Neither Frito pie nor chili mac are dishes that need improving—but why not at least try? Mashing up these two beloved staples of the chili sauce genre is just twisted enough to work. (Next thing you know, I’ll be stuffing this in enchiladas . . . Just kidding. Kind of.)
Even better when their holy union is in the form of an ultra comforting casserole. The Fritos, instead of topping meaty chili sauce, as is traditional, act as the crunchy top layer to a lasagna pan full of mac and cheese drenched with spicy chili. The chips fuse with grated cheddar when baked, giving the whole thing a great texture. And then individual servings are garnished like Frito pie, with finely diced onion, sour cream, chopped cilantro, and, wouldn’t you know it, more Fritos.
You will be making nearly every part of the dish from scratch, but none of them are terribly difficult. I’d rate the chili sauce a warm four on the spiciness scale, with one being a glass of milk and ten being flames coming out of your ears; if you want it spicier, add a little more cayenne. The sauce can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to four days, or even frozen for a couple months. I wouldn’t recommend making the mac and cheese any earlier than a few hours before serving, as the pasta will soak up the sauce. And you want this to be saucy! Each time you scoop into the casserole, the chili and cheese sauces will mingle, creating a savory mix certain to warm you up on an autumn night.
Frito Pie Chili Mac
Combine two classic chili-based dishes? Yes, we did that.
Chili sauce
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ white onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons dark chili powder
- 1½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 handful of Fritos
Mac and cheese
- 1 pound elbow macaroni or shells
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, or ½ a stick
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce, such as Crystal
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
To bake
- 2 cups shredded cheddar
- 2 cups Fritos
- Finely diced white onion
- Chopped cilantro
- Sour cream
Chili sauce
-
In a saucepan, salt the beef and brown it over medium-high heat, using your spoon to break up the chunks. Pour off most of the fat that is rendered and discard it.
-
Lower the heat to medium low and add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
-
While the onions are cooking, put the chile powder, paprika, granulated garlic, cumin, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
-
Add the spice mixture to the meat and stir to coat the meat in spices.
-
Add one cup of water and bring the chili sauce to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer and keep the chili warm, uncovered, on a back burner while you prepare the mac and cheese. Stir it occasionally; if it reduces too much and begins to stick to the pan, add a little more water.
-
Once you’re ready to assemble the mac, add it to a food processor or blender, along with the Fritos, and pulse it into a chunky sauce. You want the consistency to be like chili you’d put on a hot dog.
Mac and cheese
-
Cook the macaroni in heavily salted boiling water two minutes fewer than indicated by the package instructions. Drain and drizzle with the olive oil, tossing the pasta to coat so it doesn’t stick.
-
Next, make the sauce: Warm the milk and cream together in a saucepan over low heat.
-
In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, continuing to whisk, until slightly darkened to a blonde color, about three minutes.
-
Slowly whisk in the warm dairy. Let simmer for five minutes, until slightly thickened.
-
Add the cheese a little at the time, while continuing to whisk.
-
Season the sauce with the ground mustard, hot sauce, salt, and white pepper.
-
Add the pasta to the sauce and stir until everything is coated.
To bake
-
Heat your oven to 375 degrees F.
-
Spray a 9-inch by 13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray.
-
Pour the macaroni into the casserole, then top with the chili sauce. Top the chili sauce with the cheddar, then top the cheddar with the Fritos.
-
Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes.
-
To serve, scoop out a portion and top with onion, cilantro, sour cream, and more Fritos, as desired.
You can prepare the chili sauce ahead of time if you like. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes and then refrigerate until ready to use. If you do, you’ll want to reheat the sauce with a splash of water before proceeding.
