Baked Nachos with Ground Beef (Printable Copy)

Crispy chips layered with seasoned beef, melted cheese, and vibrant toppings. Perfect for sharing in 30 minutes.

# What You 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 fresh cilantro, chopped
20 - 1 avocado, diced
21 - 1/2 cup sour cream
22 - 1/2 cup salsa

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, sautéing for 2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking apart with a spoon, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black 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 combined cheeses. Layer remaining chips, beef, and cheese.
06 - Bake for 8 to 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 diced avocado. Serve hot with sour cream and salsa on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under half an hour, so you can go from craving to crunching without the wait.
  • The layering trick means every chip gets its share of beef and cheese, not just the top ones.
  • Toppings stay fresh and bright because they go on after baking, not during.
  • It scales up or down easily, whether youre feeding two or twelve.
02 -
  • Layer your nachos instead of piling everything on top, or you will end up with naked chips at the bottom and a soggy mess on top.
  • Do not add wet toppings like tomatoes or avocado before baking, or they will turn mushy and make the chips limp.
  • Use two kinds of cheese for the best melt and flavor, one for sharpness and one for stretchiness.
  • Let the beef cool for a minute before layering so it does not make the chips soggy from steam.
03 -
  • Warm your serving platter in the oven for a minute before loading it with nachos so they stay hot longer at the table.
  • Shred your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded, it melts smoother and does not have that weird coating.
  • If you have leftovers, reheat them in the oven at 350°F for five minutes instead of the microwave to keep the chips crispy.
  • Make a double batch of seasoned beef and freeze half for next time, then nachos become a fifteen-minute meal.
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