Frito Pie In A Bowl {Recipe}

Frito Pie is not only absolutely delicious, but so easy to make. My high school sweet heart was from Texas and when we moved into our first apartment together he introduced me to Frito Pie. According to him, it is a big thing in Texas and was one of his childhood favorite dishes.

A couple decades, a husband and children later I was reintroduced to it via The Pioneer Woman. I have stalked her for awhile now and have made many of her recipes our weekly staples. So while browsing her recipes a few weeks back, I came across her recipe for Frito Chili Pie served smartly inside the single serving Fritos bags...perfect for a party food.

Having a flashback of making this recipe many years ago I knew my family would love it! The recipe I made years ago called for making it in a casserole and baking it. However I liked how Ree's made it a stove top recipe. So I combined the two and this is what I came up with. Enjoy!

Frito Pie In A Bowl

Ingredients:

2 lbs Ground Meat

1 yellow Onion, diced

4 cloves Garlic minced

28 oz Diced Tomatoes

4 oz Green Chilies

3 oz Tomato Paste

Sweet Paprika

Ground Cumin

Chipotle Chile Powder

Ancho Chile Powder

Garlic Salt 

Chili Powder

Siracha

Black Pepper

14 oz Black Beans, drained & rinsed

14 oz Pinto Beans, drained & rinsed

1/4 cup Yellow Corn Meal

1/2 cup Warm Water

Fritos

Shredded Cheese

Directions:

Brown meat in a large high wall skillet over med high heat

Once meat is cooked and crumbled add the onions and garlic. Cook the onions down until softened.

To the skillet add the diced tomatoes, green chilies and 3oz (half can) of tomato paste. 

Stir well to blend in with the meat/onion mixture.

 Add your seasonings. We like ours spicy with different depths of flavor. I do not have measurements for the spices. Everything is done by taste. 

Use little or as much of whatever spices you prefer, it does not have to be the ones listed in this recipe. Remember you can not take away spices, so start small and adjust.

Mix together well, cover, and let simmer on med low for 20 minutes.

While meat mixture is simmering and marrying all those delicious flavors, rinse and drain your pinto and black beans. Set aside.

Once the 20 minutes is up, in a bowl combine the corn meal and warm water. Add the rinsed beans and stir in the corn meal mixture into your spicy skillet. 

Cover and simmer again for another 20 minutes. I saw Ree's recipe called for Masa or corn meal, and I really like it much better than adding flour as a thickener.

During this last 20 minutes you can prepare your bowls by adding a small handful of Frito's to the bottom of each one. Once the timer goes off, turn your skillet off. Spoon the now chili meat mixture onto your Frito's, top with shredded cheese and wahooo it's time to chow down!