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Home Mexican Recipes

Ripper Beef Nachos

By:Nagi
Published:22 Jan '16Updated:18 Feb '20
93 Comments
Recipe v Video v

Not just another beef nachos….the 5 minute, all-natural nachos cheese sauce is what makes this a RIPPER nachos! Plus, my “rules” for how to construct the perfect nachos. 🙂

Ripper Beef Nachos - The secret to the ultimate nachos is a 5 ingredient, 5 minute Nachos Cheese sauce!

My Rules for How To Make the Perfect Nachos

Rule #1: The Nachos Cheese Sauce ensures even coverage of cheesy goodness on every single chip which you simply can’t achieve just by using grated cheese. Unless you use an inordinate amount of it! Remember: A corn chip without cheese on it is just a chip – not nachos!

Beef Nachos - made this for book club, everyone went WILD over it!! The cheese sauce is what makes it!!!

Ripper Beef Nachos - The secret to the ultimate nachos is a 5 ingredient, 5 minute Nachos Cheese sauce!

Rule #2: Hot and cold must be separated. Never dump cold guacamole and sour cream on top of hot melted cheese. It will set instantly. Nobody wants nachos with cold cheese. So serve cold toppings on the side!

Rule #3: Use a sturdy corn chip. Now is not the time to use no-brand corn chips! Nobody likes soggy chips and nobody likes chips that break when you score one that is gloriously loaded!

(PS Please note, my hands are extra swollen and puffy in this photo because it was a stinking hot, humid day in Sydney and I have no air conditioning!!! 😉 )

(PPS Oh my. I forgot to put the Pico de Gallo on. Shock horror, I skipped the veggies.)

Ripper Beef Nachos - The secret to the ultimate nachos is a 5 ingredient, 5 minute Nachos Cheese sauce!

Rule #4: Freshly grated cheese will melt better….just sayin’….

Rule #5: Homemade seasoning for the beef is better than store bought….just sayin’…..

Rule #6: Build the nachos in single layers to ensure that you don’t end up with a pile of corn chips with no toppings. No one’s interested in plain corn chips at a time like this!

Rule #7: Don’t overbake! The trick is to just melt the cheese and warm the nachos all the way through without burning the corn chips (or – gasp, shock horror – the cheese!).

Ripper Beef Nachos - The secret to the ultimate nachos is a 5 ingredient, 5 minute Nachos Cheese sauce!

Extra Rules

Rule #8: Nachos must not be made when alone. Too dangerous.

Rule #9: Beer and/or wine (preferably both) must be present.

Rule #10: No cutlery.

Now that we’re all clear on the rules, here’s the recipe! 😉 – Nagi x

What are YOUR Nachos Rules? Tell me below, and I’ll add them to my list!!! 😉

PS For something a little different, try this Nachos Pie! It’s everything you know and love about nachos – in pie form!

Ripper Beef Nachos - The secret to the ultimate nachos is a 5 ingredient, 5 minute Nachos Cheese sauce!

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Ripper Beef Nachos - The secret to the ultimate nachos is a 5 ingredient, 5 minute Nachos Cheese sauce!

Ripper Beef Nachos

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 35 mins
Dinner, Game Day, Party
Tex-Mex
4.97 from 28 votes
Servings8 -12
Tap or hover to scale
Print
The nachos cheese sauce takes 5 minutes to make and will take your nachos to the next level, ensuring even coverage of cheese goodness over every chip! You can substitute the homemade Nachos Seasoning with 1 packet store bought taco seasoning.

Ingredients

Beef

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 onion , finely chopped
  • 1 lb / 500g ground beef (mince)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp water

Nachos Seasoning

  • 1 tsp each onion powder (Note 1), dried oregano, salt
  • 2 tsp each dried cumin powder , paprika
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper , or to taste

Nachos

  • 14 oz / 400g corn chips , good quality (Note 2)
  • 2 cups grated cheese (cheddar, tasty, gruyere, Monterey Jack)
  • 1 quantity Nachos Cheese Sauce , warm (Note 3)

Sides/Garnish

  • Sliced scallions / shallots
  • 1 quantity Proper Guacamole , Restaurant Style
  • 1 quantity Pico de Gallo (Note 4)
  • Sour cream

Instructions

  • Beef: Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook until translucent. Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go. Once beef is cooked, add Nachos Seasoning, tomato paste and water. Cook for a further 2 minutes, then set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
  • Spread half the corn chips in a single layer on a baking tray. Drizzle over about 1 cup Nachos Cheese Sauce (see KEY TIPS in Note 3), top with 1/2 the Beef and 1/2 the grated cheese ensuring most of the Cheese Sauce is covered.
  • Spread over remaining corn chips, drizzle over remaining Nachos Cheese Sauce, Beef and grated cheese, again ensuring all the Cheese Sauce is covered.
  • Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
  • Serve immediately, garnished with sliced scallions/shallots if using and with Guacamole, Pico de Galloand Sour Cream on the side.

Recipe Notes:

1. Onion powder can be substituted with garlic powder.
2. Use sturdy corn chips, not thin ones. Otherwise they will get soggy! My favourite (I'm in Sydney, Australia) are the Nature's Earth Corn Chips from Harris Farms. Otherwise plain Doritos are fine.
3. The Nachos Cheese Sauce is my secret that takes this Nachos to the next level! It ensures even coverage of cheese on all the chips! Make sure it is warm so it's pourable.
If you make it ahead, just reheat in the microwave (easier than stove). DO NOT thin with milk or water, otherwise you will make it watery and it will make the chips soggy.
Use a pouring jug for even coverage. And lastly, try not to have any of the Nachos Cheese Sauce exposed for baking i.e. cover it as much as you can with beef, grated cheese or corn chips. Reason is that even though it is made with all-natural ingredients i.e. no processed cheese, it melts in the oven like processed cheese i.e. a skin forms and it turns brown very quickly.
4. Simple Pico de Gallo - toss together diced deseeded tomatoes, finely chopped red onion, chopped cilantro/coriander, lime juice, salt and pepper.
5. Nutrition: Sorry guys, can’t bring myself to calculate the nutrition for this! ?
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

PS Little video I made for the Nachos Cheese Sauce, also including this Nachos!

 

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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93 Comments

  1. Colleen Emory says

    February 7, 2021 at 2:01 am

    Love your comments in your rules – very entertaining!

    Reply
  2. Sue Drain says

    January 18, 2021 at 8:04 pm

    I can’t abide Nachos made with the big brands – far too salty for me! I second Natures Earth for freshness and taste, and I use the unsalted or lightly salted.

    Reply
  3. Cath says

    December 31, 2020 at 4:28 pm

    Hi Nagi. I made the cheese sauce and it’s super good! I had to control myself from always tasting while making it.😁 By the way, just want to ask if there’s really no salt that must be added to the ground beef?

    Reply
  4. Jane says

    November 17, 2020 at 7:37 am

    5 stars
    Needed a recipe to use some of your slow cooker pulled pork leftovers so did this tonight. Also did all of the sides and it was amazing. Used the scale for 2 and it was so filling because of the amazing sides that we now have some for lunch tomorrow too. Another great one Nagi x

    Reply
  5. Joanna says

    July 24, 2020 at 7:56 pm

    5 stars
    Nachos is a weekly staple in our house but I normally use a seasoning mix from the supermarket. Started browning the mince and realised I didn’t have any seasoning so I rush to the computer – Nagi will not fail me – and there it is, the nachos recipe and I even have ALL the ingredients. Eating now, so much nicer than the bought stuff. I added black beans because it is a cheap and tasty filler, and a tin of chopped tomatoes, just because that’s what I normally do. Thank you. 😀

    Reply
  6. Kate says

    July 17, 2020 at 3:08 pm

    5 stars
    Loved this recipe! Regular nachos cooker but the tips made this knockout with the whole family. I made the cheesy sauce (was hesistant about adding this in) but you were absolutely right and this was a game change.

    I also made the guac and it was fabulous as well. So far 100% success rate with your recipes

    Reply
  7. Tim says

    July 2, 2020 at 8:48 pm

    5 stars
    Love this recipe as well as the nacho cheese sauce. Added capsicum and olives to the meat as well

    Reply
  8. Kylie says

    July 1, 2020 at 1:51 pm

    When my son requested nachos I knew I needed a good one. First time making them and the result was amazing and an absolute keeper. That cheese sauce was super and so easy to make too.

    Reply
  9. Miriam says

    July 19, 2019 at 6:34 pm

    Hi! Yet another recipe I’m looking forward to making (doing some batch cooking before baby #3 comes and most of the meals are from your blog!). I was thinking of adding beans to this to bulk it up, and I’m wondering what type you would recommend and would it be necessary to alter anything else in the recipe? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 20, 2019 at 3:09 pm

      Hi Miriam, perfect idea, I’d just add some black beans to it to bulk it up!

      Reply
  10. Sharon Rausch says

    May 4, 2019 at 5:00 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for sharing great post very detailed explanation about competitor Keyword and learned somethings new.

    Reply
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