How to Make the Best Nachos, No Recipe Needed

Whether you’re hosting a game day get-together or just making dinner for the family, nachos are a guaranteed hit. There's something for everyone to love, from the crunchy tortilla chips and meaty toppings to the melty cheese and the fresh garnishes served on top. Different flavors and textures mingle together to create the perfect food, whether you’re keeping it simple with chips, cheese, and ground beef or going over the top with homemade salsas. Plus, there’s something so fun and nostalgic about being encouraged to eat dinner with your fingers. 

The best part about nachos is how versatile they are. They're easy to portion, so everyone gets something they like in each bite. Ahead, we'll walk you through how to build nachos, from choosing the best ingredients to assembling them from start to finish.

Essential Ingredients for Nachos

The way we see it, nachos are pretty simple and straightforward. You need a few essential ingredients, and after that, you can customize and add anything you want. Chips and cheese are a must, and we break down the toppings into two categories: hearty and fresh garnishes.

• Chips: Good chips are to nachos what a good foundation is to a house. When choosing your tortilla chips, look for ones that are on the thicker side. Sturdy chips will be able to hold up to all of the cheese and toppings without breaking. Choose ones that are plain and/or lightly salted (as opposed to ones seasoned with lime or chiles), so you have control over the overall flavor of the nachos. 
• Cheese: Cheese is the next most important ingredient after chips. More often than not, we reach for cheeses like cheddar, Colby, or pepper jack. They melt nicely and provide good coverage over the chips. Another option is creamy queso dip, use it instead (or in addition to!) the melted cheese. Generally, we reserve the dip for drizzling over the top to add even more cheesy flavor. 
• Hearty toppings: This is the meat and potatoes of the nacho platter—literally. Meaty toppings that you'd use to fill taco shells, like spiced ground beef, tender pulled pork, or rotisserie chicken, are perfect for scattering over the top of the chips. Canned black or refried pinto beans are also a great way to add more protein to the party. You could also quickly sauté or grill some sliced bell peppers and onions to incorporate vegetables into the meal. 
• Fresh Garnishes: This is the fun part! We like to include some tried-and-true toppings, like guacamole, salsa, cilantro, sliced onions and chiles, and lime wedges for squeezing in addition to other fun ingredients that pair well with the cheeses and hearty toppings you've chosen. For instance, if you're using smoky pulled pork, something bright and acidic, like homemade lime sour cream, will help cut through the strong flavors of the meat. How you decide to garnish is up to you—scatter your favorite toppings over the whole pan or put out bowls of toppings for folks to add as they see fit.

Assembling Nachos

There are just three rules to follow when it comes to assembling nachos:

1. Use a solid base: Make sure you spread the tortilla chips evenly over whatever you’re baking the nachos on. You want an even layer of chips as the base, without too many gaps–the aim is to prevent any toppings from escaping. 
2. Layer evenly: Make sure that each and every chip gets some love. There's nothing worse on the nacho front than ending up with all of the chips that don't have enough cheese or meat. Depending on the size of the pan you're using, you may want to create several layers of each ingredient. Evenly layer the chips, cheese, and other toppings before starting again with new layers of each. 
3. Save fresh ingredients for last: Anything that’s fresh and might lose some of its flavor or color in the oven should be added at the last minute. Hold back on drizzling the nachos with salsa, hot sauce, or fresh herbs until just before serving.

The Best Pan to Use

When it comes to assembling nachos, we gravitate toward sheet pans or large skillets. Sheet pans are spacious, so there's plenty of room to layer the chips and toppings (and most home cooks have one or two of these pans in their kitchen). Cast-iron skillets are a great idea if you're feeding a smaller crowd. You can layer skillet nachos the same way you would sheet pan nachos.

How to Serve Nachos

It's important to serve nachos hot and fresh from the oven. You can transfer them to a serving platter if you like, but we like the rustic, homemade feel of serving them right on the sheet tray or skillet (this will also help keep them warm, thanks to the residual heat of the pan). 

While they bake, set out some plates for everyone to load up once the nachos are hot and ready. Lastly, place all of your toppings in individual bowls with serving spoons, so everyone can add whatever fresh ingredients they like.