Frito Chili Pie Dip

Give your guests something to talk about with this Frito chili pie dip for your next get together. Hearty chili and gooey cheese make this the perfect appetizer for you to try.

There is nothing I love more than a big bowl of Frito pie. I’ve been eating this dish as long as I can remember and it has always been one of my favorites.

I wanted to take the original dish of Frito pie and make it into a dip. I mean us Texans love Frito pie so what could be better than making a dip version.

What is Frito Pie?

If you aren’t from the south you might be asking what is Frito pie anyway? A pie made of Fritos? It’s actually not even a pie at all.

This dish is similar to nachos, but eaten with a fork. A layer of Fritos, then chili meat, then cheese. And that’s it. Many people top with sour cream, onions, and jalapenos.

Now where Frito Pie originated is up for debate. Some say New Mexico in 1960, but others say in Texas in 1949. Of course I am team Texas. What would you say?

How to Make

You start off with some ground beef (Photo 1) Have your heat on high and chop it up into smaller pieces (Photo 2) and cook until brown and drain the grease (Photo 3)

Making the Chili

After you have drained the grease from the meat add the tomato sauce (Photo 1) Then add a can of Rotel (Photo 2) and then water (Photo 3)

Next you’re going to add a can of drained and rinsed kidney beans (Photo 4) Now the spices. Add chili powder (Photo 5) Then add dried onion flakes (Photo 6)

Add sugar, (Photo 7) oregano, (Photo 8) cumin, (Photo 9) paprika, (Photo 10) salt, (Photo 11) and then the cayenne pepper.

Stir all the ingredient in well and bring to a boil ad reduce the heat to low and shimmer for about 30 minutes.

You want the consistency to be thick and not really much liquid.

Putting Together the Dip

My secret for this dish is using this jalapeno cream cheese I found (Photo 1) Take 2 jalapeno cream cheese containers and create a nice layer on a cast iron pan or a casserole dish (Photo 2)

Next take the chili you made and layer it on top of the cream cheese (Photo 3) Now top it off with some shredded cheese (Photo 4)

Put it in the oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes (Photo 5)

Tips on this Dish

• If you don’t have a lot of time to make this full recipe when you need it, you can make the chili the day before and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready for it.
• If you must you can always buy premade chili and use that instead. You need about 5 cups of chili
• Always let your cream cheese sit out for a bit to soften so it spreads easier.
• If you’re worried about heat you can always use one jalapeno cream cheese and one regular. Just mix them together in a bowl before so the two kinds are mixed together.
• I prefer using a Mexican style blend of shredded cheese, but this is really up to you. Pepper jack would be great and so would just plain cheddar cheese.
• This dip wouldn’t be called Frito Chili Pie Dip if it didn’t come with Fritos. I prefer the bigger Fritos because you can fit more dip on the chip.
• This recipe can also be made with ground turkey instead of beef just like in this turkey chili recipe.

If you liked this recipe, check out these

Turkey Chili
Frito Pie Poppers
7 Layer Bean Dip
Crawfish Dip

Need more ideas for party food? Check out my appetizers page to find the perfect dish for your next get together.

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