Necessity may profess to be the mother of invention, but if you ask us, laziness has definitely resulted in us coming up with an ingenious method or two. A case in point is the Frito pie. The snack was likely created because it was way easier to throw nachos ingredients into a bag of chips rather than onto a plate and then have to wash up afterward—not that we’re complaining!
Ingredients:
- 6 bags Fritos
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
Instructions:
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add half an onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, then add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Add the ground beef and cook until it is no longer pink. Drain the fat and return the meat to the heat.
- Add in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and season generously with salt and pepper. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and pinto beans and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Open the bags of chips and ladle in the chili mixture. Top with cheddar, the remaining chopped white onions, jalapeños, and sour cream.
