Crockpot Frito Casserole
Crockpot Frito Pie is a quick and easy way to make this classic casserole without heating up the whole house. It’s hearty, filling and flavorful with plenty of well-seasoned beef and beans topped with crunchy, salty Fritos and melted cheddar cheese.
Crockpot Frito Pie Recipe
Frito Pie is traditionally served in little bags of individual Fritos with chili, cheese and other toppings added in.
The Frito Corporation was an early investor in Disneyland and they introduced their Frito Pie to the rest of America by including it on the menu at Casa de Fritos. (You can see some really fun images of the original location here.) Since then, it’s become a staple at everything from tailgates to Little League games, and has even been given gourmet re-invention at restaurants.
As with many classic recipes, everyone makes their Frito Pie a little bit differently. Personally, I use my homemade taco seasoning, homemade cajun seasoning and enchilada sauce to give this recipe an amazing, spicy and rich flavor.
Today’s crockpot Frito pie features a rich, hearty and spicy beef and bean chili topped with crunchy corn chips and melted cheddar cheese – but there are plenty of ways to adjust this recipe and make it truly your own.
Crockpot Frito Pie Variations:
- You can serve your Frito Pies in the “traditional” way by cooking up the chili and then serving it alongside individual mini bags of Fritos for everyone to scoop chili and sprinkle cheese into their bags.
- Add additional veggies – corn, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, spinach, etc.
- Incorporate 4 oz of cream cheese to the chili for a twist
- Swap out the Fritos for another favorite chip or tortilla
- Amp up the heat with jalapenos, hot sauce or chili seasoning
What Side Dishes Go with Frito Pie?
- Rice or Cauliflower Rice
- Guacamole or Sliced Avocados
- Taco Toppings (sour cream, lettuce, pickled jalapenos, sliced black olives, salsa, pico de galo, etc.)
- Refried Beans
- Creamy Avocado Cucumber Salad
Store leftover Frito pie in the fridge for up to five days in an airtight container. (The Fritos will soften in the fridge so you may want to omit them when refrigerating and just serve with fresh Fritos after reheating.)
Can Frito Pie Casserole be frozen? Frito Pie Casserole is a great prep-ahead meal. You can just freeze the chili (up to three months) and then thaw and assemble and bake your Frito Pie Casserole as directed, or you can layer the chili and cheese in a casserole dish before covering and freezing. Allow to thaw completely before topping with Fritos and then proceeding with baking as directed.
How to make frito pie in the oven: you can see our frito pie casserole recipe here.
More Crockpot Beef Recipes:
- Crockpot Moroccan Stuffed Peppers
- Crockpot Cowboy Casserole from Kylee Cooks
- Crockpot Cuban Beef Stew from Conservamom
Check out our full collection of crockpot recipes here.
This quick recipe video shows how to make a classic frito chili pie (not in the crockpot) but it gives you an idea as to how this recipe works:
Crockpot Frito Pie Ingredients
- Beef
- Olive Oil
- Small Onion, diced
- Garlic Cloves, smashed and sliced
- Red Enchilada Sauce
- Black Beans
- Diced Tomatoes <– can use Rotel tomatoes for more flavor
- Taco Seasoning <– grab our recipe for homemade taco seasoning here
- Cajun Seasoning <– grab our recipe for homemade cajun seasoning here
- Fritos
- Shredded Cheese
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: add your favorite chili ingredients to make this Frito pie your own.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- This is the crockpot that I use the most often – it has a thermoshield which not only prevents little fingers from being burned if the kids touch the outside of the crockpot, but it’s also great for bringing along to potlucks. I also like that I can set the cook time on it, so if we end up taking too long playing outside (or running errands) I don’t have to worry about the food burning.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Wooden Spoon or Spatula <– I like these spatulas because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty.
- Cheese Grater
How to Make Crockpot Frito Pie
Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat.
Scoop the ground beef into the crockpot and add the olive oil to the pan.
Once the oil is hot, add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, then scrape out into the crockpot.
Add black beans and tomatoes, then the red enchilada sauce. Stir to combine.
Season with taco and cajun seasoning, then stir well and secure crockpot lid.
Set crockpot time to 1 1/2 to 2 hours on high.
After that time, stir the contents of the crockpot then sprinkle with half of the cheese, top with all Fritos, then remaining cheese.
Place the crockpot lid back on the crockpot and continue to heat on high for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Makes approximately 6 to 8 servings.
Pin this Easy Crockpot Frito Pie for a delicious and filling family meal:
Grab your free printable recipe card for our crockpot frito pie recipe:
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Crockpot Frito Pie Casserole
Ingredients
- 1lb beef
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and sliced
- 1 1/2 cup red enchilada sauce, or more as desired
- 1 1/2 cup black beans
- 1 cup diced tomatoes (we used Rotel)
- 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- 1 bag Fritos
- 3 cups shredded cheese
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat.
- Scoop the ground beef into the crockpot and add the olive oil to the pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, then scrape out into the crockpot.
- Add black beans and tomatoes, then the red enchilada sauce. Stir to combine.
- Season with taco and cajun seasoning, then stir well and secure crockpot lid.
- Set crockpot time to 1 1/2 to 2 hours on high.
- After that time, stir the contents of the crockpot then sprinkle with half of the cheese, top with all Fritos, then remaining cheese.
- Place the crockpot lid back on the crockpot and continue to heat on high for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 341Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 769mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 23g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family loves this delicious crockpot frito pie as much as mine does!
For more ways to use your crockpot, check out our full crockpot recipe collection here:
For more ways to serve beef, check out our full beef recipe collection here:
