Baked Nachos with Beef (Print version)

Crispy chips loaded with seasoned beef, melted cheese, and vibrant toppings. Perfect for sharing in 30 minutes.

# Required ingredients:

→ Beef Mixture

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 pound ground beef
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/4 cup tomato sauce

→ Nachos Base

11 - 8 ounces tortilla chips

→ Cheese

12 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
13 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Toppings

14 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
15 - 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
16 - 1/4 cup sliced black olives
17 - 1/4 cup sliced jalapeños
18 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
19 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
20 - 1 avocado, diced
21 - 1/2 cup sour cream
22 - 1/2 cup salsa

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Gather all ingredients and prepare mise en place on your work surface.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet and cook until completely browned, breaking apart with a spoon, approximately 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
05 - Arrange half the tortilla chips on a large baking sheet or oven-safe platter in an even layer. Distribute half the beef mixture evenly over chips.
06 - Sprinkle half the shredded cheddar cheese and half the Monterey Jack cheese over the beef mixture.
07 - Add remaining tortilla chips, followed by remaining beef mixture and remaining cheese blend.
08 - Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until cheese is completely melted and bubbling. Watch to prevent burning.
09 - Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with diced cherry tomatoes, black beans, black olives, jalapeños, and red onion while cheese is still hot.
10 - Garnish with fresh cilantro and diced avocado. Serve immediately while hot, accompanied by sour cream and salsa on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under half an hour, so you can go from hungry to happy without much effort.
  • The layering trick means every chip gets a fair share of beef, cheese, and toppings instead of leaving some bare and sad.
  • You can adjust the heat, swap the protein, or pile on whatever toppings you have lying around and it still works.
  • It tastes like something you ordered out, but you made it yourself and that feels surprisingly good.
02 -
  • Do not skimp on the layering, if you pile everything on top in one go, the bottom chips stay naked and sad.
  • Use two kinds of cheese because cheddar alone can get greasy, and Monterey Jack helps it melt smooth and creamy.
  • Add the fresh toppings after baking, not before, or they will wilt and lose their brightness.
  • If your chips are thin and delicate, they will get soggy fast, so choose thick, sturdy ones that can handle the weight.
03 -
  • Shred your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded, it melts smoother and tastes fresher without the anti-caking coating.
  • If you want extra crispy edges, spread the nachos thinner on a larger pan so more chips hit direct heat.
  • Warm your tortilla chips in the oven for a minute before layering, it helps them stay crunchy longer under all that topping weight.
  • Add a squeeze of lime juice over the finished nachos just before serving, it brightens everything and cuts through the richness.
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