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. 🙂
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!
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.)
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!).
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!!! 😉
- 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
- 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
- 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)
- Sliced scallions / shallots
- 1 quantity Proper Guacamole , Restaurant Style
- 1 quantity Pico de Gallo (Note 4)
- Sour cream
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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.
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Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
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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.
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Spread over remaining corn chips, drizzle over remaining Nachos Cheese Sauce, Beef and grated cheese, again ensuring all the Cheese Sauce is covered.
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Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
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Serve immediately, garnished with sliced scallions/shallots if using and with Guacamole, Pico de Galloand Sour Cream on the side.
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! 😉
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
PS Little video I made for the Nachos Cheese Sauce, also including this Nachos!
Hi Nagi,
Every recipe of yours I make is spot on.
This was another great Sunday afternoon snack, so fresh and delicious.
The work you put into developing and testing your recipes really shows.
Thank you.
I just made it for the first time and it was delicious! I make nachos all the time but this just takes it to another level! The nacho cheese sauce was simple and so creamy and yummy! Thanks for the recipe.
The recipe looks amazing! We have great queso here in Texas, but I can’t wait to try your nacho cheese sauce recipe! Thank you so much for sharing, and for your kind and thoughtful responses. You made my day brighter.
Cheers,
John W.
You DO have great queso in Texas!!! Wish we had queso here in Australia – that’s why I had to figure out how to make a good homemade one! 😂
I like nachos very much. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
That’s so terrific Beth! Thanks for letting me know! N xx ❤️
Hi Nagi, I have been on the hunt for a quick and easy beef recipe for Mexican dishes. This is far and away the winner. I don’t even buy the packet stuff from coles anymore. I have done the nachos and cheese sauce with the guac and they are so delicious also but when I want to do burrito or something I also just use the mince recipe. Thanks for yet a north er winner. I am slowly cooking my way through your site
YES YES YES!!! I am SO PLEASED to hear that. And you totally read my mind, I have beef burritos on my list made pretty much using this beef mince recipe! N xx
Yep! It gets high praise from my husband. I used to feel like I mexiCAN’T but with your recipes I feel like I MexiCAN! Sorry couldn’t resist…
OMG! So delicious! The homemade cheese sauce took these over the edge. I waited to make the recipe when we would have a full house so the two of us would not eat the entire batch! Not a morsel was left, so YUMMY! Thank you so much Nagi for always giving such wonderful instructions and providing great recipes. I have made so many of your recipes, I have lost count!
Greatly appreciate all your efforts!
Forgot to rate the recipe. Sorry!
Happy to hear everyone enjoyed this Laura! Thank you for letting me know! N xx PS Isn’t that cheese sauce just EVERYTHING?? I die x 1 million!
This recipe made our new years eve, many thanks from germany!
High five! So glad you enjoyed it Max, thanks so much for letting me know! N xx
This was absolutely incredible! Definitely making it again!
So glad you enjoyed it Jassett! Thanks for letting me know! N x
Is jarred cheese sauce ok?
Yup, sure is!
mmm i love nachos, this recipe is great. Thanks for sharing.
Simon
Thanks Simon! Hope you give it a go!!! 🙂
Omg – these are amazing. Just made them this evening and family devoured them. Nacho cheese sauce definitely made a difference. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you so much Nic! I’m so glad you loved it!!! I know, isn’t that sauce a killer?? 😉 N x
Nagi, usually I agree with all your recipes and measurements, but you say that this serves 8-12 – well, the six of us wolfed the lot in about 15 minutes, scraped the pan and would have eaten more if we could!! Best nachos ever – I made all the extras and it was just fantastic. Your guacamole was zingy and excellent and that cheese sauce…! We may or may not have licked the pan. So maybe this would serve 8-12 people who are being polite and having dainty servings, but not in my house with friends on a Friday night! YUM! Thank you for yet another wonderful recipe. PS I hope you appreciate that I’m blaming your declared serving sizes rather than our portion sizes…
I’ve wanted to make this since I got the recipe in my email inbox – my son justNACHOS nachos, and the cheese sauce addition will take my usual recipe to the next level. I showed him this page a few days ago and this morning, before he went to school, he said ‘You’re going to have those Nagi nachos ready for me when I come home, right?’ 🙂
Nagi, you are a genius. I typed ‘nachos ‘into the search bar and saw that you’re just the Queen of Nachos Recipes! I want to try them all!
Quick question: are your books available as ebooks and available for Kindle? Because I’d like to order, but postage to South Africa would be prohibitive (although I always to prefer a print book to hold and keep). Second choice would be an electronic version, then.
Keep well and happy cooking!
Awwww, I am so touched that your son calls it Nagi Nachos!!!! 🙂 My books are actually only in electronic form! No print copy 🙂 Hope you have a fabulous weekend!!!
This is the perfect weekend prepare and dig in meal. No fuss with extra deliciousness.
We can just eat air for the rest of the week! 🙂
Yummmm currently printing out the recipe and adding the missing ingredients to my shopping list. Could be Friday or Saturday night dinner 🙂
Can I crash??! 😉