Do nachos count as dinner?
In my house, they do, especially on Friday nights when nobody is interested in sitting down to a regular meal.
These loaded cheesy beef nachos have seasoned ground beef, lots of melted cheese, tomatoes, black olives, jalapeños, and salsa. I build them in two layers so you do not end up with all the toppings on top and a pile of plain chips underneath.
They take about 30 minutes to make and are easy to serve straight from the baking sheet. I usually put sour cream, extra salsa, and a few more toppings on the table so everyone can add what they like.
Cheesy Beef Nachos Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- ⅓ cup water
- 10–12 oz sturdy tortilla chips
- 2½ cups shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- ⅓ cup sliced pickled jalapeños
- ½ cup salsa
- Sour cream, for serving, optional
- Chopped cilantro, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, until it begins to soften.
- Add the ground beef. Cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned. Drain any excess grease.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and water. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Spread half of the tortilla chips across the prepared baking sheet. Add half of the beef and half of the shredded cheese.
- Add the remaining chips, followed by the rest of the beef and cheese. Building two layers helps spread the toppings throughout the nachos.
- Bake for 7–10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the edges of the chips are lightly toasted.
- Remove the nachos from the oven. Top with the diced tomato, black olives, jalapeños, and spoonfuls of salsa.
- Serve immediately with sour cream and chopped cilantro, if desired.
Tips
- Use thick tortilla chips so they do not become soggy under the toppings.
- Drain the cooked beef well before adding it to the chips.
- Add the tomato and salsa after baking to keep the nachos crisp.
- Serve the nachos straight from the baking sheet while the cheese is still hot.