Loaded Beef Nachos

- Amanda

Is it the weekend yet? Close enough I think. And maybe just the right time to start dreaming about indulging in something as mouth watering as these Loaded Beef Nachos. A name I’m not sure really does this plate justice. Because it really made all our nacho dreams come true and I’m pretty sure will do the same for you. It’s exactly what our locked down life needs at this point where, quite frankly, we’re all starting to feel pretty over it. But we’re pushing on through as it doesn’t seem to be anywhere near over yet. And in the meantime, we’ll be right here eating these.

This recipe really makes that perfect plate of nachos. You’ve got crunchy chips, ultra smooth nacho sauce, cumin-spiced black beans (though pinto or even kindey will do the trick,) taco-seasoned beef, saucy yogurt, and fresh pico de gallo and guacamole. A little fresh cilantro on top and if you close your eyes you just might feel like you’re in your favorite nacho joint with the fam or your besties, wherever that may be.

I think for me, while there are so many awesome places in Los Angeles or New York where we’ve enjoyed killer nacho platters, one of my all-time favorites is the giant nacho helmet you get at Dodger Stadium. It could be that being at the Dodger game always feels like a second home to me, having been lucky enough to grow up going to a lot and having some amazing memories from, especially with my dad. Or that their human sized helmet (not exaggerating,) filled to the brim with the works- chips, that delicious smooth (processed) cheese, carne asada, refried beans, pico de gallo and sour cream really is indeed amazing. And so insanely satisfying. (Though my dad would have told you their garlic fries are even better.)

But back to the previously mentioned, cheese. The key to these nachos is the creamy nacho cheese sauce. I’ve made nacho platters in the past the simple way of just throwing on some shredded cheese, other toppings and popping it in the oven or under the broiler to melt. But no matter how hard I tried to make sure the cheese was evenly dispersed it never quite got everywhere it needed to and it cooled and hardened very shortly after coming out of the oven. Making for a bit of a rubbery mess. Tasty nonetheless, but it would always have us still yearning for restaurant, stadium or even movie theatre style nachos (please don’t judge) with the sauce that stayed well, saucy. Yes, most definitely as a result of having some not-so-good-for-you fake & processed ingredients I’m sure. Well, this sauce rivals that. And only has 6 natural ingredients and comes together in about 5 to 10 minutes…As one of my favs, Ina, would say…”How easy is that?”

SO…..here is my recommendation for the optimum/ easiest order to put these together.

  • Have your cheese for the sauce grated and ready waiting for you in the fridge. DO NOT USE PRE-SHREDDED CHEESE. It won’t melt the way you need it to here.
  • Then make your pico de gallo and set aside. (This can be made a day in advance.)
  • Cook your black beans and set aside.
  • Throw together your quick & simple guacamole. (This isn’t my usual guac with more frills as we also have the pico & fresh cilantro going on top.)
  • Prep your saucy yogurt. Set aside or chill.
  • Chop the cilantro. Set aside.
  • Have your hot sauce, jalapenos or any other condiments out and ready.
  • Then cook and season your ground beef. Keep it covered while you prep the cheese.
  • Platter up the bottom layer of your chips.
  • Then make the quick cheese sauce and once it’s done everthing else should be ready and waiting to be assembled and devoured.

Now, you might think the above detailed order is not necessary, but the sauce is so quick to make that if you have anything else to prep once the sauce is finished, you’ll lose that perfect moment when it’s hot and drips ever-so-easily from the spoon and onto your chips. It does re-heat back up but still.

So, have I tempted you to whip up a plate of nachos yet? Hope so. I think it will be just the thing to put a little pep in your quarantine step. And then perhaps motivate you to maybe take a few extra this weekend after this hefty “little,” but so worth it, treat. Happy tr-eating.

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Loaded Beef Nachos

Make all your nacho dreams come true in the comfort of your home with this amazingly satisfying meal or party-time snack.

Prep Time 45 minutes
Servings 6
Author Amanda @ A Treat Life

Ingredients

  • 1 bag of corn tortilla chips (about 10 oz)
  • chopped fresh cilantro *for garnish
  • fresh or pickled jalapenos *for garnish
  • hot sauce *for garnish

For the Cheese Sauce:

  • 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (DO NOT buy pre-shredded cheese)
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp Mexican chili powder
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Cholula or other similar hot sauce

For the Beans

  • 1 can (1 3/4 cups) black beans with about half of their juices (pinto or kidney are fine too)
  • 3/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp koher salt

For the Pico de Gallo

  • 2 cups fresh chopped tomato (2-3 tomatoes)
  • 1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/2-3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
  • 2 limes, juiced

Fresh Simple Guacamole

  • 2 ripe avocados, peeled & pitted
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsps chopped cilantro
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp Mexican chili powder

For the Saucy Yogurt

  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • 2 tsps fresh lime juice
  • 2 tsps water
  • pinch of Mexican chili powder

Taco Seasoned Beef

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1/2 lb ground beef (*mine was more like 9oz.)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 tbsps taco seasoning *
  • 3 tbsps water
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp chili powder *optional

Instructions

For the Pico de Gallo:

  1. Add the chopped tomatoes , onion and chopped cilantro to a small bowl. Add the juice of one lime and the seasonings and mix it all together Taste and add the juice of the second lime and more seasoning if necessary. Set aside.

For the Beans:

  1. Add the beans with about half of their juices (or water) to a small saucepan with the cumin and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then turn heat down and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Mash with a bean/potato masher or leave the beans whole. I like both methods and often just mash a tiny bit so they are somewhere in between the two. Simmer a bit longer if too liquid-y. Remove from the heat, cover slightly and set aside.

For the Simple Guacamole:

  1. In a medium bowl, mash the avocado together with the salt and pepper to your desired consistency. Stir in the juice of 1 lime, the chopped cilantro and chili powder. Taste for seasoning and set aside.

For the Saucy Yogurt:

  1. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lime juice, water and dash of chili powder until smooth, creamy and drizzle-able. Thin with more water or lime juice if necessary.

For the Seasoned Beef:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan, then add the chopped onion and saute until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute a minute more until fragrant.

  2. Then add the ground beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Once brown and cooked, stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute.

  3. Combine the taco seasoning with the 3 tbsps of water then pour over the meat. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat, taste for salt & pepper and set aside.

For the Nacho Cheese Sauce:

  1. Toss the shredded cheese with the cornstarch, paprika and chili powder and set aside.

  2. In a saucepan, heat the milk and cream over medium-low heat until scalding, but do not boil. Then whisk in the cheese until smooth and continue to stir for another 4-5 minutes until creamy and it starts to thicken. Be sure not to let it boil. Taste for seasoning, adding more spice or some salt if necessary. (This will depend on the type of cheddar you’re using.) Once you’ve reached your desired consistency, remove from the heat and begin assembling the nachos.

To Assemble:

  1. Arrange half of the chips on your platter. Drizzle with half the cheese mixture. Then add about half the beans all over, scatter on half the beef, and just a little pico de gallo.

  2. Top with as many tortilla chips as will fit. Then repeat with the cheese, beans, meat and pico de gallo. Drizzle the Saucy Yogurt all over and top with some chopped cilantro and if desired, hot sauce and jalapenos. Serve the guacamole on top or on the side. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*It really is important to shred the cheese yourself and not buy pre-shredded.  That usually contains stuff to keep it from clumping that will prevent it from melting nicely.

*You can use whichever kind of cheddar cheese you like or another melting cheese you prefer. 

*For the beans, I like black beans, but pinto or kidney beans will work too.  A can of already made re-fried beans is also an option if that’s your preference.

*If you don’t have taco seasoning, you can make it yourself by mixing-  2 tsps chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp paprika, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder, onion powder and dried oregano.  Mix well and store in an airtight container.

 

2 thoughts on “Loaded Beef Nachos”

  1. I’m seriously drooling over this recipe right now! And shredding your own cheddar definitely is better anyways! Although I’ll need to shred 3 cups to make up for the munching I do! Thank you for making your own queso from scratch. I don’t like using a ton of pre-made stuff and it’s hard finding recipes with honestly homemade queso! I can’t wait to try these!

    1. Thanks! So glad you’re excited to try this recipe. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed! Ha, I hear you with the cheese. Between myself and the kids, we definitely have to shred more,though they often steal it before I even get to shredding. Homemade it always they way to go : ))

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