The Best Nacho Recipe and World Cup (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good homemade nachos? ›

Here are a few extra tips to always keep in mind when making homemade nachos: Prep all ingredients before assembly. In order to prevent soggy nachos, prep all of your ingredients completely first and then quickly layer them on the chips.

Spread out a layer of chips, followed by an even distribution of meat and beans, then lots--I mean lots--of cheese. Complete coverage guarantees you don't commit the cardinal sin of nacho making: the sad chip with no topping. Repeat until you have an impressive tray a few layers high, then bake.

A: While you can technically use any type of cheese for nachos, some cheeses work better than others. The best options include Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, and Queso Blanco.

Limiting the number of ingredients baked with the chips is the key to crispiness. Top chips with no more than two or three toppings. Choose from items such as black beans, refried beans, chopped grilled chicken, seasoned ground beef (browned and drained), or chopped jalapenos.

* Bring refrigerated toppings to room temperature before piling them onto the warm chips. * To prevent the chips from getting soggy, sprinkle grated or crumbled cheese on top and bake them in the oven for a few minutes. When melted, the cheese will act as a buffer between the chips and toppings.

Start with a base of tortilla chips, cheese, salsa, jalapeño, and any warm fillings like meats and veggies. Once the cheese melts, remove from the oven, add another layer, and repeat. This extra step ensures your nachos are well-covered and evenly baked from top to bottom.

The cooking method

Drummond "nukes" the nachos in a microwave and the NYT grills them, but the best results, I find, come from baking, which heats the dish all the way through without making the base layer soft and chewy.

If you feel like revving up your nacho game, try topping them with grilled shrimp, doused in lime juice and some chipotle chili powder. Add grated Monterey Jack, sliced avocado, some seeded and sliced jalapenos and queso fresco to top it off.

Arrange half of tortilla chips onto prepared baking sheet in single layer, overlapping chips slightly. Top with half each of meat mixture, corn and black beans. Top with 2 cups cheese. Repeat Step 3 to create second layer with remaining beef, corn, beans and cheese.

How many layers of chips for nachos? ›

As many as you like. I usually have one layer of chips, then cheese, more chips, meat of choice, choped tomatoes, onion, cliantro, salsa and sour cream. Ingredients: One 16oz Can Refried Beans.

Asadero Cheese

It elicits a subtle tanginess that offers a little more dimension than Oaxaca cheese. Because of its spectacular melting properties, it's an ideal base for queso on nachos, burritos, tacos, enchiladas or any Mexican dish.

We've found that the secret to perfectly velvety-smooth nacho cheese sauce is a combination of keeping the cheese at low temperature while cooking, and the use of sodium citrate (derived from citric acid) and SHMP (sodium hexametaphosphate).

Since then, the unmistakable aroma of Ricos Nacho Cheese Sauce has become synonymous with the joyous spirit of entertainment venues, sports arenas, and movie theaters across the globe.

Be sure to add a layer of aluminum foil or parchment paper to the bottom of your baking sheet before assembling the nachos. This will make clean up easy and prevent the nachos from sticking.

Monitor the Oven Temperature

Another common culprit of soggy nachos is baking them at too low of a temperature. To achieve maximum crispiness, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) or higher. This high heat will help to quickly melt the cheese and crisp up the edges of the chips.