Totally Epic Loaded Nachos
These are the absolute epitome of supreme loaded nachos… a mixture of tortilla and corn chips topped with tons of cheese and all of the best toppings you could imagine! They are sure to become a party staple at your house.
OMG. These nachos. They blew my mind and you need them in your life, too.
We do not make nachos at home very much at all, but we WILL order them when we’re out, which, HA, is not often anymore. But back when we used to go out to eat a lot, amazing-sounding nachos on an appetizer menu was a must-order. They’re the best loaded up with tons of delicious toppings, and these supreme loaded nachos seriously take it over the top.
If you’ve ever wondered how to make utterly fantastic loaded nachos at home, this is your one-stop-shop and ultimate guide for all things nachos. Your friends will beg you to make these over and over again, guaranteed.
Supreme Loaded Nachos
This recipe makes A LOT of nachos… two half sheet pans worth, which is absolutely perfect if you’re having a party. If it’s just two of you, then I would definitely cut the recipe in half!
There are two big keys to these nachos:
#1: Don’t Cram the Pans! Don’t try to stuff all of the chips onto one pan – you’ll end up with a big pile of chips that only have toppings on the very top layer and lots of naked chips underneath. No bueno. By keeping everything in as thin a layer as possible, you guarantee that almost all of the chips will have at least some topping on them.
#2: Don’t Skip the Fritos! This is the very first nachos recipe I’ve ever seen that uses Fritos Scoops in addition to tortilla chips, and seriously, it’s brilliant. That periodical bite of corn chip heaven is sublime. (And if you’re a Frito freak like me, then you’re going to want to put Frito pie on your menu ASAP as well.)
HELLO my little Frito Scoop nacho…
Now, let’s talk about those all important toppings!
Loaded Nachos Toppings
These nachos include just about every imaginable topping you could think of… let’s break them down!
- Cheese! THE most important part of nachos, of course, and there is TONS of it to go around.
- Beans – Two types – refried beans and black beans.
- Taco Meat – Gives the nachos more oomph and taco-seasoned ground beef is a natural add.
- Poblano Pepper – Just the right amount of kick.
- Onion – A sweet Spanish onion is the perfect addition.
- Taco Sauce – I was so surprised (and excited!) to see this on the list because I’ve been putting it on my tacos ever since I was a kid. LOVE the stuff! (p.s. I buy Ortega brand)
- Salsa – You can make your own (my favorite homemade salsa) or use store-bought (our favorite is Frotera Jalapeno-Cilantro)
- Sour Cream – A must!
- Pickled Jalapeños – The smell of these will forever and always remind me of going to hockey games when I was a kid!
- Scallions – Of course.
- Corn – I used frozen corn that was thawed, but if it’s in-season, you can totally use fresh!
- Avocado – Love the addition of avocado, be sure to prep them right before serving (and toss in lime juice) to help keep the browning to a minimum.
- Cilantro – Another classic.
I know, these are A LOT of toppings, but I honestly think they each add a different dimension to the nachos. That being said, you could for sure omit or change any of these based on your personal preferences.
If you’re having a party or serving to other people that you know might be a little picky, you could always take all of the post-broil toppings and make a toppings bar with them, so everyone can grab they’re toasty, cheesy nachos and put as little or as much of the toppings on as they’d like.
Have I totally convinced you to make these nachos yet? Because hoo-boy, I cannot stop talking or thinking about them and I want to make more like, yesterday.
If you’re planning on watching the Super Bowl this weekend, you have the perfect excuse to whip up a batch! Or, you know, if you’re having a Netflix night or a game night, make as much as you need. Just throw your chips and cheese and whatever else you want on, pop them in the oven on broil for a few minutes, then load them up and dig in!
These loaded nachos are life changing, delicious, cheesy, a little spicy, and flat-out amazing. DO IT!
Four years ago: Spinach Dip
Five years ago: Warm Black Bean Dip
Loaded Nachos
Ingredients
- 13 ounce (368.54 g) bag tortilla chips
- 10.5 ounce (297.67 g) bag Fritos Scoops
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (3 cups)
- 16 ounce (453.59 g) can refried beans
- 15 ounce (425.24 g) can black beans, drained
- ½ pound (226.8 g) ground beef, cooked with 1 packet of taco seasoning
- 1 poblano pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
- 1 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
- 16 ounce (453.59 ml) jar taco sauce
- 1½ cups (390 g) salsa
- 2 cups (460 ml) sour cream
- 12 ounce (340.2 g) jar pickled sliced jalapeños, drained
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1½ cups (246 g) frozen corn kernels, thawed
- 2 avocados, chopped
- 1 cup (16 g) coarsely chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to broil.
- Evenly divide the tortilla chips and Fritos between two rimmed half sheet pans. Top the chips evenly with the Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses, then add the refried beans and black beans, the taco-seasoned ground beef, poblano pepper, and onion.
- Broil for 3 to 6 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the cheese and chips start to brown around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and top with the taco sauce, salsa, sour cream, jalapeños, scallions, corn, avocado, and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Feel free to omit or swap out toppings based on your personal preferences.
- You can use 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning + 2/3 cup water to cook your ground beef in lieu of the seasoning packet.
- I'm including all of the original measurements for the toppings, but I didn't use all of the taco sauce or sour cream, just did a drizzle. Totally go based on your personal preferences here!
- If you're serving these immediately, go ahead and add all of the toppings, however if you have folks that might be coming and going (or some picky eaters), you can set up all of the topping ingredients listed after the onion bar-style so people can add their own toppings as they wish.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
You forgot black olives ;-)
I love the Frito addition.
when you cook the ½ pound ground beef with 1 packet of taco seasoning….are you draining the meat after browning and then adding water? or just cooking and leaving the juices mixed with the packet of seasoning
Hi Jenna, If there is a lot of fat I’ll drain, but if it’s leaner meat and not much has cooked off, I don’t. Enjoy!
So.dang.good! THIS is the way to do nachos!Â
Hi, Thanks for sharing this great recipe with us.
I found it difficult to make the recipe. I think I’m messing up the heating process. Can you please specify any specific temperature for this?
Hi William, The oven should be set to broil, which means that the top heating element is used vs a set oven temperature.
These look fantastic, I can’t wait to try these. Thanks
These were AMAZING!!! My whole family gobbled them up, thanks again for another amazing recipe!
Made these last night for super bowl! My guests loved it!!
Hi Michelle, I made a modified version of these tonight, based on what I had on hand…. Awesome– we loved them! Best nachos I’ve ever had. Thanks so much for the great recipe, all the details and instructions! (Go Eagles!)
Delicous and make me hungry:)
the article is good
These look amazing and I can’t wait to make them on Sunday.  I do have a question though.  How do you properly prepare your avocados?  Thanks again for another fantastic recipe. Â
Hi Marla, I just halve the avocado, peel, remove the pit, and then dice. If we’re eating right away, I don’t do anything special. If I need them to stay fresh, I will toss in lime juice.
Thank you!Â
Hi Mitchelle,
Would definitely make out kids loves nachos i am sure they will love it
YASSS! Perfect for Superbowl this weekend!!
Yum! What kind of tortilla do you use? Some are just so salty. Â Any suggestions?Â
Hi Geri, I’ve tried so many different brands of tortilla chips and we always, always end up going back to Tostitos Original Restaurant Style chips… so versatile and seem to hold up well to any type of dip.
Epic really is the only way to describe these nachos. They look SO, SO good. I mean seriously. Impeccable.
Oh yum!! My love language is nachos 😋
You can add the refried beans to the ground beef when it’s cooking. The water will thin them out.
I made similar nachos recently using seasoned chicken. I had a bunch of toppings leftover from burrito bowls. It was the perfect way to use up everything.
These look DELICIOUS!! I am a total nacho freak, love them! I have found that for something like this, shredding my own cheese works better than bagged, pre-shredded cheese. I find the pre-shredded doesn’t melt as well due to the corn starch they add to keep the cheese from clumping. Have you found this to be true as well or are you able to use the pre-shredded and still get good results?
Hi Julie, Thanks! And YES, I’m with you 100% on shredding your own cheese, I always do so when it’s going to be melted in or on anything… infinitely better melting than using pre-shredded.
Glad to hear I am not alone on that one!!! Plus I like to think shredding my own is a good workout for my arms…..even though I know it’s probably not. :)
These look delicious & I love the idea of a topping bar for a crowd. I’m just going to throw out there that we use pulled pork or barbacoa for our meat. Total upgrade, even if non-traditional.Â
Thanks Robby, and I agree – pulled pork or barbacoa would be fantastic additions – thanks for sharing!
Morning Michelle, thanks for this recipe – I love nachos!! I never would have thought of the Frito scoops to add it, that sounds like fun. My question is: the refried beans – do you thin then out so they spread more easily or do you just plop dollops on the chips? I always have problems with them.
Hi Ellen, You’re welcome! I never thought of Fritos either, and they are so phenomenal! The refried beans I just dolloped on top, but you could definitely thin them out first if you’d like them spread out a bit more.
I have a solution for your problem because I used to have the same. Heat up the beans. I like to mix in some grated cheese. Then put in a ziploc snip off the end and drizzle all over.
Hope that helps.
Great idea, Angela! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Angela, I like the sound of that!