Frito Pie Burgers

I remember the first time my wife introduced me to the venerable Frito Pie, a Texas football tradition. While the concept was a bit odd to my Californian sensibilities, it was immediately obvious that, while not even remotely healthy, the Frito pie was good. No. Scratch that. Frito Pie is awesome.

It’s every flavor that the kid in all of us craves in one place. Chili (canned, Wolf Brand recommended), chips and gooey yellow cheese. It’s messy, over the top and indulgent. It’s all the things that you know you probably shouldn’t, as a responsible member of adult society, be eating at the same time. In short, it’s the perfect thing to base a burger on.

That’s exactly what I did.

Ladies and gentle-foodies, we present to you the Frito Pie Burger. A 100% American dish featuring only the best in foods that you might or might not have thought of putting together on a plate, but will be ever-so-happy that you did.

At first glance this might appear to be nothing more than a gilded chili burger. That is not the case however. This dish is so much more than that. It’s warm summer nights and the smell of freshly mowed grass. Its the warm embrace of a loved one and the sound of cheering crowds. It’s comfort and love and smiles, all from deep in the heart of Texas to you, wherever you may be.

But enough of my ramblings, go make yourself one of these. While you’re at it, make a few for your friends and family. They’ll thank you for it, I promise you that.

Yield: 6 Outrageously good burgers

Frito Pie Burgers

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 cups corn chips, crushed + 1 cup left whole
• 1 cup chili without beans
• Sliced American or Cheddar cheese
• 4 to 6 hamburger buns or kaiser rolls
• Diced onions as topping (Optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Crush corn chips in a plastic bag until the pieces are about the size of small peas. Mix chips, ground beef, salt and pepper together in a large bowl.
2. Warm chili in a small pan over low heat. Do not boil.
3. Form beef and chip mixture into patties of desired size. Cook in a large skillet over medium heat until well browned on the outside and cooked until at least medium rare. (Otherwise they will fall apart.)
4. Place each patty on a bun. Top with chili, onions (if desired), A sprinkle of corn chips and cheese. Add other half of bun and serve.
5. Share and enjoy! (Just don't tell your cardiologist.)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 763Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 820mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 55g

In the photo above, I forgot to add Frito’s to the top of the burger. do not omit this step! The added super-crunchiness makes these burgers.

Links to other recipes like this:

• Frito Pie with one-hour Texas chili, from Lisa Fain, The Homesick Texan
• Vegetarian Frito Pie (Why not!?!), from Shiny cooking