Man oh man did this spicy Frito pie ever hit the spot. The weather took a weird turn for a few days and I needed something to warm me up. This dish did it. And oh was it ever so yummy. And very easy to make to boot. Usually, you might expect a Frito pie to be served as a casserole or even in a bag of Fritos. I kinda made mine more of a twist on nachos. No matter how you do it, the delicious meat sauce and cheese go great with crunchy salty corn chips.
As Spicy As You Want It To Be
With just a few little changes, you can make this Frito pie mild or hot. First up, the taco seasoning. Easy enough to use a hot spice mix. Or not. I like to use my homemade version so I can change up the heat level depending on my mood for the day. For the tomatoes I used Rotel with habaneros. The hot stuff. Yeah baby. That got us going. And finally I added a few jalapeno slices just for good measure.
I like to heat and serve this dish using my fajita skillets. They’re great for keeping food hot and melting cheese. You can also make this dish on a plate. Just top the hot meat with the cheese. It’ll melt a bit and you don’t have to worry about using the oven. Up to you. It’ll be great either way.
I’m kinda picky about my shredded cheese. I want it to be creamy. And I want it to melt nice and ooey gooey. That’s why I shred my own. The anti-caking agents used in the pre-shredded stuff prohibit good melting. It only takes a second (with the right tool) to shred it myself, and the results are worth it!
Also try my delicious cowboy pasta!
Spicy Frito Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning optional
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper chopped
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes fire roasted for more flavor, use hot Rotel for more heat
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 15 ounces enchilada sauce use hot enchilada sauce for more heat
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- corn chips
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- rotel
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Lightly brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up as you go.
- Sprinkle the beef with the taco seasoning and stir.
- Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring, until the beef is done and the vegetables are soft. Drain any excess grease.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add the tomatoes with their juices along with the Worcestershire, enchilada sauce and salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a simmer, stirring, and let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add a layer of chips to each skillet and top with the meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake in the oven 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Be careful removing from the oven. The pans and their handles will be hot. Don't forget to use an oven mitt or glove.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
