Easy Homemade Nachos (Ready in 30 Minutes!)

Homemade nachos are easy to make and oh-so-good made it right at home!

These nachos are a favorite because they’re packed with zesty beef and lots of toppings and cheese. Simply fill a sheet pan and bake until golden and bubbly.

Best of all, this is easy and versatile, add in your favorite toppings (check out our favorites below) and serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.

The Best Baked Nachos

So let’s talk nachos.

Nachos made their appearance at the Victory Club in Mexico in 1940 when chef Ignacio Anaya García created them for a customer looking for an unusual snack. Nacho was his nickname and when the customer loved the dish and asked for the name, he told her they were Nacho’s Special.

They became so popular (no surprise), that when the Victory club shut down, Ignacio later opened his own restaurant called Nacho’s.

At home we make nachos are fully loaded with meat and shredded cheese (different from the nacho cheese sauce we enjoy in Mexico). They are baked until bubbly with golden corn tortilla chips and there’s no skimping on cheese!

• Prep all of the ingredients ahead of time and bake when guests arrive.
• This version of nachos supreme has lots of meat but of course you can leave the meat off, add shredded chicken or use just beans.
• Repurpose taco meat into nachos for a new game-day fave.

Fresh out of the oven, our nachos recipe will be a family favorite all year round!

Ingredients for Nachos

Tortilla Chips – Use your favorite tortilla chips in this recipe but skip the flavored ones (Doritos don’t make great nachos) and skip the thin cantina-style chips. You want thicker chips that can hold all of the cheese and goodies without getting soggy.

Meat – This nacho recipe is topped with taco seasoned ground beef & black beans. Swap out the beef and make chicken nachos or add in leftover barbacoa, steak, or even pulled pork! We love refried beans on nachos too, add them in place of the black beans and let them simmer.

Cheese – We think the best nacho recipe is one with extra cheese, so don’t skimp! We sprinkle with a blend of cheddar and Monterey jack cheese but to keep it quick, try a “Tex Mex” shredded cheese blend!

Toppings – We love to serve nachos with lots of toppings from jalapeños to tomatoes and onions, more great toppings below.

The Best Toppings for Nachos

Nachos make a great appetizer but they’re so hearty and packed with goodness, we sometimes serve them as a meal too! Here’s our list of fixings that are “nacho supreme” worthy!

• • Add these before baking: Sliced black olives, red onions, canned or grilled corn, fresh jalapenoes
  • Add these after baking: pickled jalapenos,  diced tomatoes, green onions, diced avocado, cilantro.
  • Add these on the side for dipping: guacamole, pico de Gallo, salsa, sour cream, lime wedges

How To Make Homemade Nachos

Homemade loaded nachos are super easy to make and totally customizable!

1. Make meat mixture: Brown beef, stir in taco seasoning, water, and black beans. Simmer until the water has evaporated.
2. Layer on a pan: Layer chips with cheese, beef and bean mixture, and green onions according to recipe below.
3. Bake: Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
4. Garnish and enjoy: Remove from oven and load ’em up!

Leftover Nachos

The best nachos are eaten fresh when the tortilla chips are fresh and crunchy! If you have lots leftover, there are a couple of options:

• • Option 1: Refrigerate. Bake on a pan at 400°F until hot, about 7 minutes. The chips themselves won’t crisp up but I still think they taste great.
  • Option 2: Discard the chips and save the nacho mixture in a covered container in the refrigerator, about 3 days. Add it to fresh chips and bake like new.
  • Other than that they can be added to a Doritos casserole or taco casserole or stirred into tortilla soup!

More Tex-Mex Favorites

Party food calls for more party food! Here’s a list of Mexican themed faves:

Did you make these Easy Cheesy Nachos? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!