Nachos are perfect party food, the stuff of dreams for tailgaters, and a great way to work in a quick and versatile meal. Wait. What? Yeah - I totally work oven nachos into my menu lineup, especially on busy nights. So much of them can be made or prepped in advance and the time it takes to put them all together and bake them is minimal. And you can work in whatever you and your family love and have on hand. Hooray!
This version uses a garlicky beef taco meat, but you could use chicken, pork, seafood, or even tofu and/or beans. Like corn? Add that. Hate olives? Skip them. Fresh tomatoes? Absolutely. Need more heat? Diced jalapeños make my heart sing. You get the idea.
As for what to have with nachos …. uh, a beer? A margarita? Chilled lemonade? Everything else is already on the plate so don't sweat it.
Loaded Oven Nachos
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning - I used Penzeys Bold Taco
- 1 (10 ounce) bag corn tortilla chips
- 6-8 mini sweet peppers, sliced
- ⅓ cup black olives, sliced
- 2 cups shredded cheese cheddar cheese
- Diced avocado
- Salsa & sour cream
Position rack in top third of oven. Preheat the oven to 400º.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and minced garlic. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Add the taco seasoning, mixing to combine. Set aside.
Spread about 2-3 cups of chips on the bottom of a heavy baking sheet, overlapping them. Top the chips with half of the beef mixture, half the sweet peppers, half the olives, and half the cheese. Repeat layers starting with chips and ending with cheese. Bake for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Top with diced avocado and serve immediately with salsa and sour cream.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes