Frito Cowboy Cabbage

Frito Cowboy Cabbage is a bold, flavor-packed twist on traditional coleslaw that’s become a sensation at BBQs, potlucks, and taco nights everywhere! This no-cook recipe combines crunchy coleslaw, zesty black beans, sweet corn, and those irresistible Chili Cheese Fritos all tossed in a creamy, smoky chipotle dressing.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Hearty, cheesy, and full of crunch, Frito Cowboy Cabbage is the ultimate comfort casserole. Layers of seasoned ground beef, tender cabbage, melty cheese, and crispy Fritos come together for a deliciously satisfying meal that’s easy to make and impossible to resist.

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Ingredient List

Salad:

• 1 bag (16 ounces) coleslaw mix
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1.5 cups (247.5 g) canned corn kernels, drained
• 1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
• 3 green onions, finely sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 bag (9.75 ounces) Chili Cheese Fritos, reserving a handful for topping

Chipotle Dressing:

• 1/2 cup (115 g) sour cream
• 1/2 cup (116 g) mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 2 tablespoons chipotle sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo (just the sauce, not the peppers)

Substitution Notes: No coleslaw bag? Shred cabbage and carrots yourself. I use Greek yogurt sometimes instead of sour cream when I’m trying to feel healthy. Can’t find Chili Cheese Fritos? Regular ones work but throw in more taco seasoning. My dad can’t handle spice so I make his with half the chipotle sauce and no jalapeño seeds.

Why These Ingredients Work

Coleslaw mix doesn’t fall apart when you dress it. That’s why we’re using it instead of lettuce. Black beans and corn make this filling enough that I’ve eaten it as lunch before. Jalapeño brings heat, red bell pepper brings sweetness and color. They balance out. Green onions add sharpness. Cilantro makes everything taste fresh. If you’re in the “cilantro tastes like soap” club, just skip it.

Taco seasoning and cumin save you from measuring out a bunch of individual spices. And those Chili Cheese Fritos aren’t just a fun add-in. They’re what makes this different from every other bean and corn salad out there.

The dressing pulls it together. Sour cream and mayo make it creamy. Lime juice keeps it from being too heavy. Chipotle sauce adds this smoky heat that regular hot sauce can’t match.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Medium bowl for dressing
• Whisk
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Can opener
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Citrus juicer helps but you can squeeze limes with your hands

How To Make Frito Cowboy Cabbage

Step 1 – Combine Salad Base

Dump coleslaw mix, black beans, corn, jalapeño, red bell pepper, green onions, cilantro, taco seasoning, and cumin into your big bowl. Mix it around until the spices are spread out evenly. You don’t want to bite into a clump of cumin.

Step 2 – Make the Dressing

Whisk sour cream, mayo, lime juice, and chipotle sauce in your medium bowl until smooth. Gets you about 1.25 cups of dressing. Taste it here. Too mild? Add more chipotle sauce now before it goes on the salad.

Step 3 – Add Dressing

When you’re ready to eat, pour dressing over the slaw mixture. Mix it all up so everything’s coated. Don’t do this three hours early. You’ll have watery soup.

Step 4 – Add Fritos

Crush most of your Fritos with your hands and mix them in. Save some for the top. The ones you mix in will soften a bit and release their flavor into the salad. That’s what you want.

Step 5 – Top and Serve

Crush the rest of your Fritos over the top right before you put the bowl out. These stay crunchy and give you that satisfying chip crunch on top.

You Must Know

Wait until right before serving to add dressing and Fritos. I didn’t do this once and brought soggy chip pudding to a potluck. Still embarrassed. The dressing lasts three days in your fridge. Chopped veggies can be done the night before. But once you combine everything, you’ve got maybe thirty minutes before those chips get soft and weird.

Personal Secret: I squeeze extra lime over the finished salad right before serving. That fresh citrus hit makes everything taste like you just made it even if you prepped stuff earlier.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Dry your canned stuff really well. I use paper towels to press out extra water from beans and corn. Otherwise your dressing gets thin and runny.
• Go easy on chipotle sauce at first if you’re not sure about heat. Easy to add more. Can’t take it out once it’s mixed in.
• Squeeze actual limes. Bottled lime juice tastes wrong. Yeah it’s extra work. Do it anyway.
• Throw in two cups of rotisserie chicken to make this a main dish. Now you’ve got dinner instead of a side.
• Don’t add Fritos early. I see people do this at potlucks all the time. Those chips turn to mush. Add them last minute.

Flavor Variations / Suggestions

Southwest Chicken: Two cups chopped rotisserie chicken plus another tablespoon taco seasoning. Makes it a full meal.

Extra Veggies: Diced avocado, cherry tomatoes, or cucumber. Add these right before serving or they get mushy.

Spicy Version: Leave jalapeño seeds in, add a serrano pepper, use three tablespoons chipotle sauce. Have drinks ready.

Mild Version: One tablespoon ranch seasoning instead of chipotle sauce. Sweet mini peppers instead of jalapeño. My kids eat this version without complaining.

Vegan: Vegan mayo and sour cream. Regular Fritos. Sprinkle nutritional yeast for cheese flavor.

Make-Ahead Options

Dressing can be made three days ahead. Keeps in a jar in the fridge. Actually tastes better after sitting overnight.

Chop vegetables the day before. Store them separately so they don’t release water into each other.

Morning of, mix everything except dressing and Fritos. Cover tight with plastic wrap. Keep cold.

When it’s time to eat, add dressing and toss. Add Fritos and toss. Top with more Fritos. Done.

Don’t try keeping this assembled overnight. Fritos get soggy and cabbage gets watery. It’s edible the next day but not great. Make what you need or keep parts separate.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

• Chipotles in adobo are in a small can in the Mexican food section. Use the red sauce, not the peppers themselves. Freeze leftover peppers and toss them in chili later.
• Coleslaw mix looking dry? Rinse it under cold water and spin it dry. Perks right up.
• Let sour cream and mayo sit out fifteen minutes before mixing. Blends smoother when it’s not fridge-cold.
• This scales up easy. Made triple batch for my sister’s graduation. Fed thirty people as a side dish.

Serving Suggestions

Goes with burgers, hot dogs, BBQ chicken, pulled pork, ribs, fish tacos, grilled shrimp, quesadillas, enchiladas. I put it on pulled pork sandwiches once and it was better than it had any right to be. My brother serves it with fried chicken at his house and people go crazy for it.

Use a big shallow bowl so everyone can see the colors. Throw some cilantro leaves and a lime wedge on top. Looks fancy for basically no effort.

How to Store Your Frito Cowboy Cabbage

Doesn’t store well mixed. Fritos get soggy fast. If you’ve got leftovers, container in the fridge, eat tomorrow. You can sprinkle fresh Fritos on top to help but it’s not the same.

Dressing keeps five days in the fridge in a container with a lid. Give it a stir before using.

Chopped vegetables last two days in the fridge covered.

This is a cold salad. Don’t heat it up. That would be weird.

Allergy Information

Contains: Dairy (sour cream, cheese in Fritos), eggs (mayo), corn, maybe soy

Substitutions:

• Dairy-free: Vegan sour cream and mayo, regular Fritos not Chili Cheese ones
• Egg-free: Vegan mayo or mash avocado into the dressing base
• Gluten-free: Already is, just check taco seasoning label
• Corn-free: Can’t really do this one since corn and Fritos are the point. Maybe tortilla strips and no corn but it’ll be totally different

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

How spicy is this salad?

Has some kick but won’t destroy you. Jalapeño and chipotle are more smoky-warm than straight fire. Worried about heat? Use one tablespoon chipotle sauce and take seeds out of the jalapeño. Taste it and add more if you want.

What if I can’t find Chili Cheese Fritos?

Regular Fritos work. Add extra taco seasoning and maybe grate some cheese in to make up for it. I’ve used crushed tortilla chips when the store was out of Fritos completely. Different but still good.

The dressing seems too thick—is that normal?

Yep. It’s meant to be thick. Vegetables let out moisture as they sit so thick dressing thins itself out. Really think it needs thinning? Add lime juice or water a tiny bit at a time. But thick works better here.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! Tell me what you changed or how it went!