Julie Clark
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Frito Chili Pie
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This easy Frito Chili Pie is a nostalgic 80’s school lunch favorite, also known as Texas Straw Hat. An easy ground beef recipe that the kids will love!
Frito chili pie, with hearty ground beef, flavorful chili sauce, melty cheese, and crunchy corn chips, makes the kind of easy dinner that works just as well for weeknights as it does for game days. Serve it in a 9×13 casserole dish, piled high over a bowl of chips, or straight from a bag of Fritos for that throwback “walking taco” style.
The 80’s School Lunch Recipe That’s Still a Weeknight Favorite
When I think back to my own school lunch days, a few standouts always come to mind. Pizza turnovers, meatball splash sandwiches, egg salad sandwiches, peanut butter squares, and of course, this Frito Chili Pie recipe.
This simple, budget-friendly meal has a way of showing up in different forms over the years, but the combination of chili sauce, cheese, and corn chips never gets old. It’s the recipe I turn to when I need something quick that still feels fun.
This ground beef dinner is loaded with veggies, but here’s three tips for Frito chili pie if you have picky eaters.
- Chop the vegetables finely. The smaller they are, the less the kids will notice, right?
- The green peppers, celery and onion will soften as the sauce cooks. So no crunchy veggies!
- The corn chips and beef mask the any texture of the veggies in this frito pie. My kids would normally pick out veggies from a sauce, but they didn’t with this dinner.
Use leftover fritos on our frito taco salad or taco pasta salad.
Enjoy! -Julie
Frito Chili Pie
This easy Frito Chili Pie is a nostalgic 80’s school lunch favorite, also known as Texas Straw Hat. An easy ground beef recipe that the kids will love!
Servings 8
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2/3 cup chopped celery
- 2/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 12 ounces tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- dash hot sauce
- corn chips
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, celery and pepper until the beef is completely cooked. Drain off the fat. 1 pound ground beef, 1 cup chopped onion, 2/3 cup chopped celery, 2/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
- Add the tomato paste, water and seasonings. Stir the mixture and allow it to reheat to a very low boil. 12 ounces tomato paste, 1 cup water, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, dash hot sauce
- Cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.
- Serve over corn chips and sprinkle the top with cheddar cheese. corn chips, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Video
Notes
- For a casserole: Fill the bottom of a 9×13 baking pan with corn chips. Spoon the beef mixture over the top of the chips. Sprinkle with cheese, then bake under the oven broiler (on low) for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Watch it closely!
- To serve with chip bags: Open a single-serving corn chip bag. Add the beef sauce and cheese. Use a spoon to mix well and serve immediately.
- Storage: Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks. The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 8, with 1 serving being ⅛ of the chili pie. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 535kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 959mg | Potassium: 759mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1165IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 311mg | Iron: 3.4mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add beans?
Yes! Add 1 can of rinsed and drained black beans, pinto beans or kidney beans to make the frito chili pie go further and add lots of fiber.
What are other toppings for frito chili pie?
Top with sour cream, green onions, salsa, guacamole and freshly snipped cilantro.
Very good
Comfort food, yes please! Thanks for sharing this recipe. With the nippy temperatures in the Dakotas this is definitely a welcomed dish.
We use this as a base for haystacks. Assemble as shown. On top add shredded lettuce then a layer of chopped tomato. Top with sir cream and or salsa. Yum yum
Looks good and will try. But in step 5, broil on low?