Nachos are a go-to snack for me, they’re so easy to make, and everyone loves them.
These easy nachos are loaded with zesty beef, toppings and of course lots of shredded cheese. Simply fill a sheet pan and bake until golden and bubbly!
Add your favorite toppings (check out our favorites below) and serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.
It’s Nacho Time!
Nachos were first made at the Victory Club in Mexico in 1940. Chef Ignacio Anaya García created them for a customer, and since Nacho was his nickname, they were known as Nacho’s Special. They became so popular (no surprise), that when the Victory Club shut down, Ignacio later opened his own restaurant called Nachos.
At home, we make nachos that are fully loaded with meat and shredded cheese (different from the nacho cheese sauce we enjoy in Mexico). They are baked until bubbly with golden corn tortilla chips and there’s no skimping on cheese!
Ingredients for Nachos
Start with tortilla chips and cheese… and then add in your favorite toppings.
Tortilla Chips – This recipe starts with tortilla chips; skip the flavored ones (Doritos don’t make great nachos). Thicker tortilla chips stand up to the toppings, skip thin cantina-style chips.
Cheese – The best nacho recipe is one with lots of cheese; I love a blend of cheddar and Monterey jack cheese. To make it fast, use pre-shredded cheeses like Mexican or TexMex blends.
Meat – Seasoned ground beef & black beans are added to this recipe (but they’re optional). This is a great place to use leftover taco meat. Swap out the beef use any leftover meats like barbacoa or steak!
The Best Toppings for Nachos
Nachos make a great appetizer, but they’re so hearty and packed with goodness, so they’re great as a meal too! Here’s our list of fixings that are “nacho supreme” worthy!
- Add these BEFORE baking: Sliced black olives, red onions, canned or grilled corn, fresh jalapenos
- Add these AFTER baking: pickled jalapenos, diced tomatoes, green onions, diced avocado, cilantro
- Add these ON THE SIDE: guacamole, pico de Gallo, salsa, sour cream, lime wedges
How To Make Homemade Nachos
Homemade loaded nachos are super easy to make and totally customizable!
- Prepare meat mixture (if using): Brown ground beef, stir in taco seasoning, water, and black beans. Simmer until the water has evaporated.
- Layer on a pan: Layer chips with cheese, beef and bean mixture, and green onions per recipe below.
- Bake: Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and load ’em up!
- Nachos are customizable; add the toppings you love, skip the ones you don’t.
- Prep all of the ingredients ahead of time and bake when guests arrive.
- This version of nachos supreme has lots of meat but you can leave the meat off if you’d like.
Leftover Nachos
The best nachos are enjoyed right away when the tortilla chips are fresh and crunchy! If you have lots left over, there are a couple of options:
Option 1: Refrigerate. Bake on a pan at 400°F until hot, about 7 minutes. The chips themselves won’t crisp up, but they still taste great.
Option 2: Discard the chips and save the nacho mixture in a covered container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Add it to fresh chips and bake like new.
They can be added to a Doritos casserole or taco casserole or stirred into tortilla soup!
Tex Mex Favorites
Party food calls for more party food! Here’s a list of Mexican inspired faves:
Did you make these Easy Cheesy Nachos? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Easy Cheesy Nachos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 ounce taco seasoning 1 packet
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅔ cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 8 ounces tortilla chips
- 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese
- 4 green onions sliced, divided
- toppings as desired see notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat until no pink remains. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in the taco seasoning, water, and black beans. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes or until the water is mostly evaporated.
- Meanwhile, spread tortilla chips onto a baking sheet. Top with half of the cheese, the beef mixture, and then the remaining cheese. Sprinkle with half of the green onions.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove the pan from the oven and add the remaining green onions & desired toppings. Serve with salsa and sour cream.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Beef, Dinner, Lunch, Party Food
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These were great! I cut back the shredded cheese by half and spooned homemade nacho cheese sauce when the came out of the oven. I loved the technique to simmer beans with the meat, and threw some frozen corn to simmer too. Great recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it, MJ!
I’ve made some awesome recipes from here,
thanks so much for delivering these to my email everyday.
So happy you are enjoying them!
Shouln’t you melt the cheese on top of chips so they don’t get soggy??
Hi Jo, you can if you prefer. We find layering the beef and cheese on top of the chips makes sure you get that delicious topping in every bite still without soggy chips!
Love the recipe! I add a few extra topping like refried beans, onions and peppers but the main thing I do differently is make my own chips. Cut tortillas in half then again so each one gives you 4 triangles. Place on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with oil Lightly spray each piece with oil and bake at 350 degrees till crisp. Doesn’t take long. Sprinkle with kosher salt and remove to let cool. You can use either flour or corn tortillas for this, your choice. Tortillas keep for a long time so chips can always be made fresh.
Thanks for sharing that, Jealith! Your chip recipe sounds delicious.
I have thrown out too many bags of stale opened store bought tortilla chips in my life time till I found this online tip. I heat my oven to 200 degrees and make a layer, can overlap, of stale chips on a cookie sheet. Put them in the oven for 20 minutes or more and WHA LA! The humidity from air exposure makes them stale so the nice warming evaporates the humidity and that great corn crunch comes back. At almost $4 a bag now give it a try, personally I was impressed.
Thanks for sharing that tip, Patty!
Thanks for the tip about recovering stale tortilla chips!
Voila!