Whether you're looking for the perfect at-home movie snack or a staple Super Bowl appetizer to please a crowd, nachos are the way to go. Loaded with melty cheese and all your favorite toppings, this game day snack is the ideal way to keep your crew satisfied while the game powers on. Because we can't get enough of toppings, we went with nachos supreme for our recipe, but this snack is nothing if not versatile: switch it up with your favorite cheese and toppings to make them completely your own!
But first, some background.
Nachos have been canonized in Mexican, Tex-Mex, and American cuisine, but few people know the origins of this game day staple! In 1943, some wives of U.S. soldiers stationed at Fort Duncan in Eagle Pass, Texas, were on a shopping trip in the bordering city of Piedras Negras, Mexico. They stopped at the Victory Club for a bite to eat, but the restaurant had closed for the day. Not wanting to disappoint his customers, the maître d’, Ignacio "El Nacho" Anaya, was determined to whip something up for them. He cut and fried tortillas into chips, covered them with the cheese and jalapeños, and served what would go on to be called "Nacho's especiales."
The best toppings for nachos.
We’ve packed this version of nachos with an impressive load of toppings including ground beef, refried beans, pickled jalapeños, tomato, green onion, and avocado. But, you can top your nachos with whatever you want! If you want to stick with the traditional Mexican vibe, we recommend guacamole, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, cotija cheese, grilled corn, pinto beans, black olives, pickled red onions, shredded chicken, or crumbled tofu.
Want to make vegan nachos? No prob—a lot of typical nacho toppings are naturally vegan: guacamole, beans, lettuce, jalapeños, tomatoes, and onions, and most tortilla chips that you can buy are also vegan ( check the label to be sure). You can buy vegan cheese if you want, but if you’re already in the kitchen, why not whip up a batch of our vegan chipotle queso to drizzle on top of your nachos?
All about the cheese.
We're big fans of Monterey jack and cheddar, but your options are limitless—just make sure it melts! If you want something a bit spicy, Pepper Jack is awesome because and the little flecks of pepper add some nice color. The only cheese we recommend that defies the melt rule is cotija. Cotija is hard Mexican cow's milk cheese which can be added after the nachos bake.
Top tip: While buying pre-shredded works for nachos, we always recommend grating your cheese yourself. It's the key to getting the ultimate cheesy meltiness that we crave in a good nachos recipe.
The best chips.
Tortilla chips are the obvious answer here. You don't necessarily have to use them, but you'll be leaning away from true nacho territory. If you're interested in non-tortilla "nachos" you could try our take on Irish nachos, but if you decide to stay classic, a great way to amp up the nachos is with homemade tortilla chips.
Made it? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!
