More Nachos Recipes
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Simple, classic, and endlessly versatile, nachos are a staple appetizer here at Delish. Whether I'm hungry for an easy movie snack or need a Super Bowl appetizer to please my friends and family, nachos are the answer. This best recipe is loaded with nachos supreme-inspired toppings—melty cheese, ground beef, two types of beans, and pickled jalapeños to name a few—but I use this as a jumping-off point to add all of my favorites. Switch it up with your favorite cheese and toppings to make this game day snack completely your own.
What People Are Saying:
"I LOVE THE RECIPE. I used this one a while ago, and my sister couldn't stop talking about it. So I'm making it again. This was the one link that I clicked, and honestly, I fell in love with the picture, and then I knew I just had to use this one. BEST NACHOS EVER!!!!!!" - Steffieboo13
"Best nachos I’ve ever had. Even the kids want this on a monthly dinner rotation." - 8h63143
• The Chips: Tortilla chips are the obvious answer here. You don't necessarily have to use them, but you'll be leaning away from true nacho territory. If you're interested in non-tortilla "nachos," I suggest trying our take on Irish nachos or St. Patrick’s Day nachos, but if you decide to stay classic, a great way to amp up the nachos is with homemade tortilla chips.
• The Beef: To me, ground beef is a classic addition to any nachos recipe, but whether you have ground chicken, ground turkey, or just want to keep these vegetarian, go with whatever you and your guests prefer. Just be sure to drain any extra fat after cooking if you're going with a different type of protein.
• The Cheese: I'm big fans of Monterey Jack and cheddar, but your options are limitless—just make sure it melts! If you want something a bit spicy, Pepper Jack is a great alternative. The only cheese I recommend that defies the melt rule is cotija. Cotija is hard Mexican cow's milk cheese, which can be added after the nachos bake. Top tip: While buying pre-shredded works for nachos, I always recommend grating your cheese yourself. It's the key to getting the ultimate cheesy meltiness that I crave in a good nachos recipe.
• The Beans: Both canned refried beans and black beans are the stars of these nachos. I found that the smoky flavor and texture of refried beans really put this over the top, while black beans keep it hearty and are a great complement to the ground beef. You can swap one or the other if you're in a pinch, but in my opinion, using both will make these superior to any restaurant version.
• The Toppings: We’ve added an impressive load of toppings to these nachos, including pickled jalapeños, tomatoes, scallions, and avocado. But you can top your nachos with whatever you want! If you want to stick with the classic vibes, we recommend shredded lettuce, cotija cheese, grilled corn, pinto beans, black olives, pickled red onions, or shredded chicken.
It's incredibly easy to make these nachos. First thing is to soften the onions, which will take longer than cooking the beef. Make sure they're fully softened, and not just translucent, which could take the full 7 minutes.
After they're softened, add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, and cook until it's crumbly and no longer pink. Then it's time for the garlic, taco seasoning, and refried beans.
That's all the "cooking" you have to do! Next it's time for layering: On a foil-lined sheet, arrange the chips, half of beef-bean mixture, half of cheese, half of black beans, and half of pickled jalapeños.
Repeat to make another layer.
Bake the nachos in the oven, which should only take about 15 minutes. Then, we can move on to our toppings. I love adding avocado, cilantro, chopped tomatoes, and scallions.
Once you've added your toppings, I love adding a drizzle of sour cream on top.
Once your nachos are ready to go, you're ready to serve alongside any salsa your heart desires.
Full list of ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe below.
extra-virgin olive oil
large yellow onion, chopped
ground beef
cloves garlic, finely chopped
taco seasoning
kosher salt
(15-oz.) can refried beans
water
large bag tortilla chips, divided
shredded cheddar, divided
shredded Monterey jack, divided
(15-oz.) can black beans, drained, divided
pickled jalapeños, divided
large tomato, finely chopped
avocado, finely chopped
fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
thinly sliced scallions
Sour cream and hot sauce, for drizzling
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