Pepper Bellies are a simple yet comforting dish. With only four ingredients, it comes together quickly, making for a super easy supper that will please any crowd.
Curried potatoes and pork chops, Oslo Kringle, and Pepper Bellies — those are all tastes and memories of my childhood. My mom may have been feeding five kids on a budget, but she did it in a fun and tasty way.
One of my favorite meals from that era was Pepper Bellies. I have no idea why they were called that; there are no peppers in sight, especially if you lean toward mild chili. But, that’s their name, all the same — despite what the internet says they’re called. 😉
What is Pepper Bellies?
Pepper Bellies are made of corn chips, such as Fritos, chili, and topped with cheese. You can add additional toppings such as sour cream, salsa, chopped onions, and cilantro.
What are other names for Pepper Bellies?
Pepper bellies are what my mom called this concoction of corn chips, chili, and cheese. The same dish is also called Frito Pie, Walking Taco, Chili Fritos, Straw Hats, and Taco Bowls, depending on where you live.
According to Wikipedia, Pepper Belly is a southern California thing. There you have it, my Minnesota-born mom was already picking up the lingo!
How do you make a Pepper Belly?
- Divide the corn chips into four bowls.
- Pour 1 ½ cups chili over the chips in each bowl.
- Divide the cheese among the four bowls, sprinkling over the chili.
- Top with the green onions.
- Serve immediately.
For simplicity and no dishes to wash, some folks serve Pepper Bellies in the bag of corn chips. Back when I was growing up, we didn’t have single-serve bags of Fritos, so this wasn’t a thing! lol
How to make this good and cheap:
By their very nature, bean dishes are very budget-friendly. However, here are some of the strategies you can use to make this recipe even more economical:
- Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. When you see a good price on tomato sauce, beans, or your favorite chili, buy a few extra to stash for later. You know you’ll use them. Likewise for corn chips, which could potentially be the pricier ingredient in this dish.
- Cook your own beans. It’s a lot cheappeer to cook dry beans than to buy canned. Recently I’ve started using my electric pressure cooker for beans and it is a game changer.
- Buy spices in bulk. I regularly buy larger containers of spices I use frequently, like pepper, sea salt, garlic powder, and chili powder. I store excess dried herbs and ground spices in the freezer if I know it will be awhile before I go through the large container. This makes it easy to make my own chili.
What tools do I need to make this dish?
This recipe really couldn’t be easier than it is, but having the right kitchen tools can really make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable. Over time, I’ve honed my collection so that they are perfect for my needs.
Here are the tools that I use for this recipe:
- a 7-quart oval slow cooker or a large soup pot for heating the chili and serving to a crowd
- box grater for cheese
If you prepare this recipe, be sure to share a picture on social media and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up!
Pepper Bellies
Ingredients
- 2 cup corn chips such as Fritos
- 48 oz chili heated (6 cups)
- 4 oz jack cheese shredded (1 cup)
- 2 green onion chopped
Instructions
- Divide the corn chips into four bowls.
- Pour 1 ½ cups chili over the chips in each bowl.
- Divide the cheese among the four bowls, sprinkling over the chili.
- Top with the green onions.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Renee Elton
I grew up in SoCal. Back in the early 70s when I was in elementary school, the cafeteria would often serve Pepper Bellies and it came in a single serving Fritos bag, slit down the side and the chili poured on top. Like your family, I call this meal Pepper Bellies and my adult children and now my grandchildren all call it by it’s SoCal name- even though they all grew up on the east coast surrounded by friends who call it Frito pie.
Jessica Fisher
Yay!
Janet
I had not had Frito pie (what I grew up calling this) since I was a kid. I made it today for my family. None of them had ever had it before. A resounding success. I made a double batch of the chili so I have another meal ready for next week. Win-win!
Jessica Fisher
So glad you had a success! I love it when those old classics are a hit.
lisa s
Lol! We just call it chili here at my house in Arkansas. I can’t imagine chili w/o fritos on the bottom or the top, then ya gotta have the sour cream and cheese. And I add green onion, jalapenos, and avocado. Gotta batch in my freezer just waiting for a busy night. Yum!
Cindy A
What chili might that be in your pot? Is it one of yours? It looks yummy!
Jessica Fisher
Chihuahua Beer Chili