Description
These homemade nachos are loaded with seasoned ground beef, refried beans, melted cheddar and Colby Jack cheese, and topped with classic garnishes like pico de gallo, jalapeños, guacamole, and sour cream. Perfect for quick dinners, parties, or game nights, they’re flavorful, customizable, and incredibly satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground beef (80:20 lean-to-fat ratio)
- 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)
- 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: guacamole, salsa, sour cream, canned black olives, sliced green onions, shredded lettuce, corn, hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a small bowl, mix chili powder, salt, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne to create the taco seasoning blend.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and seasoning blend. Cook for 8 minutes, breaking into crumbles, until browned. Drain fat.
- Stir in refried beans and water. Cook until mixture is smooth and warm. Keep over low heat.
- On a large sheet pan or oven-safe platter, spread tortilla chips in a single layer. Toast in oven for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle half the cheese over the warm chips. Spoon the beef-bean mixture over the cheese. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake in oven for 5 more minutes or until cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
- Top with pico de gallo, chopped cilantro, jalapeños, and any other desired toppings.
- Serve immediately while hot and crispy.
Notes
- Use thick, restaurant-style tortilla chips to avoid breakage.
- Freshly grated cheese melts better than pre-shredded varieties.
- Pre-toast chips to prevent sogginess.
- Make guacamole fresh to preserve its color.
- Store leftover components separately for best results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer or Main
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 1237
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 1432mg
- Fat: 75g
- Saturated Fat: 29g
- Unsaturated Fat: 46g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 98g
- Cholesterol: 305mg
Keywords: Nachos, beef nachos, cheesy nachos, Tex-Mex recipe, baked nachos, easy nachos