Crispy tortilla cheese nachos (Printable)

A flavorful dish of crispy chips, melted cheddar, beans, jalapeños, and fresh toppings for sharing.

# Ingredient List:

→ Base

01 - 7 oz tortilla chips (plain or lightly salted)

→ Cheese

02 - 7 oz shredded cheddar cheese
03 - 3.5 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Beans

04 - 5.3 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained

→ Toppings

05 - 2 fresh jalapeños, thinly sliced
06 - 3.5 oz cherry tomatoes, diced
07 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
09 - 1 ripe avocado, diced (optional)
10 - 4 tablespoons sour cream (optional)
11 - 4 tablespoons salsa (optional)

→ Optional Meat

12 - 7 oz ground beef
13 - 1 teaspoon olive oil
14 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
15 - 1/2 teaspoon cumin
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How to Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat, until browned and fully cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
02 - Set oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking.
03 - Place tortilla chips evenly on a large ovenproof platter or baking sheet.
04 - Distribute black beans evenly over the chips, then sprinkle shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses on top. Add cooked ground beef if desired.
05 - Scatter sliced jalapeños and half of the finely chopped red onion evenly across the layered chips and cheese.
06 - Place the platter in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling.
07 - Remove nachos from oven. Garnish with diced cherry tomatoes, remaining red onion, diced avocado if using, and chopped coriander.
08 - Present immediately with sour cream and salsa on the side for dipping.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They come together in under 30 minutes and taste like you fussed for hours.
  • Everyone customizes their own plate, so there's no arguing about toppings.
  • The contrast between melted cheese and fresh toppings is honestly addictive.
  • You can make them vegetarian or load them up with meat, depending on your crowd.
02 -
  • If you assemble nachos hours ahead, the chips will absorb moisture and turn soggy—always bake them fresh.
  • Overloading the baking sheet means some chips don't get cheese coverage; work in batches if needed.
  • Adding cold toppings immediately after pulling from the oven creates that perfect temperature contrast that makes nachos actually taste good.
03 -
  • Arrange chips in slightly overlapping layers so the ones underneath get heated and softened without the top ones burning.
  • If your cheese isn't melting evenly, cover the baking sheet loosely with foil for the first 5 minutes, then remove it to let them crisp.
Return