Baked Nachos with Ground Beef (View Print Version)

Crispy chips layered with seasoned beef, melted cheese, and vibrant fresh toppings. Ready in just 30 minutes.

# 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

# Method:

01 - Heat 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 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. Layer remaining chips, beef, and cheese
06 - Bake in oven for 8-10 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 Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, no fussing or complicated techniques required.
  • The seasoned beef mixture actually tastes homemade and intentional, not like a shortcut.
  • Everyone gets to build their own flavor combination by choosing which toppings to load up.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time after browning the beef—those two minutes of simmering with spices makes the difference between tasting like seasoning thrown on top versus actually flavored throughout.
  • Fresh toppings go on after baking, not before—putting them on cold chips under hot cheese defeats the whole point of having texture and brightness.
03 -
  • Spread chips in a single layer on the platter before building layers—don't just dump them all at once or you'll have bare spots when people start eating.
  • Taste the seasoned beef before layering and adjust salt and spice level then, not after, since you can't change it once it's baked in.
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