Nachos with Beef
Nachos with beef make a proper sharing dinner when the mince is well seasoned, the cheese goes on in two layers and the tray comes straight from the oven to the table. Spiced beef, thick salsa and mature Cheddar sit on a bed of tortilla chips and bake for just 10 minutes, so everything is hot and melted while the chips underneath stay crunchy. The whole dish takes about 35 minutes and serves four.
- Total
- 35 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 750kcal
How long to cook nachos with beef
Allow about 35 minutes from start to finish. The mince takes around 15 minutes to brown, cook with the onion and thicken in its seasoning, and the oven does the rest in 8–10 minutes. Heat the oven while the beef simmers so the tray can go straight in.
The oven time is short on purpose. The chips only need to be hot, and the cheese only needs to melt. Anything longer and the edges of the chips start to burn before the cheese in the middle has melted.
Cooking nachos with beef
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Cook the beef Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the mince, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Fry for , until browned all over with no pink left. Spoon off any excess fat, then add the onion and cook for , until soft.
- Season Stir in the taco seasoning and the water. Simmer for , until the sauce clings to the meat and the pan is almost dry. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), gas 6, and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
- Layer up Spread half of the chips over the tray. Top with half of the beef, half of the salsa in spoonfuls and half of the cheese. Repeat with the remaining chips, beef, salsa and cheese, then scatter over the jalapeño.
- Bake Bake on the middle shelf for , until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the edges of the chips are golden.
- Serve Take the tray straight to the table and top with the soured cream and coriander, with lime wedges to squeeze over.
Toppings and serving ideas
Soured cream, fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime are enough, though you can add guacamole or extra jalapeños at the table. Make the nachos milder by leaving out the jalapeño, or hotter by using a hot salsa.
The seasoned beef works well in other dishes too. Spoon it into quesadillas with beef, or use it as the base for a Mexican beef bake when you want a hot meal that will feed a crowd.
Common problems and fixes for nachos with Beef
- The chips go soft and soggy.
- Moisture is the cause. Spoon off the fat, let the pan almost dry out after adding the seasoning, and use a thick, chunky salsa rather than a runny one. Eat the nachos as soon as they leave the oven.
- The edges burn before the cheese in the middle has melted.
- The chips are probably piled up in the middle of the tray. Use the full tray, spread each layer evenly all the way to the edges and check the nachos after 7 minutes.
- The mince is greasy.
- Choose mince with no more than 10% fat, and drain the cooked beef in a sieve over a bowl if there is still a lot of fat in the pan. Do not pour the fat down the sink.
Frequently asked questions about nachos with Beef
How long do you bake nachos with beef?
Bake them for 8–10 minutes at 200°C (180°C fan), gas 6. The cheese should be melted and bubbling, and the chips around the edge should be golden but not dark.
What is the best cheese for nachos?
Mature Cheddar grated from a block melts well and has plenty of flavour. Pre-grated cheese is coated to stop it clumping, so it melts less smoothly. Mixing in some Red Leicester gives a deeper colour.
Can you make nachos ahead?
You can cook the beef up to 24 hours ahead. Cool it quickly, keep it covered in the fridge and reheat it until steaming hot before layering. Assemble and bake the nachos only when you are ready to eat, because they do not keep once they are topped.
What can I use instead of minced beef?
Turkey mince works in the same way, cooked until there is no pink left. For a vegetarian version, use two 400g tins of black beans, drained and rinsed, warmed in the pan with the seasoning and water for 5 minutes.
How did you like the recipe?
4.8 / 5 · 37 ratings
