Beef Nachos Jalapenos Cheese (Printable version)
Crunchy chips topped with seasoned beef, melted cheese, and spicy jalapenos in a flavorful Tex-Mex style.
# What you need:
→ Beef
01 - 10 oz ground beef
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Nachos
10 - 7 oz tortilla chips
→ Cheese
11 - 7 oz shredded cheddar cheese
12 - 3.5 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese
→ Toppings
13 - 2 to 3 fresh jalapenos, thinly sliced
14 - 2 tomatoes, diced
15 - 3 tbsp sliced black olives (optional)
16 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - 3.5 oz sour cream (for serving)
18 - 3.5 oz guacamole (for serving)
# How To:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent.
03 - Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in ground beef and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until browned.
04 - Drain excess fat if necessary. Mix in cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for one minute then remove from heat.
05 - Spread tortilla chips evenly on a large ovenproof baking tray.
06 - Distribute the cooked seasoned beef evenly over the tortilla chips.
07 - Sprinkle shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses generously over the beef. Scatter sliced jalapenos, diced tomatoes, and black olives if using on top.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
09 - Remove from oven, garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, and serve immediately with sour cream and guacamole on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's impossible to mess up, comes together in 35 minutes, and tastes like you actually tried.
- Everyone eats them straight off the same plate, which means less cleanup and more connection.
- The spice builds gently from the beef, so even people who think they don't like heat usually end up asking for more.
02 -
- Don't try to pile toppings on chips that haven't been fully heated through—they'll crumble and separate, and you'll end up chasing chips around the plate like they're misbehaving.
- If the cheese isn't melting evenly, it means your oven has hot spots; rotate the tray halfway through next time, or cover it loosely with foil if you see cheese melting faster on one side.
- Adding the cilantro at the very end instead of before baking keeps it bright and fresh-tasting instead of turning it into bitter green dust.
03 -
- Buy pre-shredded cheese if it saves you time, but know that block cheese melts smoother because it doesn't have the anti-caking agents—if you have 10 extra minutes, shred it yourself.
- The key to cheese that doesn't separate or get greasy is melting it at exactly the right temperature for exactly the right time; 8–10 minutes at 200°C (400°F) is that sweet spot, and opening the oven door to peek counts as adding time.