Easy Beef Nachos
Published 4/10/2023
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Let’s face it we all love nachos, and we’ve all tried nachos…but have you tried THESE easy beef nachos? After one mouthful of these classic nachos, you won’t want to make them any other way.
Deliciously Meaty & Cheesy Nachos
These nachos have to be one of our latest, greatest creations yet! Crispy baked tortilla chips, topped with juicy ground beef, gooey cheese, fresh lettuce, Pico de Gallo, sour cream, and guacamole make for a fun family dinner that everyone will devour.
Serve with the optional cilantro, lime juice, or hot sauce for an even more vibrant flavor, or customize these nachos to your personal preference. That’s the beauty of these easy beef nachos!
why you’ll love ’em!
- Easy to customize to your liking.
- Made with easy steps and simple ingredients.
- The PERFECT ratio of tortilla chips, cheese, beef, and toppings.
- Full of delicious flavor and texture.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ground beef: use whatever kind of ground beef you like! We used 85% lean ground beef.
- Avocado oil: we used avocado oil as it’s a healthier, heart-friendly alternative to olive oil. Either works, though!
- Onion: cooking ground beef with onion intensifies the flavor of the beef.
- Taco seasoning: We used our homemade taco seasoning to season the ground beef. But seasoning packets work well, too!
- Tomato sauce: tomato sauce gives the ground beef mixture a dreamy texture and flavor, perfect for absorbing all the taco seasoning.
- Tortilla chips: use your favorite brand of tortilla chips! However, we recommend a thicker tortilla chip, so they don’t break under the toppings.
- Cheddar cheese: shredded cheddar cheese is an excellent melty cheese and has a great pungent flavor.
- Shredded lettuce: a sprinkle of shredded lettuce provides the perfect amount of freshness to balance out the heavier, savory flavors.
- Pico de Gallo: another great topping to freshen and lighten up this dish.
- Sour cream: a staple topping for nachos, sour cream elevates this appetizer to a whole other level!
- Guacamole: holy guacamole, indeed. Ya gotta love some creamy guac with some nachos!
Optional Garnishes
- Cilantro: if you are team cilantro, adding it to your nachos really deepens the flavors.
- Lime juice: a little acidity can take your nachos to the next level.
- Hot sauce: want a kick of heat? Add as much hot sauce to your heart’s content.
How to Make Ground Beef Nachos
COOK BEEF + ONIONS
Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then add the diced onion and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
ADD SEASONING
Next, add the taco seasoning and tomato sauce and cook for another minute. Set aside.
ASSEMBLE NACHOS
Set the oven to broil and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spread the tortilla chips out and spread the beef mixture all over the chips. Then sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top.
BROIL
Broil your nachos for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
ADD TOPPINGS, GARNISH + SERVE
Finish by topping the nachos with lettuce, pico, sour cream, guacamole, or any of your other favorite toppings. Serve immediately.
Enjoy your tasty nachos!
Fun Nacho Topping Ideas
As much as we love classic nacho toppings, sometimes it’s fun to switch things up with different textures and flavors! Here are some of our favorite nacho toppings:
- black beans or refried beans
- corn
- queso
- jalapeños
- mango salsa
- olives
- onions
- salsa verde
- tomatoes
- bell peppers
- chipotle mayo
FAQs
Use your favorite tortilla chip for this easy beef nachos recipe! We recommend using a sturdy tortilla chip so that the chip doesn’t crumble when you add the toppings to the top of the chip!
Cheddar is the way to go! Whether that’s white cheddar, yellow cheddar, sharp cheddar, or mild cheddar, any of these types of cheddar cheese melts beautifully and has a richer taste. However, Monterey jack is a close second for us!
No one wants soggy nachos! To prevent this travesty, sprinkle your shredded cheese on top of the tortilla chips and bake them in the oven for a few minutes. The melted cheese will act as a buffer between the chips and fresh toppings.
Storage
Nachos are tricky to store as leftovers, but it CAN be done with a little finessing. Once cooled, remove the cold and hot toppings from your chips, separating them into different airtight containers. Then place your chips in another separate container. Store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days until ready to eat.
To reheat your beef nachos, add all the toppings except the fresh/cold toppings. Place your nachos in a single layer in a baking tray and heat them in the oven at 300°F for about 10 minutes.
Easy Beef Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 lb. 85% ground beef
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 5 oz. tortilla chips, round or triangles
- 4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese, ~1 cup
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- 8 oz. pico de gallo
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup guacamole
Optional Garnishes
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh lime juice
- Hot sauce
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and the ground beef. Cook for 3-4 minutes, and then add the diced onion. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the taco seasoning and tomato sauce and cook for another minute. Set aside.
- Set the oven to broil and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the tortilla chips out. Spread the beef mixture all over the chips. Then, sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top. Broil for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Top the nachos with lettuce, pico, sour cream, and guacamole. Serve immediately.
Tips & Notes
- Make this vegetarian by adding 1 bell pepper diced with the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then, add 1 15 oz. can of black or pinto beans and cook for 1-2 minutes before adding the seasoning and tomato sauce.
- You can swap equal amounts of ground turkey or chicken for ground beef.
- Swap the shredded cheese with a queso dip. Use 1 cup (~8oz) of cheese sauce and follow step 4.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Don’t forget to tag your posts on social media with the hashtag #cheeseknees, we’d love to see what you’re up to!
