How To Make A Walking Taco

5 from 1 vote

What is a Walking Taco? Brace Yourself: A Walking Taco is a Frito bag filled with flavorful chili and toppings! Tacos in a bag are perfect for any party and let’s face it, just so fun to eat. You have to try this easy Walking Taco recipe!

walking taco on serving napkin

Walking Tacos

You are in for the perfect Game Day recipe with this easy Walking Taco recipe!  Whether it’s for Super Bowl Sunday, or you’re feeding a crowd, walking tacos are the perfect party food.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Entertaining. These tacos are great for entertaining for about any occasion!
  • Holidays and Game Days! We love making this recipe for Super Bowl and other fun game day occasions.
  • Great Leftovers. The taco/chili makes delicious leftovers!

Be sure to try my Fire-Fly Frito Pie Recipe too!  Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.

walking taco ingredients

What Is a Walking Taco?

A walking taco is simply your favorite taco ingredients in a chip bag such as Fritos or Doritos.  It’s such a brilliant way to enjoy tacos, especially when you’re entertaining a room full of guests.  Such a fun party food!

What You’ll Need

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make walking tacos at home. See the recipe card located at the bottom of the post for full instructions.

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil– You’ll use the olive oil to saute the vegetables.
  • Onion– Finely chop the onion before sauteing.
  • Bell Pepper– Bell pepper can be optional, if using finely chop.
  • Garlic– Mince garlic before adding to hot skillet.
  • Ground Geef– Use 80% lean or higher ground beef.
  • Kosher Salt– Kosher salt is a coarse salt commonly used for cooking and baking.
  • Black Pepper– For best tasting results use fresh cracked black pepper.
  • Diced Tomatoes– I like to use Rotel, mild version.
  • Prepared Salsa– Use your favorite mild salsa.
  • Tomato Paste- Tomato paste thickens and adds flavor.
  • Pinto Beans– Drain and rinse the beans before adding to the meat mixture.
  • Black Beans– Rinse all beans before adding to meat mixture.
  • Kidney Beans– Drain kidney beans and rinse before adding to meat.
  • Black Olives– Black olives can be optional.
  • Chili Powder– Chili powder adds that nice chili spice to the meat.
  • Cumin– Ground cumin adds a touch of smoky flavor to the meat.
  • Hot Sauce– Cholula works great here.
  • Lime Juice– Fresh lime juice adds a touch of freshness.
  • Cilantro– Fresh chopped cilantro is a great garnish on top of the walking tacos.
  • Fritos– I ordered a large bag of snack size Fritos on Amazon.
  • Shredded Cheese– Shredded mild cheese works great.
  • Sour Cream– Use full-fat sour cream.
  • Jalapeno– Sliced jalapeno can be optional, but also delicious on top of the walking tacos.
adding meat to fritos for walking taco

How to Make Tacos in a Bag

Saute Onions, Peppers and Garlic. Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onion and peppers for 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Cook and Brown The Beef. Add ground beef, salt and pepper. Cook until browned. Drain if needed. I usually don’t need to for the lean beef.

Continue Adding Chili Ingredients. Pour in tomatoes, salsa, tomato paste then stir to combine. Add 1 Cup warm water to thin out slightly then add in beans, olives, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, lime juice, salt, pepper and garlic salt. I start with just a pinch of salt then keep tasting until it’s to my liking. Add chopped cilantro and reduce heat to low to simmer until ready to serve.

Spoon Chili into Frito Bags. Open bags of fritos. Spoon in chili, cheese, sour cream and jalapenos. Stick a fork in it and eat!!

adding sour cream to top of walking taco

Can I Use Different Chips For Walking Tacos?

Yes, try Doritos, the Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch varieties work great.

How to Assemble Your Walking Tacos

Assembling a walking taco is easy! Follow these step-by-step photos showing you how to make the best walking tacos ever.

adding green onion to top of walking taco

Add shredded cheese, jalapenos, or green onions if you can’t take the heat 🙂

walking taco in bags of Fritos

Here you have it, your perfect little bag of “Walking Tacos!”

How To Serve

Serve these convenient bags of tacos for your next party or game day get together. There’s minimal mess to clean up and your guests love them!

How To Store Leftovers

Store any chili and topping leftovers in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat chili in a heat proof bowl, loosely covered for 60-90 seconds in the microwave until hot.

Tips For Making the Best Walking Tacos

  1. You can also use snack size bags of Doritos instead of Fritos if you’d like.
  2. Cut the tops off of your bags of Fritos before your guests arrive so it’s easy to fill them with your homemade chili.

Try More Taco Recipes

walking taco in frito bag
5 from 1 vote

How To Make A Walking Taco

These Walking Tacos are Frito bags filled with flavorful chili and toppings! Tacos in a bag are perfect for any party!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 10 bags
Author: Jenny
Cost: $45
Print Pin Rate

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven
  • chef knife
  • cutting board
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • mixing spoon

Ingredients

Chili

  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 6-8 little sweet peppers or 1 green and 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 4 cloves fresh garlic minced
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • Pinch of kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 Cup Herdez Salsa or your favorite salsa
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • 1 Cup warm water
  • 3 cans of beans drained (I used black, pinto and red kidney)
  • 1 can black olives sliced
  • 2 Tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon hot sauce Tabasco
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • Pinch of Kosher salt fresh cracked black pepper and Lawry’s Garlic Salt with Parsley (to taste)
  • 1/2 Cup fresh chopped cilantro
  • Bags of Fritos

Toppings

  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup chopped Jalapenos or green onions

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onion and peppers for 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef, salt and pepper. Cook until browned. Drain if needed. I usually don’t need to for the lean beef. Pour in tomatoes, salsa, tomato paste then stir to combine. Add 1 Cup warm water to thin out slightly then add in beans, olives, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, lime juice, salt, pepper and garlic salt. I start with just a pinch of salt then keep tasting until it’s to my liking. Add chopped cilantro and reduce heat to low to simmer until ready to serve.
  • Open bags of fritos. Spoon in chili, cheese, sour cream and jalapenos. Stick a fork in it and eat!!
Keywords: easy party food, easy taco recipe, game day food, game day recipes, party food recipes, superbowl food, walking taco, walking tacos, walking tacos recipe

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photo collage of walking taco

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105 Responses
  1. Marysa

    Such a cute and fun idea! I will definitely have to make this for the kids and when we have guests. I’m sure my kids will love these.

  2. Irina

    Where I grew up, we called them Frito Boats, because you cut the bag of Fritos along the side -it makes a little boat. I never understood people calling them Frito “pie” because it in no way resembles a pie!

  3. Michele

    We call them Frito Pie, and you can omit the toppings, just use canned chili, or even use other kinds of corn chips. No limits on your creativity and tastes!

  4. StołY Cateringowe

    Hmm it looks like your site ate my first comment (it was super long) so I guess
    I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your
    blog. I too am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to everything.
    Do you have any tips for beginner blog writers? I’d certainly appreciate it.

  5. Sara H

    I am making these for our gender reveal party, except I’m calling them “Tacos in a Blanket” and adding little babies in blankets to my menu sign. Expecting 50+ people so I’m excited for fewer dishes and mess!

  6. Shilo Watts

    I know those pictures were set up.

    You would NEVER let hubby eat food on the couch, much less something that could be so messy as this.

  7. gerry

    try opening the side of bag not the cutting off top… this is the way we did MRE’s
    gives a larger and shallower opening to eat out of… otherwise the same
    enjoy… and if you lay it on the ground before you start you don’t worry about dropping it…

  8. James

    Hi,
    I was having a hard time putting together a meal for my upcoming camping trip, this is perfect! Can I ask how many people this recipe was able to feed? What quart size is your dutch oven? I want to make sure I have enough to feed 25 people. Thank you for sharing.

  9. Jody

    We have these a lot in Texas. We call them Frito pies. We cut the bag along the side instead of the top for easier access. Love the new take on them. Great idea!

  10. Misskaren

    We used to eat these @ the little league field, I make them all the time still. We cut the bag long ways down side easier to stir it all together. They were called pepper belly’s. With chilli,

  11. Vicky

    This is Frito Pie! A staple at all Friday night Texas high school football games. I graduated high school in 1979 and we were definitely eating it back then. I know my Dad made Frito pie when he was young in the 1940’s. Its a Texas thing, y’all! I’ve never heard it called a “walking taco”, though.

  12. Carie

    Never heard of these, but am putting them on my camping menu that I’m putting together right now! Thanks, the fam will love these this weekend! 🙂

  13. Janine

    I had never heard of these until my cousin had them on her dinner menu one week. I asked her what they were but she couldn’t really tell me how to make them since it’s a dumb and pour thing. She grew up eating them at the state fair. I’m excited to try them!

  14. Shannon

    About how many does this make? I’m trying to plan meals for a camping trip for about 25 people and not sure if I need to double, triple, or quad this recipe. Looks super easy and delish!

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