Frito Pie Pizza

Modeled after the beloved Frito pie (or “walking taco,” depending on where you’re from), this pizza is a savory, spicy, tangy, crunchy flavor bomb.

It didn’t take long for an inventive home cook to create the first Frito pie after Fritos corn chips were launched in the early 1930s. A casserole version of the dish debuted in print in 1948: layers of chili con carne, cheese and Fritos corn chips, baked in the oven until bubbly.

When the chips found their way into greaseproof, waterproof cellophane bags in the ‘60s, the casserole recipe became a dump-and-eat concession — great for munching in the bleachers during a Friday night football game. To make this good-on-the-go snack, you simply have to slice open a single-serve bag of Fritos (or Doritos) and layer on chili, cheese and sour cream; stick a spork in the top and you’re done..

Our pizza version stays true to the original recipe, with cheese and chili creating the base, and sour cream, Fritos, cilantro and jalapeños going on post bake for textural interest. It’s not as portable as the bagged Frito pie, but it’s arguably even more delicious.

A pizza topped with fritos on a tabletop surrounded by snacks