Macho Nachos

What You’ll Need

Here’s a look at the ingredients that go into macho nachos. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.

• Ground beef – You can use whatever meat you like, but I’m featuring ground beef here. Zorbaz restaurant offers two choices: ground beef or shredded chicken.
• Taco seasoning – Use your favorite taco seasoning, or try my homemade green taco seasoning (a big-time family favorite!).
• Water – Add this to the beef and taco seasoning and let it simmer, to flavor the beef.
• Vegetable oil – To grease the pan, to reduce sticking.
• Tortilla chips – Use your favorite corn tortilla chips.
• Colby-Jack cheese – I like to use shredded Colby-Jack cheese or a Mexican blend of cheese.
• Black beans – This popular taco topping adds texture, flavor, and protein.
• Tomatoes – I like to use chopped plum tomatoes or sliced grape tomatoes, but you can use whatever kind you like.
• Black olives – Use sliced ripe black olives for this recipe, not Kalamata or Greek olives.
• Red onion – This adds a crunchy bite. You could also add my pickled red onions for extra tangy flavor.
• Pickled jalapenos – Pick up some from the store or make your own pickled jalapeno slices.
• Sour cream – I always use full-fat sour cream, for better flavor and texture, but a reduced fat version is also fine.
• Cilantro – This herb is famous with tacos.
• Salsa – My restaurant-style salsa is easy to make and perfect for dipping. I also offer a few more homemade salsa options below in the “What to Serve with Nachos” section.

• Top with beef and beans. Add half of the seasoned beef and half of the beans.

• Repeat layering. Then repeat the same layering one more time with the remaining chips, cheese, beef, and black beans.

• Finish & bake. Finally, sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese over the top. Then bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melty throughout.
• Top & serve. Remove the pan from the oven and top with tomatoes, black olives, red onion, and pickled jalapeno slices. Add a few dollops of sour cream to the top, then sprinkle chopped cilantro over the top and serve with salsa.

Tips & Variations

Here are a few easy tips and variation ideas to help you make this macho nachos recipe:

• Drain, rinse, and dry the beans. Make sure to drain and rinse the beans – and then I like to take this one step further and let the beans dry on a paper towel before adding them to the chips. This helps prevent the chips from getting soggy as they bake.
• No cast iron pan, no problem. I do love making and serving this macho nachos recipe in a cast iron pan, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry. You can easily make these nachos using a rimmed baking sheet as shown in the photos.
• Watch carefully. Keep an eye on the nachos in the oven, to make sure the cheese is perfectly melty all the way through. And take care to not over bake, as this will make the melted cheese turn hard and overly browned. If needed, cover the top of the pan loosely with foil, making sure that the foil doesn’t touch the cheese, and bake a bit longer until all of the cheese is melted.
• Grill it! We often throw these on the grill, using either a rimmed baking sheet or a cast iron skillet. I love the extra texture that the grill offers.
• Enjoy right away. Baked nachos are absolutely best when enjoyed right away. If you wait too long, the layers cool, including all that melty cheese – it’s simply not the great experience it should be.
• Try another protein. You can absolutely try another protein in place of ground beef, such as ground turkey, ground or shredded chicken, or shredded beef. This is also a great way to use carnitas leftovers – or use pulled pork leftovers to make pulled pork nachos!
• Or make them vegetarian. You can eliminate meat altogether. If so, try adding extra beans to make them a bit more filling.
• Use other vegetables. Sometimes I add chopped sweet peppers, green onions, or jalapenos.

What To Serve With Nachos

Here are a few great serving suggestions:

• More appetizers. For your next appetizer spread, serve macho nachos with a variety of other appetizers such as dill pickle dip, cowboy caviar, sausage cheese balls, and classic ceviche.
• More salsa options. My mom loves to serve cowboy salsa with dishes like this. Black bean salsa, warm salsa, fresh pico de gallo, and roasted chili corn salsa would also be great.
• Another cheesy option. Everyone loves a good melty queso blanco for dipping!
• Add avocado. Serve with chopped avocado or guacamole!
• Pickled things. I already mentioned this earlier, but I think it’s important and delicious enough to repeat! I love to add bright, puckery pickled things to nachos, as it adds such a wonderful flavor contrast. My top picks for this recipe are pickled red onions, pickled jalapanos, and zesty sweet corn relish.
• Mexican-inspired entrees. After you’ve cleared away the pan of macho nachos, serve carnitas burrito bowls, grilled pork and pineapple tacos, or blackened shrimp tacos. Perfection!
• Drinks. Whip up some cocktails to serve with macho nachos! Try a classic margarita or classic gin & tonic, a cucumber mojito, or a cold glass of tequila-spiked ranch water – or explore my whole drinks section for more ideas, including non-alcoholic options like blueberry lemonade.

How To Store Leftovers

Nachos are absolutely best when eaten as soon as they come out of the oven. If you insist on saving any leftovers, here’s what I recommend:

• Fridge – Place the nachos in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• To reheat – Place the macho nachos in an oven-safe dish or on a baking sheet and heat them in a 300°F oven until warmed throughout. Just know that the second time around will not leave these macho nachos with the same awesome texture as when you first made them!

More Easy Appetizer Recipes To Try

• Grilled Shrimp
• Pickle Roll Ups
• Chili Cheese Dip
• Mom’s Shrimp Dip
• Garlic Butter Steak Bites
• Salchipapa (Peruvian sausage and potatoes street food!)