now the Five & Dime) and was served then, as it is now, directly in the bag.

Is Frito pie a Texan thing? ›

However, the Southwest may have the strongest claim on Frito pie, with the oldest known recipe containing Fritos chips and chili originating from Texas in 1949. Although some also contend the original Frito pie recipe came out of a Dime store in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but this wasn't until the 1960s.

What is a Frito pie slang? ›

In places where the term is used, Frito pie is popular at sporting events and fairs. In some places, particularly the Midwest, the term walking taco is used to refer to what in other places is called Frito pie.

What is the worlds largest Frito pie? ›

The largest Frito pie weighed 601.01 kg (1,325 lb), and was assembled by Frito-Lay (USA) at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas, Texas, USA, on 1 October 2012.

What is a walking taco made of? ›

So-called for how easy it is to wander around with them in hand, Walking Tacos are bags of snack-size Fritos—and/or Doritos or any kinds of chips, really—that are garnished with a variety of taco or nacho toppings. The garnishes, ranging from meat to cheese to guacamole, are added right in the bag.

What is the main ingredient in Fritos? ›

Corn, Corn Oil, and Salt.

What are the ingredients in Frito-Lay baked chips? ›

Say hello to crunchy goodness. Dried Potatoes, Corn Starch, Corn Oil, Sugar, Sea Salt, Soy Lecithin, Dextrose, And Annatto Extracts.

What is a major chip ingredient at Frito-Lay? ›

Major ingredients at Frito-Lay are cornmeal, corn, potatoes, oil, and seasoning. Using potato chips to illustrate rapid inventory flow: potatoes are moved via truck from the farm to regional plants for processing, to the warehouse, and to the retail store. This happens in a matter of hours—not days or weeks.

What are the ingredients in Frito cheese? ›

Water, Skim Milk, Canola Oil, Modified Corn Starch, Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Maltodextrin [Made From Corn], And Less Than 2% Of The Following: Natural Flavors, Cream, Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Cheddar Cheese (Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Butter Fat, Annatto, Disodium Phosphate, ...

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jamar Nader

Last Updated:

Views: 6093

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (75 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jamar Nader

Birthday: 1995-02-28

Address: Apt. 536 6162 Reichel Greens, Port Zackaryside, CT 22682-9804

Phone: +9958384818317

Job: IT Representative

Hobby: Scrapbooking, Hiking, Hunting, Kite flying, Blacksmithing, Video gaming, Foraging

Introduction: My name is Jamar Nader, I am a fine, shiny, colorful, bright, nice, perfect, curious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.