This dish was inspired by an eggplant casserole that my mother used to make when I was a kid. The recipe, in “A Cook’s Tour of Shreveport (1973)” cookbook, is a simple side dish calling for eggplant, onion, bell pepper and olives, sauteed, then topped with bread crumbs and cheese. I loved this dish, but like many of us, I just can’t leave well enough alone. I have been playing around with this recipe over the years making it more than the original. This Chorizo and Eggplant Skillet Pie is the result.
Instead of a side dish, we now have a one pot meal which is nicely complemented with a few slices of avocado. To the original recipe, I’ve added Mexican chorizo and seasoning (something the original had none of), and have replaced the bread crumbs with crushed tortilla chips. Bobby calls it my version of a Frito pie. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Chorizo and Eggplant Skillet Pie
A nice alternative to the traditional Frito Pie. This skillet dish is made with eggplant, Mexican chorizo and other vegetables, then topped with tortilla chips and cheese.
*See Kitchen Notes for substitutions, links, and more information.
- 1 Tbsp. oil (canola, olive, vegetable)
- ½ pound bulk Mexican chorizo*
- 1 large Poblano pepper or green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into ½” pieces
- ½ tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. red chile powder
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ½ cup coarsely chopped green olives
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ~1 cup coarsely crushed corn tortilla chips*
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 avocados*, sliced
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Heat the oil in an ovenproof dish over medium heat.*
- Add the chorizo, chopped pepper and onion. Cook about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the eggplant, chile powder, salt, pepper, and oregano. Stir to combine. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until the eggplant is tender, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and add the cilantro/parsley and olives. Taste. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Add the egg and stir to combine.
- Spread mixture out evenly across the bottom of the dish.
- Top with the crushed chips, then the cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Serve with sliced avocado and enjoy!
Skillet Size – An 8 – 10″ skillet or oven proof casserole is a good size for this dish. Anything wider and the proportion of filling to topping will be too small. However, if I’m using an extra large eggplant, I use a large skillet for making the filling, then transfer it into a smaller skillet or casserole dish for baking.
Mexican Chorizo – For the chorizo you can make your own, buy bulk chorizo or chorizo links. If you use links, remove from the casing. Break up the chorizo as you saute’ it with the pepper and onions.
Corn Tortilla Chips – Use corn tortilla chips or Fritos. I prefer yellow corn tortillas. The amount you use depends on the size of the skillet. The wider the skillet, the more chips needed to cover the top of the eggplant/chorizo mixture. Don’t pile them on, just spread them evenly across the filling.
Chilled avocado slices make a great complement to this dish. This casserole can be quite spicy, depending on the spiciness of your chorizo and chile powder. The avocado helps to calm burn. Allow 1/2 avocado per serving.
If you like this Chorizo and Eggplant Skillet Pie, then you will also enjoy these other chorizo dishes.
Shepherd’s Pie – New Mexico Style
Asparagus, Chorizo and Soft-Boiled Egg
Yummy sounding. Should I cover in foil before baking at that high heat?
No, you don’t want to cover it because you want the cheese to melt and the chips to stay crispy. It only bakes for 30 minutes so it’s not going to burn. Hope you enjoy and thanks for the question. Cheers MJ
Who can resist this skillet pie Mj I need some for lunch. Delicious.
Thanks Swathi!
I love those old cookbooks like the one you mentioned. I have several in my cookbook cabinet. We love eggplant and I’m always looking for new ways to use it. This dish is right up my alley. I love all the flavors, but I might have to tone down the heat. Jim is a lightweight when it comes to spice! 🙂 Great post, MJ!
Thanks Bill! Yes, I do have a few of those old cookbooks that I just can’t seem to part with. But I do like the simplicity of the recipes and how they can be improved upon. One can always tone down the spice to personal tastes. This one is easy…just omit the extra chile powder. The chorizo should be spicy enough.
I love the idea of topping this with tortilla chips! I must try it as well!
Thanks Katerina!
This looks + sounds absolutely amazing!
Thanks so much Anne!
Oh, yeah, an updated, more complex, flavorful frito pie! Fabulous!!!
Thanks Liz! 🙂
One dish meal??? Count me in! This sounds so tasty 🙂
Thanks Cathleen!
In the oven for dinner. I took a couple sample bites & OMG what a taste treat. Right up there with the Southwest Shepherds Pie & the Preserved Lemon Pasta with Eggs. You are my hero~!!!!
Lynne Darlin, you have made my day! Thank you so much for you comments and I’m thrilled you like this dish. It gives eggplant casserole a whole new meaning doesn’t it?
Ok, absolutely loved it for dinner. However, the leftovers for lunch the next day were “great”. My daughter in law begged for the recipe so I gave her a copy. You are my “go to” chef for awesome dishes….. Especially in this heat when I don’t want to “think” about “What’s for Dinner” ~!! I have an electric roaster on the patio which I use all Summer so as not to heat up the kitchen. This was a perfect dish for the roaster. Thanks again. 🙂
YAY!!!! So glad you even liked the leftovers. 🙂 How did you heat them up? I usually heat it in the microwave for a couple of minutes then put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes to crispy the chips. I hate turning the broiler on in this heat, but I hate soft tortilla chips even worse. 🙂 Thanks for sharing the recipe with your DIL! An electric roaster on the patio sounds like a great idea. We use our grill almost every night. Hate heating up the kitchen. The swamp cooler is working hard enough as it is with this heat. Thanks Lynne for all of your wonderful comments!
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What a fantastic idea to use tortilla chips on top! I often buy them as a snack… and I bet they taste much better than breadcrumbs here. I really must test this trick.
The whole dish looks fantastic and reminds me I don’t use my skillet often enough (I’ve had steel pans for several years and it’s difficult to break the habit of using them…).
Sometimes I find my castiron sitting in the cabinet for a very long time as well. But there are just some dishes that provide the inspiration to use it, like this one. 🙂 Have a great weekend my friend and thanks for the information on the special parsley!
If that’s “Frito Pie”, then it’s the most delicious one I’ve ever seen! Thanks for sharing this, MJ. I’m always inspired by your take on these kinds of comfort foods.
Thanks so much Viviane. Bobby says the same thing. 🙂
To me, eggplant is like tofu. It doesn’t overpower the other ingredients but it adds a wonderful volume and light texture to the dish. I’m sure this delicious skillet dish is perfect for a Sunday brunch. Wish you and Bobby a relaxing weekend. 🙂
Totally agree Ray! It’s a great filler. Hope you have a wonderful weekend as well!
The idea of preparing a delicious entree on the stove without the use of a hot oven (right now as temps have reached a premature temp of 100 degrees that normally never takes place until late August here). . . . well, this is genius!
Thanks M.J.!
Actually, you do need to put it in the oven, but you could bypass that step by leaving out the egg, then putting the skillet under the broiler once topped with the chips and cheese. Thanks for your comments Roz!
I’ve never had anything like this but I know instantly how much I’d love it. I didn’t like eggplant until I was in my 30s and now it’s my friend. I can see how it would marry well with the chorizo. (seriously though, what doesn’t go well with chorizo?)
Definitely agree Maureen! Everything goes with chorizo! 🙂
I’m pretty sure I like your updated version with the addition of chorizo and tortilla chips. Sounds yummy!
Thanks Vicki!
I never thought of using chorizos in pies, looks like a great idea.
It’s a savory pie and works so well! Thanks!
This is so so unique! I’ve had eggplant breaded, fried, baked, sauteed, but never – ever – in a casserole! Paired with chorizo – this is one winning dish!
Thanks so much Shashi!
Oh my, this sounds (and looks) delicious MJ – it reminds me of all the comfort of a mac & cheese in a far more sophisticated and nutritious version. My husband has an oral allergy to eggplant (apparently not uncommon) so it’s not a veggie we explore much in our home but I just love it here.
I’ve never heard of an oral allergy to eggplant. That’s a new for me. At least it’s not an allergy to tomatoes. 🙂 That would be hard one to get around. With eggplant, I would think it is relatively easy to work with. Thanks for your comments Kelly!
What a great one pot meal! Chorizo and eggplant must be great together.
It is! Thanks Angie!
What a great combination of flavors ! I needed some eggplant inspiration !
Thanks Ciao!! Eggplant is a hard one isn’t it? 🙂
So love one pot meals in general and I always looks for new ones with eggplant. It tends to remove other calories from a dish lol. This one looks like a winner and you made lots of great changes!
Thanks Evelyne! Yes, it does tend to remove other calories. Several years ago I added cooked rice to this dish and just didn’t like it. It was too heavy. This version we love.
What a neat way to use eggplant! I really like this — Bobby is right that this is kind of like Frito pie. But better! Really good — thanks.
Thanks so much John! I’m not a big fan of traditional Frito pie with Texas chili, but I do like a New Mexican version and this one as well. I’ve never tried it with Fritos, but I don’t think they would work anyway.
Always love to see a new recipe that includes eggplant. I’ll definitely try this with the first one I harvest this summer!
Thanks so much Libby! Good luck on this year’s harvest! Ours is starting to look promising. 🙂
MJ, this looks delicious even though I don’t really like eggplant. Ha! I think I would like it better like this, in smaller pieces. Love the flavors!
Thanks Judy! To be honest, you really don’t get a lot of the “eggplant flavor” in this dish. It’s there, but it’s overshadowed by the chorizo and seasonings. You might like this. 🙂