Crispy tortilla chips, seasoned ground beef, and all your favorite toppings come together in these sheet pan nachos. Get ready for a fiesta of flavors!
When I worked at a Tex-Mex restaurant, nachos were my best friend. I made a million different versions of them — it was like creating a nacho masterpiece with all the hot and cold toppings. Something about the crunch of the chips with the gooey cheese and punch of flavor from the toppings… oh, it’s heavenly.
What I love most about nachos is the customizability. They can be as plain and simple as you want, or you can create a whole meal with protein and veggies. However you spin it, nachos are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Do you have 15 minutes? Whip up a batch of homemade air fryer tortilla chips for a 3-ingredient crunch!
How To Make Sheet Pan Nachos
I don’t know about you, but when I have guests coming over, I’m looking for a quick and simple recipe. These sheet pan nachos are exactly that — they take only 15 minutes of prep and a few easy steps!
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Brown the beef: Cook the beef on a skillet over medium-high heat until it is browned.
- Add the seasoning and beans: Add the taco seasoning, water, and refried beans to the beef. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then turn off the heat and set the pan aside.
- Start layering: Arrange half of the tortilla chips on the prepared baking sheet. Add half of the ground beef mixture, cheese, and jalapeños. Layer on the remaining half of the chips and toppings.
- Bake the nachos: Bake the nachos for 6-8 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Add any other toppings you like and enjoy!
Hot tip: If you’re planning to save leftovers, hold off on adding extra toppings until after you reheat the nachos.
The Best Nacho Toppings
I consider myself a bit of a nacho connoisseur (if such a position even exists), so you’ve come to the right place for inspiration. Over many years of testing different combos, here are my favorite toppings to load onto nachos.
- Ground beef: My family loves protein — that means I’m always looking for a way to incorporate it into snacks, meals, etc. With this recipe, ground beef was the winner. If you prefer, use ground chicken, turkey, or pork instead.
- Jalapeños: I crave a good kick of heat sometimes, so adding jalapeños to my nachos is a no-brainer. Use fresh peppers for the strongest spice, or go with canned or pickled jalapeños for a slightly milder taste.
- Olives: Scatter sliced black olives onto your nachos for a rich, umami flavor.
- Beans: Refried beans are the go-to for nachos, but feel free to drain and rinse a can of black, pinto, or cannellini beans instead.
- Corn: Balance out the savory with a can of sweet corn, or go the extra mile and add your own grilled corn!
- Lettuce: Wondering where the greens are? Here’s your opportunity to add a fresh crunch with shredded iceberg lettuce. To prevent sogginess, add the lettuce on top of the nachos only after they’re baked or keep it on the side.
- Tomatoes: Chop up fresh tomatoes, or use a can of fire-roasted tomatoes for a hint of smoky flavor.
- Pico de gallo: Mmmm… this is one of my favorites. Pico de gallo adds a fresh tanginess that cuts through the richness of the cheese perfectly.
- Salsa con queso: Salsa con queso is essentially a creamier version of salsa made with cheese. It’s a little spicy, ultra-flavorful, and amazing on nachos — I usually find it with the rest of the jarred salsa in the grocery store.
- Guacamole: Add creamy guacamole to offset the crunch of the chips.
- Sour cream: Sour cream is a rich and delicious complement to spicy food!
Tips For Amazing Sheet Pan Nachos
I have a few restaurant secrets to producing the best nachos of your life… are you ready to step up your game?
- Choose your chips wisely. Restaurant-style tortilla chips are extra crunchy, which means they hold up to the toppings well. If you’re looking for a better-for-you version, Siete chips work too (although I’ll admit they’re not as tasty as the restaurant ones!).
- Grate the cheese yourself. Not only does freshly grated cheese taste better, it melts more evenly than pre-shredded cheese (which contains a lot of additives). Use a combo of Monterey Jack, Asadero, cheddar, or queso quesadilla cheese.
- Arrange the chips in a single layer. This ensures every chip gets covered with the yummy toppings.
- Distribute the toppings evenly. For flavor in each bite, do your best to cover the entire tray of chips with an equal amount of toppings. I like the squeezable sour cream in a tube, but if you can’t find that, use a ziplock bag to make your own “piping bag.” Simply spoon the sour cream into the bag, cut off a corner, and squeeze it onto the nachos in a zig-zag pattern.
- Dig in right away. Nothing compares to nachos fresh out of the oven! I don’t recommend keeping leftovers, as the chips become soggy over time.
More Tex-Mex Recipes
- Mexican Street Corn Salad — Grilled corn, cheese, and jalapeños tossed in a creamy lime sauce
- Burrito Bowl — A bed of warm rice topped with all the burrito works
- Steak Fajitas — Steak strips, peppers, and onions seasoned and sautéed until golden
- Chicken Tostada Salad — Ground chicken and veggies in a crispy tortilla bowl
Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 oz tortilla chips restaurant style
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup water
- 16 oz refried beans
- 4 cups Mexican cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup jalapeno peppers sliced
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Heat a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the beef, then add the water and refried beans.
- Stir everything to combine and bring the mixture to a light simmer. Then, turn off the heat.
- On the baking sheet, disperse half of the tortilla chips. Layer on half of the ground beef mixture, cheese, and jalapeños. Then, add the remainder of the chips, beef, cheese, and jalapeños on top.
- Bake the nachos in the oven for about 6-8 minutes, or until they are heated through and the cheese is melted.
- Top the nachos with your favorite toppings, like pico de gallo, sour cream, and cilantro. Serve warm and enjoy!
No Comments