Nachos

Classic Tex-Mex Nachos

A Tex-Mex invention from northern Mexico and the American Southwest, these layered nachos balance crisp chips with molten cheese, spicy jalapeños, warm beans and cool, fresh toppings.

Prep

15 min

Cook

15 min

Total

30 min

Serves

4 (as a shared snack)

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •200 g (7 oz) tortilla chips, thick, restaurant-style, not thin and fragile
• •250 g (9 oz (about 2½ cups grated)) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated from a block for best melt
• •100 g (3½ oz (about 1 cup grated)) Monterey Jack cheese, or use mozzarella for a milder stretch; grated fresh
• •240 g (1 cup) pinto beans or black beans, cooked, drained; canned is fine, rinsed well
• •60 ml (¼ cup) salsa roja or pico de gallo, drained a little so it doesn't soak the chips
• •30 g (about 2 tbsp sliced) pickled jalapeños, or fresh jalapeño slices, seeds removed for less heat
• •120 g (½ cup) sour cream, or Mexican crema for a thinner, tangier finish
• •120 g (½ cup) guacamole, about 1 ripe avocado mashed with lime, salt and a little onion
• •15 g (¼ cup) fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped; optional
• •2 g (½ tsp) ground cumin, for the beans
• •5 ml (1 tsp) lime juice, fresh
• •2 g (½ tsp) fine salt, to taste

Steps

1. 1 Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F and line a large oven-safe platter or sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. 2 Warm the beans: put the drained beans in a small saucepan with the cumin, a pinch of salt and 30 ml (2 tbsp) water. Simmer 4–5 minutes over medium heat, mashing about a third of them with a fork so the mixture holds together. Keep warm.
3. 3 In a bowl, toss the grated cheddar and Monterey Jack together so they're evenly mixed.
4. 4 Spread half the tortilla chips in an even layer on the platter. Scatter half the warm beans and half the cheese over them. Top with the remaining chips, then the remaining beans and cheese. This double layer keeps chips from going soggy under the toppings.
5. 5 Scatter the pickled jalapeño slices over the top of the cheese.
6. 6 Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly at the edges. The chips in the center should still be crisp and the cheese should register at or above 74°C / 165°F if checked with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest spot.
7. 7 Carefully remove the platter from the oven and immediately dollop the salsa, sour cream and guacamole across the top in small spoonfuls so each chip area gets a bit of each (don't stir it in).
8. 8 Squeeze the lime juice over everything, scatter the cilantro, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and serve right away while the cheese is still molten and the chips still crackle.