Frito Pie Dip

Frito Pie just became something superior: a dip!

By
Sara Bir
Sara Bir
Sara Bir
Sara is a chef, culinary educator, and author of three cookbooks, The Pocket Pawpaw Cookbook, Tasting Ohio and The Fruit Forager's Companion. The latter won a 2019 IACP Cookbook Award.
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Updated March 08, 2024
Sara Bir
Frito pie dip in a cast iron skillet at a table setting with beer, plates, and lime wedges

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

Now that Fritos come as big, broad Scoops and not just the classic thin strips, there’s a whole world of dipping potential that begs to be explored. Frito pie dip does just that. It takes the chili, cheese, and toppings of the popular Frito pie in a bag and breaks it free of its confines. 

You’ll start by dressing up a few cans of chili, then layering it in a dish with Jack cheese and crushed Fritos. Bake it until it’s hot, then top with diced fresh tomato, chopped cilantro, and sliced green onions. A finish of lime zest and fresh lime juice gives it a surprising but welcome lift. 

Now, the hard part: Is Frito pie dip for a party or for dinner? How about both! Serve it on game day or at a casual gathering for low-key dipping, or serve alongside a green salad for a family-favorite dinner.

Frito pie dip in a cast iron skillet at a table setting with a bag of fritos lays, a single serving of dip on a plate, a small bowl of diced tomatoes, and a beer

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

More Fritos in Action

Frito Pie Dip

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 4 to 8 servings
Yield 4 cups

This serves 4 as a main dish and 6 to 8 as an appetizer.

You can buy one 9 1/2-ounce bag of Fritos Scoops, crush the ones that’ll go on the dip itself, and then use the rest for serving with the dip.

This recipe was developed by Melissa Gray

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Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 

  • 1/4 cup sour cream, divided

  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans chili (such as Amy’s Kitchen), about 3 cups 

  • 4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 cup)

  • 2 cups (4 ounces) lightly crushed corn chip scoops (such as Fritos Scoops), plus more for serving 

  • 1 small plum tomato, chopped 

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

  • 1 green onion, sliced

  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest (from 1 lime), plus wedges for serving

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Make the base of the dip:

    Mix the cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of sour cream, and onion powder in a small bowl until blended. Spread across the bottom of a 10-inch oven-safe skillet, deep-dish pie plate, or 2-quart baking dish.

    Cream cheese mixture in a cast iron skillet for frito pie dip recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
  3. Assemble the dip:

    Evenly spread the chili over the cream cheese layer and sprinkle with cheese.

    Canned chili added to the cast iron skillet for frito pie dip recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
    Frito pie dip topped with shredded mozzarella

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
  4. Bake and serve:

    Bake until the cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. While the dip bakes, prepare the toppings.

    Before serving the dip, top with crushed corn chips, tomato, cilantro, green onions, and lime zest. Dollop the remaining 2 tablespoons of sour cream on top and serve with corn chip scoops.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a review below!

    Frito pie dip in a cast iron skillet at a table setting with a bag of fritos lays, a single serving of dip on a plate, a small bowl of diced tomatoes, and a beer

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
282 Calories
20g Fat
17g Carbs
11g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 282
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 25%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 44mg 15%
Sodium 579mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 4mg 22%
Calcium 103mg 8%
Iron 2mg 14%
Potassium 286mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.