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.
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.
What do you serve with walking tacos?
A few of our favorite side dishes to serve with walking tacos are:
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!
Cook’s Tools:
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.
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!
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
Walking Tacos
Recipe Cost $8.37 Recipe Serving Cost $1.40Equipment
- 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
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.
Tialyn
This recipe is so wonderful! Perfect for week night dinners and fun for the kiddos!
Jess Jankowski
Thank you Tialyn, we agree!