These loaded nachos are cheesy, saucy and fit for dinner, too
Ispent part of the week of Christmas with my partner Joe’s family in Central Ohio. A few nights before the holiday, we all went out to a sports bar for dinner. While watching a variety of games on the televisions — as I am not a sports person, I could not tell you who or what was playing! — we munched on nachos, wings and burgers. The nachos were … fine. But that’s when I realized that I hadn’t had a good plate of nachos in a long while, and I decided I needed to do something about that.
Some might say you don’t need a recipe for nachos. It’s a plate or tray of chips, cheese, meat, beans and whatever other stuff you want to layer on top. If you’re looking for a rough formula instead of a specific recipe, here’s a step-by-step guide.
My ideal platter of Loaded Nachos starts on a sheet pan. I line it with foil, to make cleanup easier. I like to make my own pico de gallo, though you could use another type of salsa, homemade or storebought. Then I make a Mexican-inspired picadillo with ground beef and beans (instead of the usual potatoes). Some of the salsa goes into the meat mixture, along with tomato paste, to ensure it’s saucy, slightly spicy and not dry. While the meat simmers, I shred some cheese — it may look like a lot, but that’s how I like it — and prep all of my garnishes.
When I’m almost ready to serve, I’ll start building the nachos. I start with a layer of chips, followed by a still-warm layer of meat and beans. Then half of the shredded cheese gets piled on top before I add a second layer of chips, meat and cheese. The sheet pan goes into the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until everything is hot and the cheese is melted.
All you have to do then is add a few fresh garnishes. This might be a gametime decision for you, but I like shredded lettuce for a cool crunch, more salsa, pickled jalapeños, chopped cilantro, sour cream, small chunks of avocado and a finishing drizzle of Valentina hot sauce.