BBQ Beef Nachos (Printable)

Tortilla chips topped with smoky BBQ beef, melted cheese, jalapeños, and fresh garnishes for game day.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 1 pound ground beef
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup barbecue sauce
05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Nachos

07 - 10 ounces sturdy tortilla chips
08 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Toppings

10 - 1/2 cup sour cream
11 - 1/3 cup sliced pickled jalapeños
12 - 1/2 cup diced red onion
13 - 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
14 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
15 - 1 avocado, diced (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef and chopped onion until beef is browned and onion is softened, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
03 - Add minced garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; cook for 1 additional minute. Stir in barbecue sauce and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until mixture thickens slightly.
04 - Spread tortilla chips evenly across a large baking sheet or ovenproof platter in a single layer.
05 - Distribute barbecue beef mixture evenly over chips. Sprinkle both cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses uniformly across surface.
06 - Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
07 - Remove from oven and top with sour cream, pickled jalapeños, diced red onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and avocado if desired.
08 - Serve immediately while cheese remains warm and creamy.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under 40 minutes, so you can throw it together between innings without missing a thing.
  • The barbecue beef adds a smoky sweetness that makes these nachos taste like summer cookouts even in the middle of winter.
  • You can pile on as many toppings as you want, and somehow it always looks like you spent way more effort than you did.
02 -
  • If you don't drain the beef fat, the barbecue sauce will turn slick and separate, and your nachos will taste like they're sitting in a puddle.
  • Don't bake the nachos longer than 10 minutes, the cheese will break and get oily, and the chips will turn bitter at the edges.
  • Add the fresh toppings after baking, not before, or the tomatoes will release water and make everything soggy within minutes.
03 -
  • Use two types of cheese for the best melt and flavor, cheddar alone can get grainy, and Jack alone lacks punch.
  • Spread the chips in a single layer as much as possible so every chip gets toppings and nothing stays bare or soggy underneath.
  • Taste your barbecue sauce before you add it and adjust the seasoning in the beef accordingly, some sauces are sweet and need more salt, others are tangy and need a pinch of sugar.
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