It’s a Mexican mountain! No, it’s Easy Cheesy Nachos, made with crispy tortilla chips, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, black beans, and savory ground beef. As a solo meal or a group snack, it’s sure to please.
Is there anything more inviting than a big tray of nachos? You’re just so overwhelmed by the colorful mix of ingredients and the spicy scent that has no doubt wafted through the air that you almost have to sit down and compose yourself. Once you’ve had time to breathe, you start strategizing: do you work your way in from the outside, whetting your appetite with the naked chips or do you dive right into the center where all the fixins eagerly await your gambit. Then there are the dips. Do you limit yourself to one per chip or do you mix it up—first some sour cream, then a little bit of guacamole, then finish off with some spicy salsa? These are the questions that run through my head when nachos are on the menu… and on my plate. No, they aren’t for the faint of heart. Or the indecisive.
And these questions don’t even address whether you are going to have the nachos alone or with friends. Or in front of the TV while watching a movie or a game. As a snack or a meal. But I guess that’s the great thing about nachos: they can apply to so many different situations, filling so many roles. And that’s not even getting into the fun stuff: the toppings!
What toppings do you recommend?
This is a tough one. There are SO MANY possible toppings when it comes to nachos that it might actually be easier to list ingredients that wouldn’t go well atop tortilla chips and cheese. But I won’t do that. Instead I’ll suggest for you different themed nachos and hope that one tickles your fancy. The classic nachos dish is what you see below, including the toppings I’ve listed in parentheses. But you can make Greek Nachos with crumbled feta cheese, diced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, red onion slices, and tzatziki sauce. You can make Tex-Mex Nachos with spicy queso cheese sauce, black beans, diced tomatoes, jalapeño slices, cilantro, and chipotle sauce. If you’re vegetarian, you’ll want to make these Vegetarian Nachos, with refried beans, roasted corn, diced bell peppers, black beans, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, and a dollop of guacamole. And if you wake up feeling like devouring a big plate of nachos, make Breakfast Nachos: scrambled eggs, crispy bacon or breakfast sausage, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions, and a drizzle of hot sauce or salsa verde.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/3 cup water
- 2/3 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 8 oz. tortilla chips
- 4 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- 4 green onions, sliced and divided
- toppings as desired (e.g., diced tomatoes, jalapeños, olives, etc.)
How to Make Nachos
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Step 2: Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until it’s fully browned, then drain off any extra fat.
Step 3: Add the taco seasoning, water, and black beans with the beef, and let it simmer until most of the water has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Spread out the tortilla chips on a baking sheet, sprinkle half the cheese over top, add the beef and bean mixture, then cover with the rest of the cheese and half the green onions.
Step 5: Bake in the oven until the cheese has fully melted and bubbles, 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 6: Take the nachos out of the oven and put on the rest of the green onions and any other toppings (I used diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños and olives). Serve them up with salsa and sour cream for dipping.
FAQs
Leftover nachos can be moved to an airtight container then to the fridge where they should last for up to three days. Just make sure they have cooled completely first. I don’t recommend sticking them in the freezer. I do however recommend putting them back in the oven to reheat. This way, the tortilla chips stand the best chance of crisping back up. The microwave is another option, though you’re pretty much resigning yourself to chewy nachos. (I actually don’t mind chewy leftover nachos. Is that weird?)
The composition of your nachos is a delicate, complex process. First, you need sturdy, thick chips. Then group your toppings. Heavier ones, like beans and meat, should feature lower on the plate, while the veggies go up top. Distribute your cheese throughout, don’t stick with one thick layer. If you’re adding salsa or pico de gallo, drain them first, or even pre-cook them slightly to evaporate some excess moisture. And don’t be afraid to crank the heat up, even broiling the nachos. You want to melt the cheese and warm the ingredients without leaving the nachos in the oven so long, the chips get soggy.
That’s definitely doable. The easy way is to buy some corn tortillas, what you might use for soft-shell tacos, burritos, or enchiladas. Stack them then cut them into strips or wedges. Lightly brush them with cooking oil (or use a spray, if you find that’s easier). At this point I would sprinkle them with a bit of salt but you can get more creative by using chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, or smoked paprika, for example. Spread them out on a single layer on a baking sheet and put them in a 350°F oven for 10–15 minutes. You may want to flip them halfway through to ensure they come out extra crispy.
Serving Suggestions
Let’s make a Mexican feast! The first thing I’m going to suggest is Easy Mexican Lasagna. I know, I know… that’s a lot of food. But the lasagna requires a lot of the same ingredients as the nachos so it could prove a time saver. Plus, it really, super good. I am also going to recommend Esquites Recipe (Mexican Street Corn Salad) because you then have the option of eating it as a side or piling it onto your nachos. And because we couldn’t call this a fiesta without tacos, here is a recipe for Shredded Chicken Tacos. Juicy, spicy, delicious.
Easy Cheesy Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/3 cup water
- 2/3 cup black beans drained and rinsed
- 8 oz. tortilla chips
- 4 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- 4 green onions sliced and divided
- Toppings as desired e.g., diced tomatoes, jalapeños, olives, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until it's fully browned, then drain off any extra fat.
- Add the taco seasoning, water, and black beans with the beef, and let it simmer until most of the water has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
- Spread out the tortilla chips on a baking sheet, sprinkle half the cheese over top, add the beef and bean mixture, then cover with the rest of the cheese and half the green onions.
- Bake in the oven until the cheese is fully melted and looks bubbly, which should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Take the nachos out of the oven and put on the rest of the green onions and any other toppings you like (I used diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños and olives). Serve them up with salsa and sour cream for dipping.
