Baked Nachos with Ground Beef (Printable)

Crispy chips layered with seasoned beef, melted cheese, and vibrant toppings—perfect for sharing and entertaining.

# 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 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant
03 - Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking apart with a spoon, approximately 5 minutes
04 - Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Add tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat
05 - Arrange half the tortilla chips on a large baking sheet or oven-safe platter. Top with half the beef mixture and half the cheeses. Layer remaining chips, beef, and cheese
06 - Bake in the oven for 8–10 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 avocado. Serve hot with sour cream and salsa on the side

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in 30 minutes, so you can go from hungry to happy before anyone gets impatient.
  • The layering trick ensures every chip gets its fair share of toppings instead of leaving sad naked chips at the bottom.
  • You can double or triple this without any extra effort, making it perfect when friends show up unannounced.
  • Leftovers reheat surprisingly well for breakfast with a fried egg on top.
02 -
  • Don't skip the layering step or you'll end up with all the good stuff on top and plain chips underneath.
  • Use two kinds of cheese because cheddar alone can get greasy and Monterey Jack alone lacks sharpness.
  • Add the fresh toppings after baking, not before, or they'll turn soggy and sad.
  • Let the beef cool for a minute before layering so it doesn't make the chips limp from steam.
03 -
  • Use a rimmed baking sheet so nothing slides off when you pull it out of the oven.
  • Warm your tortilla chips in the oven for a minute before layering if they've gone stale.
  • Drizzle a little lime juice over the finished nachos for a bright, tangy finish that ties everything together.
  • Keep a damp towel nearby because eating nachos is messy and wonderful and completely worth it.
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