Heating up tortilla chips in the microwave is good in a pinch, especially when you’ll be topping them with decadent melted cheese, fresh guacamole, and rich sour cream that will add a ton of flavor. But if you aren’t baking your nachos in the oven, your best nacho days are still to come. 

Many assume that nachos are Tex-Mex, but it’s actually Mex-Mex. Nachos are Mexican cuisine, through and through. 

Ignacio Anaya, the head waiter at a hotel in Coahila, invented this dish back in the 1940s. “Nacho” is an abbreviated version of the name “Ignacio.” The original recipe consisted of tortilla chips, cheese, and pickled jalapeños. This variety of hot peppers, incidentally, are now often called nachos in Mexican Spanish. Of course, the original nachos were baked, since it was the 1940s and microwaves didn’t exist yet. 

Below, we’ll show you how to make nachos in the oven. Remember that if Ignacio Anaya hadn’t experimented, we wouldn’t have this melty, rich dish. Just imagine what you can dream up with a bit of creativity.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients 

Nachos ingredients

• 1 15-ounce bag tortilla chips (we recommend thin, crispy, salted chips without extra seasonings) 

• 1 pound shredded cheese mix (the best cheese for nachos is a mix of cheddar, Monterey jack, and a softer variety like mozzarella)

• 1 cup canned black beans or pinto beans, drained 

• ¼ cup canned jalapeño slices

• ½ cup of frozen corn 

• ¼ cup of olive slices

For serving

• Fresh guacamole or avocado slices

• Sour cream 

• Pico de gallo 

• Jarred salsa

Chef’s tip: Pico de gallo is easy to make at home. In a small bowl, combine chopped cilantro, minced onion, and diced tomatoes. Add lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Try to use firm, red varieties of tomato like the Roma or plum varieties. 

Preparation instructions 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. 

2. Spread the tortilla chips out in an even, single layer on a sheet pan.  

3. Layer the shredded cheese, vegetables, and beans on top of the chips

4. Bake the nachos in the oven for 10-15 minutes or just until the cheese melts. Cheese can become hard or crusty if left in the oven for too long, and the edges of the chips may char. How long to cook nachos depends on your toppings and the altitude of where you live, so watch the oven. Remember that nothing in this dish needs to be cooked through, so the baking is to warm the toppings, melt the cheese, and crisp up the chips. 

5. Use a spatula to carefully transfer the chips and toppings from the baking sheet and into serving dishes. Top the baked nachos with guacamole or avocado, dollops of sour cream, and plenty of salsa.  

Recipe adapted from Love from the Oven

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Nutrition information per serving

• Calories: 353

• Fat: 19.1 grams

• Saturated fat: 11 grams

• Cholesterol: 51 milligrams

• Sodium: 518 milligrams

• Carbohydrates: 29.1 grams

• Fiber: 4.5 grams

• Sugar: 0.9 grams

• Calcium: 17.7 grams

FAQs

Can I make healthy nachos?

Yes. While they’re a “fun” food, nachos are a naturally healthy recipe. They contain veggies, healthy fats, grains, and protein. Since the toppings for this dish are very healthy, you can easily increase the nutritional benefits by using more add-ins and fewer chips. This dish isn’t just an appetizer for game day, you can have nachos for dinner any night of the week. In fact, with the right toppings, it’s a well-rounded meal.

If you’re looking to cut back on fat or calories, opt for baked (not deep-fried) varieties of nacho chips. Cauliflower chips or other dehydrated vegetable varieties work well, too. Another way to cut back on calories is to use less cheese or choose lower-fat shreds. Using Greek yogurt or vegan “cashew-gurt” instead of sour cream preserves the creamy topping while cutting calories. 

What are some additional nacho topping ideas?

If you’re looking for ways to spice up—literally and figuratively—the classic nachos recipe above, try some of the following toppings. Remember that you should add cold toppings like chopped herbs or salsa after removing the nachos from the oven, whereas warm toppings like ground beef can be baked along with the chips. This is a great way to use up any leftover meat or vegetables approaching their best before date. 

• Crumbled chorizo (meat or soy)

• Fresh cilantro 

• Pickled red onions

• Ground beef (for a beef nachos recipe, cook the meat with taco seasoning)

• Shredded rotisserie chicken 

• Chopped green onion

• Refried beans (consider adding after taking the chips from the oven so that the beans don’t dry out)

• Cooked nopal 

• Cherry tomatoes 

• Sliced bell peppers

• Mushrooms 

• Olives 

• Nacho cheese (substitute the melted cheese shreds for ready-made, liquid queso)

Chef’s tip: You can make quick and easy taco seasoning for ground beef or any added protein by mixing cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. This is a Tex-Mex creation since most Mexican taco meat is marinated in chiles and spices for hours before grilling or frying.

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If you’re all out of tortilla chips, order them from Gopuff. While you’re at it, pick up all the toppings you’ll need to make the perfect restaurant-style nachos. Preheat your oven because your order will be at your door soon!

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