Baked Nachos with Ground Beef (Printable)

Crispy chips layered with seasoned beef, melted cheese, fresh tomatoes, jalapeños, and creamy toppings for sharing.

# 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 diced cherry tomatoes
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 diced red onion
19 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
20 - 1 avocado, diced
21 - 1/2 cup sour cream
22 - 1/2 cup salsa

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 400°F and allow to reach temperature.
02 - Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add ground beef and cook until completely browned, breaking apart with spoon, approximately 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - Arrange half the tortilla chips on large baking sheet or oven-safe platter. Top with half the beef mixture and half the combined cheeses. Layer remaining chips, beef mixture, and cheese.
05 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until cheese is fully melted and bubbling.
06 - Remove from oven and immediately top with diced cherry tomatoes, black beans, sliced olives, jalapeños, and red onion.
07 - Garnish with fresh cilantro and diced avocado. Serve immediately with sour cream and salsa on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks on one pan, which means less cleanup and more time grabbing seconds before theyre gone.
  • You can pile on whatever toppings you love or skip the ones you dont, making it yours every single time.
  • The cheese gets crispy at the edges and gooey in the middle, creating textures that make every bite different.
  • Its ready in half an hour, so you can go from hungry to happy without much waiting.
02 -
  • Layer the chips and toppings instead of piling everything on top, or youll end up with naked chips at the bottom and a soggy mess on top.
  • Dont skip preheating the oven or the cheese will take forever to melt and your chips will lose their crunch while they wait.
  • Add the fresh toppings after baking, not before, so they stay bright and dont turn into sad, wilted versions of themselves.
03 -
  • Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded because it melts smoother and doesnt have that weird coating that keeps it from clumping.
  • Taste the beef mixture before you layer it and adjust the salt or spice so you know its perfect before its buried under cheese.
  • Use a rimmed baking sheet to catch any cheese that bubbles over, saving you from a smoky oven and a scrubbing session later.
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