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Easy Nachos

Easy nachos piled with tortilla chips and a melty cheese blanket, then topped so every layer stays visible. Loaded nachos with seasoned ground beef, beans, jalapeños, and fresh toppings make a fast party food spread.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 920
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Tortilla chips
  • 1 large bag tortilla chips
Cheese
  • 3 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
Ground beef
  • 1 lb ground beef
Taco seasoning
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
Black beans
  • 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
Jalapeños
  • 0.25 sliced jalapeños
Tomatoes
  • 0.5 cup diced tomatoes
Black olives
  • 0.25 cup sliced black olives
Sour cream
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
Guacamole
  • 0.25 cup guacamole
Salsa
  • 0.5 cup salsa
Fresh cilantro
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
  • 1 lime wedges

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook the beef
  1. Brown ground beef in a skillet, breaking it up until no longer pink. Add taco seasoning and cook according to the package directions.
Build the nachos
  1. Spread tortilla chips on a sheet pan in an even layer, so each chip has a chance to crisp slightly. Sprinkle half the cheese over the chips.
  2. Add the seasoned beef, black beans, and sliced jalapeños over the chips in an even distribution. Top with the remaining cheese.
Melt the cheese
  1. Broil for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly with browned spots. Watch closely to avoid burning the chips.
Add fresh toppings and serve
  1. Remove from the oven and immediately top with diced tomatoes, sliced black olives, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. Keep the toppings visible over the cheese layer.
  2. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side. Finish right away so the chips stay crisp.

Notes

Pro tip: broil at the upper rack and keep an eye on the last 2 minutes—melted cheese should bubble, not brown too hard. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 2 days; chips will soften, but flavors remain good. Freezing is not recommended. For a lighter option, use lean ground beef and reduce cheese to 2 cups (still layered for good melt).