Tex-Mex nachos
Crunchy oven-baked Tex-Mex nachos piled with spicy beef, beans and bubbling cheddar, finished with soured cream, lime and fresh coriander.
These Tex-Mex nachos are the kind of party food that clears a room because everyone knows they’ll come back. Crunchy tortilla chips piled high with a spiced beef-and-bean ragu, two cheeses and a hit of pickled jalapeños — utter comfort in a tray.
Fast to pull together and brilliant for sharing, make them for game night, a casual supper or whenever you want something messy, loud and utterly satisfying. Serve with guacamole, salsa or extra soured cream on the side.
Ingredients
- 300 g tortilla chips
- 500 g beef mince
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 1 brown onion — medium, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves — finely chopped
- 10 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml chilli powder — adjust to taste
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 30 g tomato purée — approx. 2 tbsp
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes — with juices
- 400 g tinned kidney beans — drained and rinsed
- 200 g grated cheddar
- 100 g grated mozzarella
- 60 g pickled jalapeños — jarred, drained
- 10 g fresh coriander — small bunch, leaves roughly chopped
- 150 g soured cream
- 1 lime — cut into wedges
- sea salt — to taste
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
Equipment
- large baking tray
- large frying pan
- colander
- grater
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional and position a rack in the middle.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the brown onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes.
Add the garlic cloves, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chilli powder and dried oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the beef mince. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Season with sea salt and black pepper while cooking.
Stir in the tomato purée and tinned chopped tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 8 minutes. This concentrates flavour and prevents soggy nachos.
Stir in the drained tinned kidney beans and simmer for a further 3 minutes to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Arrange half the tortilla chips in a single layer on a large baking tray. Spoon over half the beef-and-bean mixture, scatter half the grated cheddar and half the grated mozzarella, then add a few pickled jalapeños. Repeat with the remaining chips, meat and cheeses to build even layers.
Bake on the middle rack for 8–10 minutes until the cheese has fully melted and is bubbling.
Optional: if you like a little colour on the cheese, switch the oven to grill and place the tray under the hot grill for 1–2 minutes until edges are golden—watch constantly.
Remove from the oven. Scatter the fresh coriander, spoon over dollops of soured cream, add extra pickled jalapeños if liked and serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.
Tips
- Reduce the tomato sauce until slightly thick — watery sauce is the main cause of soggy chips.
- Layer toppings so each chip has some cheese and sauce; one single thick layer of toppings makes patches of limp chips.
- Use a hot oven and put the tray on the middle rack so cheese melts evenly without over-browning the edges.
- If you must make ahead, assemble the meat mixture and cool completely; reheat the meat and assemble the nachos just before baking.
- To keep leftovers crisp, reheat briefly in a hot oven (180°C fan/200°C conventional) for 6–8 minutes rather than the microwave.
Substitutions
beef mince → pork mince or turkey mince, same quantity
Stays closetinned kidney beans → tinned black beans, same quantity
Stays closegrated cheddar → mature cheddar only (omit mozzarella) for a stronger, slightly drier finish
Noticeably differenttortilla chips → thicker restaurant-style corn tortilla chips, same weight
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 1200
- Calories
- 66 g
- Protein
- 73 g
- Carbs
- 72 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How do I stop the chips going soggy?
Reduce the tomato sauce until thick before adding beans, layer chips and toppings rather than piling everything in one spot, and bake straight away in a hot oven.
Can I make the meat mixture in advance?
Yes — cook and cool the meat-and-bean mixture, refrigerate for up to 48 hours, then reheat and assemble just before baking.
How can I make this vegetarian?
Replace the beef mince with extra tinned beans and cooked lentils or use crumbled smoked tofu; add a little extra spice and umami (soy or Worcestershire-style vegetarian sauce) for depth.
What’s the best way to reheat leftovers?
Reheat in a preheated oven at 180°C fan/200°C conventional for 6–8 minutes to crisp the chips and melt the cheese again; avoid the microwave for crispness.
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