Posted Jan 16, 2020, Updated Apr 13, 2024 Our family eats copious amounts of Mexican food. It’s my kids’ favorite cuisine (right up there with pizza and mac and cheese), and they always get excited when I tell them that this nachos recipe is for dinner!  This isn’t your average nachos recipe. These are the best beef nachos you will ever eat! What makes this recipe so special is that there isn’t one, but two layers of cheese, which holds everything together in pure loaded nacho bliss.  Plus, the meat in these baked nachos is seasoned with a homemade taco seasoning that imparts just the right amount of flavor and spice! Add your favorite toppings and these Mexican nachos are the perfect game day appetizer or easy weeknight dinner!

Nachos Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

This easy nachos recipe is really simple to make, and highly customizable! So we’ll spend a minute chatting about the ingredients before diving into how to make nachos! I’ll discussing nacho toppings later on in the post! 

Ground Beef. I recommend using a ground beef that 85% lean or higher. Ground turkey and ground chicken also work great. Please note, if you use a leaner ground beef or ground turkey or chicken, you will need to use 1 Tablepoon olive oil to brown the meat!  Seasonings. I included my favorite, homemade taco seasoning mixture for 1 pound of ground beef. Note: It is NOT spicy. If you like spicy increase the chili powder to your liking. You substitute the homemade seasoning for 1 Tablespoon of a pre-made taco seasoning, just be sure it doesn’t contain salt. And if it does, omit the salt from the recipe.  Onion. I love using red onion to make these Mexican nachos because the pop of color is so pretty. Yellow and white onions also work well!  Minced Garlic. Sautéing the garlic with the meat and onion makes the meat perfectly flavorful. If you don’t keep minced garlic on hand, add 1 tsp garlic powder to the taco seasoning mixture instead.  Chips. Use an 8 oz bag of your favorite tortilla chips that comply with your dietary needs!  Cheddar cheese. People often wonder, “What is the best cheese for nachos?” I personally love sharp cheddar. Other delicious options are Colby jack, a Mexican cheese blend or pepper jack for a little spice. You can make this cheese sauce too!

How to Make Nachos

This nachos recipe is so simple to make, but I have a few tricks that make it truly the best nachos recipe ever. Don’t forget to watch the video for the step-by-step process too! 

Make the Seasoning Blend

The first step in making this beef nachos recipe to make the seasoning blend. Simply put all the spices together in a small bowl, stir to combine and set aside to use to season the ground beef!

Cook the Meat

Once the spices are prepared, cook the meat, onion and garlic together in a non-stick fry pan or cast iron skillet. Remember, if using an especially lean ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken to make these easy nachos, then you will need to add 1-2 TBS olive oil with the meat, onion and garlic to make sure it browns.   Conversely, if you’re using a meat that is 85% lean or below, you may need to pause and drain excess fat from the meat during this step. Drain excess fat before adding the seasoning, or else you run the risk of draining off some of the seasoning too!  Once the ground beef just begins to brown, add the seasoning mixture and lime juice and stir until they are evenly distributed. Cover the mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned.  Set the cooked ground beef mixture aside while you assemble the nachos! 

Assemble the Ground Beef Nachos

A lot of people wonder, “How do you assemble nachos?” And I’m here to show you our method that results in irresistibly cheesy, delicious loaded nachos that hold together and don’t fall apart!  The key to great nachos is two layers of cheese. Start by placing a layer of chips on the bottom of a baking dish or baking sheet. Next, cover the chips with a generous layer of cheese.  Add some corn and black beans on top of the first layer of cheese. Then add the cooked ground beef mixture and spread it out evenly over the first cheese layer.  Note: If you love refried beans in your nachos, add them to this layer by spreading them over the ground beef or mixing them into the ground beef before spreading it on top of the cheese. I love refried beans (especially these homemade refried black beans), but my husband doesn’t like them, so I didn’t include them in this recipe! 😉 Now, add a second layer of cheese. Again, this is critical to make nachos that don’t fall apart when they are served! Sprinkle with some more corn and black beans and put it in the oven! 

Bake 

Bake the assembled nachos at 375 degrees F for 7-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. 

Add Toppings

Add your favorite toppings (discussed below) and serve! This nachos recipe makes the perfect appetizer for game day or a Cinco De Mayo party. It’s also a great easy weeknight meal that everyone in our family loves!

Nacho Toppings

What do you put on nachos? We have our favorite toppings but the sky is the limit! Here are some suggestions: 

Salsa – this easy homemade salsa is our favorite! diced tomatoes or baby tomato halves Guacamole – try this best easy guacamole recipe!  corn fresh cilantro refried beans (try these homemade refried black beans)  sliced black olives diced onion avocado sour cream hot peppers (if you like spicy)!

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