Nachos aren’t just a bag of Doritos dipped into a tub of slimy Avo you bought at the supermarket.
It all started back in the 1940s when Ingacio Anaya was working at Club Victoria in Peidras Negras, Mexico. Travellers from the neighbouring town in Texas stopped in wanting something to eat. Anaya couldn’t find the cook so he went into the kitchen and used ingredients that were left to create the most amazing dish to ever be created in the history of the world. Anaya put some tortilla chips on a plate, topped those with grated cheese and sliced jalapenos, and the lovely dish known today as nachos was created. Ignacio’s nickname was Nacho, so he called them Nachos Especiales. Of course, the nachos took on a life of their own with different variations throughout the years. But we can officially thank Nacho Anaya for coming up with the base part of those delicious snacks
Here’s how to upgrade that tired packet of chips using our Best Nacho Recipe!
READ MORE: How To Make Seared Sirloin Served With Avocado and Mash
The Best Nachos Recipe!
Ingredients
- Bag the Bagged Chips
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground beef 80:20 lean-to-fat ratio
- 1 cup of refried beans canned or homemade
- ¼ cup water
- 1 large bag of tortilla chips
- A bowl of grated cheese
- 1 jalapeño pickled or fresh, sliced
- The Smoky Heat
- 2 tablespoons chilli powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°.
Make the taco spice blend:
- Combine all of the spices (chilli powder through cayenne) together in a small bowl.
Make the beef and bean topping:
- Heat the vegetable oil on medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the ground beef to the pan and season it with all of the taco spice blend. As the meat cooks, use a spoon to break the meat up into crumbles.
- Cook for about 8 minutes until the meat has browned and drain the fat using a colander.
- Return the meat to the pan and add the refried beans and the water. Heat the mixture until the beans are smooth and warmed through. Reduce the heat to low and keep the beef-bean mixture warm while you prepare the chips.
Toast the chips
- On a 13×18-inch oven-safe platter or sheet pan, arrange the tortilla chips in a single layer, overlapping them slightly. Toast the chips in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, or just until you begin to smell their aroma.
- Assemble and bake the nachos
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven and top with ½ half of the shredded cheese. Allow the heat from the chips to melt the cheese slightly before topping the chips with the beef and bean mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the beef and return the pan to the oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese has fully melted.
Guac ‘n Roll!
- Halve and pit 3 ripe avocados.
- Using a spoon, scoop the flesh into a bowl; mash gently.
- Add the juice of a lime, ¼ cup minced white onion (rinsed under cold water), 1 seeded and minced jalapeño and a handful of chopped coriander.
- Season with salt and gently combine.
Top and serve:
- Top the nachos with the pico de gallo, chopped cilantro, jalapeño slices, or any of your preferred toppings. Serve hot.
