Make These 3-Ingredient Fritos at Home for a Healthier Snack

|Updated Aug 1, 2022

Making a healthier version of Fritos corn chips has never been easier! With just four simple ingredients, this recipe contains half the calories as its name-brand counterpart.

All you need is cornmeal, water, salt, and avocado oil. Once baked, you’re left with golden, crispy corn chips that can be eaten on their own or used in a wide variety of recipes like chiles, taco bowls, soups, stews, and more.

By limiting your consumption of processed foods that are filled with omega-6 oils, you can actually lower your chances of inflammation, blood vessel dysfunction, and plaque buildup. Instead, swap in oils that are high in oleic acid and other nutrients like avocado or olive oil.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Cost: $0.72 recipe | $0.14 serving

Homemade Fritos

5 servings (~36 corn chips per serving or ~180 corn chips per recipe)

Ingredients

1 cup cornmeal* ($0.37)
1 ½ teaspoons salt ($0.02)
1 cup hot water
3 tablespoons avocado or olive oil, divided ($0.33)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and cut 2 pieces of parchment paper about the same size as the baking sheet you’ll be using.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the cornmeal and salt together. Add the hot water and 1 tablespoon oil, then begin mixing with a fork or spoon. Finish mixing with your hand until the dough is well-combined and smooth. It should be a very pliable consistency, but not runny.
Transfer the dough to one piece of parchment paper, then top it with the other piece.
Roll it out into a thin rectangle shape, then remove the top parchment and cut the dough into rectangles about the size of Fritos.
Carefully transfer the piece of parchment holding the chips to your baking sheet. Lightly brush the tops with more oil, then bake for 14-15 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown. Sprinkle with more sea salt before serving. Enjoy!

Notes