Texas Nachos (Printable)
Loaded tortilla chips with spiced beef, melted cheese, and vibrant Tex-Mex toppings ready in 30 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Main Components
01 - 7 oz tortilla chips
02 - 7 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
→ Beef Mixture
03 - 9 oz ground beef
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 clove garlic, minced
06 - 1 tsp chili powder
07 - ½ tsp ground cumin
08 - ½ tsp paprika
09 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Toppings
10 - 1 medium tomato, diced
11 - 1 jalapeño, sliced
12 - 2 tbsp pickled jalapeños, sliced
13 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
14 - ¼ cup sour cream
15 - ¼ cup guacamole or sliced avocado
# How-to Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F for optimal melting.
02 - Heat skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook 4–5 minutes until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
03 - Add chopped onion and garlic to the beef. Sauté 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
04 - Stir in chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 additional minute to bloom spices. Remove from heat.
05 - Arrange half the tortilla chips on a large baking sheet. Top with half the cheese and half the seasoned beef. Repeat with remaining chips, cheese, and beef.
06 - Bake 8–10 minutes until cheese is fully melted and bubbly. Watch closely to prevent burning.
07 - Remove from oven. Top immediately with diced tomato, jalapeños, cilantro, sour cream, and guacamole. Serve while hot and crispy.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- Everything comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you spent all day prep
- The double layer technique means every single chip gets covered in toppings
02 -
- Serve immediately after baking because chips start getting soggy once they hit the toppings
- Draining the beef fat prevents the bottom layer of chips from becoming greasy and limp
03 -
- Sprinkle a handful of cheese directly on the baking sheet before adding chips to create those incredible cheese crisps everyone fights over
- Warm your tortilla chips in the oven for 5 minutes before layering to ensure maximum crunch