Baked Nachos (Printer-friendly)

Classic Tex-Mex nachos with crispy chips, savory beef, melty cheese, and vibrant toppings—perfect for sharing.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 chopped fresh cilantro
20 - 1 avocado, diced
21 - 1/2 cup sour cream
22 - 1/2 cup salsa

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking apart with a spoon, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Add tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
05 - Arrange half the tortilla chips on a large baking sheet. Top with half the beef mixture and half the cheeses. Repeat with remaining chips, beef, and cheese.
06 - Bake in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling.
07 - Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with cherry tomatoes, black beans, olives, jalapeños, and red onion.
08 - Garnish with cilantro and avocado. Serve hot with sour cream and salsa on the side.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Everything cooks on one pan so cleanup is practically nonexistent
  • The cheese stays perfectly melted instead of congealing like delivery nachos
  • You can customize toppings based on whatever's in your fridge
02 -
  • Dont skip the layering technique—dumping everything at once means some chips stay bare while others get soggy
  • Serve immediately because the texture contrast between hot cheese and cold toppings is the whole point
03 -
  • Use a rimmed baking sheet or ingredients will slide right off into your oven
  • Line the pan with parchment paper for practically zero cleanup
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