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Home » Uncategorized » Walking Tacos

Walking Tacos

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Recipe Cost $8.37
Recipe Serving Cost $1.40
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
These easy Walking Tacos or Walking Frito Pies are simple to make, and the entire family will love them. You'll love that there are fewer dishes to clean up afterward!  via @easybudgetrecipes

These easy Walking Tacos or Walking Frito Pies are simple to make, and the entire family will love them. You’ll love that there are fewer dishes to clean up afterward! 

About $8.37 is all it costs for this quick and easy meal, which makes 6 servings. That is just $1.40 per serving.

For more easy Mexican dinner recipes, check out our Green Chile Enchilada Casserole, our Easy Taco Pizza, and our Machaca Burritos. 

An overhead picture of a finished Walking Taco.

Walking Tacos

Some call these Walking Tacos, some call them Frito Taco Salad, or Walking Frito Pies, and others call them Frito Taco Pie. Whatever you call this recipe, we can all agree to call it delicious!

The best part, besides how good they taste, is just how easy these are to make. All you need is just 30 minutes to get this easy dinner on the table! 

This recipe is the winner because the clean-up is even easier. These deconstructed tacos are served in a bag of chips so there are no dirty dishes to wash after the meal. You can use plastic forks to eat them with for even less clean-up!

We love to make and freeze the meat filling ahead of time, get a box of chips, and enjoy this meal while camping. It’s like eating a taco salad in a bag.

With all the toppings on the side, everyone can make their own taco just how they like it. You will have everything you love about a taco in your own little bag. 

These Walking Tacos are great for busy weeknights on the go, camping trips, feeding a crowd, watching the big game on tv, or just for a fun twist on Taco Tuesday night. 

Why is it called a walking taco?

The idea is that you can eat a taco on the go, on the run, or walk! You fill up your bag with toppings and go! The name comes from the Texas-inspired dish known as Frito Pie. Grap your Frito Bag and favorite taco toppings, and you have Walking Tacos!

What do you serve with walking tacos?

A few of our favorite side dishes to serve with walking tacos are:

  • Mexican Fruit Salad
  • Instant Pot Refried Beans
  • Mexican Rice

How do you eat a walking taco?

It is beyond simple. Grab a bag of party-size chips and crunch them up before opening them (or keep them whole, it’s up to you!).
 
Then open the bag from the top or cut it open down the side. Spoon the taco meat and favorite toppings inside the bag and give it a quick mix with your fork. Now you can eat it straight from the bag!
A hand holding a walking taco and a spoon digging into it.

How to make Walking Taco recipe: 

STEP ONE:  First, cook beef until browned. Drain off excess fat.

STEP TWO: Next, stir in the chili seasoning mix, tomatoes, and chili beans. Bring to a rapid simmer.

STEP THREE: Reduce the heat to simmer uncovered while stirring often. Do this for about 20 minutes until it has thickened.

STEP FOUR:  Finally, crush the bag of chips before opening. Then open the chips and add the beef mixture and desired toppings, and enjoy!

A picture collage of how to make this walking tacos recipe.

Cook’s Tools:

  • large skillet
  • mixing spoon

How much will this Walking Taco recipe cost to make:

RECIPE COST: $8.37

PRICE PER SERVING: $1.40

  • 1 pound lean ground beef – $3.01
  • 1.25 oz envelope chili seasoning mix – $0.50
  • 1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chiles – $0.98
  • 1 can Ranch Style Beans – $0.88
  • 6 packages Frito corn chips – $3.00

To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained. 

An overhead picture of all of the ingredients needed to make Walking Tacos.

The Flavor and Recipe Variations

We love to get a variety of chip boxes and let everyone choose their type of chips. Some prefer Fritos, while others prefer Doritos. Some of our kiddos love to have Spicy Hot Cheetos as their base. It is fun to try the different chip flavors. 

How long is it good for:

Serve: You can keep these out for up to two hours before they need to be refrigerated. 

Store: It’s best to store the meat mixture separate from the toppings and chips. Store the meat mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. 

Freeze: Freeze the meat mixture in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and then heat in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through. 

How to get the kids involved with this Walking Taco recipe:

Ages 2-3: Have your little one crunch up his bag of chips before opening it. He/she will seriously LOVE this part of the meal!

Ages 4-5: They can help you get all of the toppings ready for the meal. Have them also try putting their toppings in their bag to start learning how to serve themselves. 

Ages 6-8: Let your child add in the additional ingredients to the beef mixture. They can stir these in while the mixture thickens. 

Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe. 

Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!

A close up picture of the finished walking Frito pie.

More $10 recipes:

  • 20-Minute Thai Peanut Noodles
  • BBQ Chicken Braid
  • Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo
  • Crockpot Cranberry Meatballs
  • Easy Chana Masala
  • Grilled BBQ Chicken Breasts
  • Hashbrown Casserole-Funeral Potatoes
  • Grilled Cheese Sloppy Joes
  • Homemade Sloppy Joes
  • Inside Out Chicken Pot Pie
  • Instant Pot Meatloaf
  • Italian Zucchini Boats
  • Jenna’s Chicken Pillows
  • Panda Express Orange Chicken Copycat
  • Sausage Rolls
Three Walking Tacos in a serving platter.
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5 from 6 votes

Walking Tacos

Recipe Cost $8.37
Recipe Serving Cost $1.40
These easy Walking Tacos or Walking Frito Pies are simple to make, and the entire family will love them. You'll love that there are fewer dishes to clean up afterward!
Prep Time4 mins
Cook Time26 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: ground beef, tacos
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 333kcal
Author: Easy Budget Recipes Original!

Equipment

  • large skillet
  • mixing spoon

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1.25 ounce envelope chili seasoning mix
  • 10 ounces Rotel tomatoes and green chiles
  • 15 ounces Ranch Style beans UNDRAINED
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 packages Frito corn chips 1 ounce each

TOPPINGS:

  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • sour cream
  • sliced black olives
  • shredded iceberg lettuce
  • sliced green onions
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

MAKE MEAT MIXTURE:

  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef until browned, breaking into smaller pieces, 6-8 minutes.
  • Drain cooked beef of excess fat.
  • Stir in chili seasoning mix, tomatoes and, chili beans; bring to a rapid simmer.
  • Reduce the heat to simmer and simmer uncovered while frequently stirring, for about 20 minutes or until the mixture is thickened.

SERVE:

  • Open the Frito corn chips and add the beef mixture on top of the chips.
  • Finally, add toppings and serve.

Notes

The nutrition information below does not account for any toppings your add to the Frito Pie. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Frito pie | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 403mg | Potassium: 719mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2964IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 5mg
Did you love this recipe?We'd love to hear from you follow us on Instagram @EasyBudgetRecipes and let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
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Filed Under: $10 Recipes, Main Dish, Uncategorized Tagged With: chili seasoning mix, frito corn chips, ground beef, ranch style beans, rotel tomatoes and green chiles

Previous Post: « Easy Valentine’s Day Fudge Recipe
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tialyn

    January 17, 2021 at 9:58 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is so wonderful! Perfect for week night dinners and fun for the kiddos!

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      January 18, 2021 at 11:14 am

      Thank you Tialyn, we agree!

  2. Beth

    January 25, 2021 at 2:50 pm

    5 stars
    What a fantastic tasty recipe that the kids can get involved in the making of.

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      January 25, 2021 at 5:30 pm

      The kids definitely love to help with this one!

  3. Gail Montero

    January 25, 2021 at 3:08 pm

    5 stars
    I love that this is economical and so easy to make! My whole family would totally enjoy this tasty tacos!

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      January 25, 2021 at 5:30 pm

      This is definitely a crowd-pleaser and family favorite for sure!

  4. Adrianne

    January 25, 2021 at 3:44 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! I will definitely try this recipe and I love the idea of them being ‘walking tacos’ like awesome street food. Mexican is my all time fav so I am in!!

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      January 25, 2021 at 5:29 pm

      It is a win-win for sure!

  5. Kelli

    January 25, 2021 at 3:52 pm

    5 stars
    This is such a fun idea! I love that there aren’t a bunch of ingredients too.

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      January 25, 2021 at 5:28 pm

      It is such a fun and versatile recipe to suit everyone’s likes!

  6. rika

    January 25, 2021 at 4:05 pm

    5 stars
    These tacos look so delicious! I love how it doesn’t cost much to make! Just perfect for my wallet!

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      January 25, 2021 at 5:28 pm

      Totally agree!

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Beth, Jill, and Jess of Easy Budget Recipes

We’re Beth, Jill, and Jess, and we’re the team of sisters-in-law behind Easy Budget Recipes!

Combined, we have over 50 years of cooking, meal planning, and budgeting experience. Each of our recipes serves at least six people, and we have broken down the cost of every recipe for you so that it’s easier to budget your shopping list every week!

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