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The Best Nachos Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 139 reviews

These Best Nachos feature a flavorful taco spice blend, seasoned ground beef mixed with creamy refried beans, perfectly toasted tortilla chips, and a generous layering of melted cheddar and Colby Jack cheese. Topped with fresh pico de gallo, cilantro, and jalapeños, these nachos are the perfect crowd-pleasing snack or appetizer, customizable with a variety of optional toppings like guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.

Ingredients

Scale

Spice Mix

  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon granulated onion
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Nachos

  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1 pound ground beef (80:20 lean-to-fat ratio)
  • 16 ounces (2 cups) refried beans, canned or homemade
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 large bag of tortilla chips
  • 4 ounces cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups), plus more for topping
  • 4 ounces Colby Jack cheese, grated (about 2 cups), plus more for topping
  • 1 cup pico de gallo, store-bought or homemade, plus more for topping
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 jalapeño (pickled or fresh), sliced

Optional Toppings

  • Guacamole
  • Salsa
  • Sour cream
  • Canned black olives
  • Sliced green onions
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Corn
  • Hot sauce

Instructions

  1. Make the taco spice blend: In a small bowl, combine chili powder, kosher salt, granulated garlic, granulated onion, ground cumin, dried oregano, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
  2. Cook the ground beef: Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add ground beef and season with the prepared taco spice blend. Break the meat into crumbles using a spoon and cook for about 8 minutes until browned. Drain excess fat using a colander.
  3. Combine beef and refried beans: Return the beef to the pan, add refried beans and water. Stir and heat over medium until the beans are smooth and filling is warmed through. Reduce heat to low to keep warm.
  4. Toast the tortilla chips: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread tortilla chips in a single layer on a 13×18-inch oven-safe platter or sheet pan. Toast in the oven for 5 minutes until fragrant.
  5. Assemble the nachos: Remove chips from oven and sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar and Colby Jack cheese evenly over the chips. Allow melted cheese to soften slightly from heat.
  6. Add beef-bean mixture and cheese: Spread the warm beef and bean mixture over the cheese-covered chips, then sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
  7. Bake the nachos: Return the assembled nachos to the oven and bake for 5 minutes more until cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
  8. Top and serve: Remove from oven and immediately top with pico de gallo, chopped cilantro, jalapeño slices, and any optional toppings such as guacamole, salsa, sour cream, black olives, green onions, lettuce, corn, or hot sauce. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Use ground beef with an 80:20 fat-to-lean ratio for optimal flavor and juiciness.
  • Refried beans can be homemade or store-bought depending on convenience and preference.
  • To avoid soggy chips, toast them first before adding toppings.
  • Feel free to customize toppings like adding avocado slices, diced onions, or extra hot sauce for more heat.
  • For a spicier dish, add extra cayenne to the spice blend or use fresh jalapeños instead of pickled ones.
  • Leftover beef-bean mixture can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and repurposed for tacos or burritos.

Keywords: nachos, ground beef nachos, cheesy nachos, Mexican appetizer, party snack, spicy nachos

Find it online: https://flavorsbymaya.com/the-best-nachos-recipe/