Beef Nacho Platter All Toppings (Printable)
Crispy chips topped with seasoned beef, melted cheese, and fresh veggies for a crowd-pleasing Tex-Mex dish.
# What You Need:
→ Beef mixture
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp chili powder
07 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
11 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
12 - 1/4 cup water
→ Nacho base
13 - 10 oz tortilla chips
14 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
15 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
→ Toppings
16 - 1 cup diced cherry tomatoes
17 - 1 cup rinsed and drained black beans
18 - 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
19 - 1/2 cup sliced pickled jalapeños
20 - 1 avocado, diced
21 - 1/2 cup sour cream
22 - 1/2 cup guacamole
23 - 1/2 cup salsa
24 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
25 - 1/4 cup sliced black olives
26 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
27 - Lime wedges for serving
# Directions:
01 - Set the oven to 400°F to prepare for baking.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add finely chopped onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic, cooking for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon, and cook until fully browned and no longer pink, roughly 5 minutes.
05 - Mix in ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute to release the spices' aroma.
06 - Incorporate tomato paste and water, stirring thoroughly; simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
07 - Arrange half of the tortilla chips on a large ovenproof platter or baking sheet, then evenly distribute half of the beef mixture followed by half of both cheeses.
08 - Top the initial layer with the remaining chips, beef, and cheeses to complete the arrangement.
09 - Place the assembled nachos in the oven and bake 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese melts and bubbles.
10 - Remove from oven and scatter diced cherry tomatoes, black beans, red onion, jalapeños, avocado, black olives, and green onions over the melted cheese.
11 - Spoon sour cream, guacamole, and salsa atop the nachos, then garnish with chopped cilantro.
12 - Offer lime wedges alongside for squeezing just before eating.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It comes together in under 35 minutes from cold kitchen to golden, bubbling platter.
- You can prep every topping in advance and let people build their own flavor combinations.
- One dish feeds a room full of people without making you feel like you cooked all night.
02 -
- Don't put the fresh avocado or sour cream on before baking or they'll get weird and greasy—every topping that isn't cheese or beef goes on after the platter comes out of the oven.
- The double-layer approach means every chip has substance, but it also means you need that sauce from the tomato paste or the bottom layer will stay dry and sad.
03 -
- Prep all your toppings before you start cooking the beef—once the cheese is melted and bubbling, you have about 3 minutes before it starts to set, and you don't want to be chopping cilantro at that moment.
- If you're feeding a crowd and worried about nachos getting cold, make individual portions on small plates or shallow bowls instead of one giant platter, then top them seconds before serving.