Make "Quick 'n Easy" Nachos

Are you looking for a quick lunch or midnight snack? Is your house full of hungry partygoers? Grab a bag of tortilla chips, some cheese, and a few extras for a batch of quick and easy nachos in no time!

Ingredients

Serves 4:

  • 1 bag (5.5 ounce) Tortilla chips
  • 1 cup Refried Beans
  • 1/2 cup Pico de Gallo or salsa
  • 4 tablespoons diced green chilies (optional)
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese or freshly grated cheese
  • 1/2 cup Guacamole
  • 1/2 cup Sour cream

Steps

Making Nachos in the Microwave

  1. Scatter chips onto a large microwave safe plate or platter. If you are making nachos for a group, use the entire bag. If you prefer a smaller portion, pour as many chips as you would like (you can try half a bag or 1/4).
    • If you are making more nachos than one plate can support, you can use two plates and microwave separate batches.
  2. Scoop 1 cup of refried beans into a microwave safe bowl. Add 1/2 cup of Pico de Gallo and microwave for 30 seconds. Mix together.
    • If your beans are still too firm to easily mix after 30 seconds, microwave them in 15 second increments until soft. Only microwave them until they are warm, you don't need to get them hot.
  3. Build your nachos. Here comes the fun part. Scoop the bean and Pico de Gallo mixture all over the surface of your chip pile. Because the refried beans may be a little sticky, you might find it easier to drop globs all over rather than trying to spread them over the chips.
  4. Sprinkle cheese on top. Take a few pinches of your shredded cheese and evenly distribute it until you have used 2 cups. You can use less cheese if you prefer. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of diced green chilies on top if you prefer a spicy kick to your nachos.
    • You can use a prepackaged bag of Mexican blend cheese or grate your own cheese. Freshly grated cheese may melt easier in the microwave.[1]
    • Spread the cheese evenly over the tortilla chips. You do not want any naked chips.
  5. Microwave your nachos. Place the platter in the microwave and cook for 1-2 minutes. If the beans are still cool after 2 minutes, microwave them in 30 second increments until they are hot.
    • Don't let the beans get so hot that they boil, this will cause them to dry out and get crusty. When refried beans boil, they can also make a mess in your microwave.
    • Be careful when removing your platter from the microwave, it may be hot enough to burn you.
  6. Top off your nachos. Remove the platter from the microwave once your beans are hot and scoop 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1/2 cup of guacamole directly on top in the center or across the entire platter.
    • You can use more or less guacamole and sour cream if you desire.
    • Drop another spoonful of salsa or Pico de Gallo on top if you prefer.
  7. Enjoy! Depending on how hot your nachos are you may need to let them cool on the countertop for about a minute before enjoying. Serve warm and gather extra plates and napkins for sharing. Enjoy as a meal or an entree with tacos, burritos, hot wings, or anything you like!

Making Nachos in the Oven

  1. Preheat the oven. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and heat your oven to {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}.
  2. Line a baking sheet. Use aluminum foil to line a baking sheet and pour your entire bag of chips onto the foil, spreading for an even layer. Using aluminum foils helps with cleanup later. The foil also makes it easier to transfer your cooked nachos onto a separate dish.
  3. Warm your beans. In a small saucepan over low heat, cook refried beans until they are loose enough to spoon onto nachos. Stir occasionally until beans are warm.
    • Don't let the beans get so hot that they boil, this will cause them to dry out and get crusty.
  4. Scoop warm beans onto your chips. Scoop 2 cups of beans onto the layer of chips. Distribute as evenly as possible. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of diced green chilies on top if you prefer a spicy kick to your nachos.
  5. Sprinkle cheese on top. Use some shredded cheese or freshly grate it yourself and evenly distribute it over the top of your nachos. Use about 2 cups. The idea is to get all your chips covered in a thin layer of cheese. You can use more or less cheese if you prefer.
  6. Add the finishing touches. Remove the baking sheet from the oven once your beans are hot and the cheese is melted. Be sure to use an oven mitt when removing the baking sheet. Scoop 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1/2 cup of guacamole on top of the nachos.
    • Drop another spoonful of salsa or Pico de Gallo on top if you prefer.
  7. Enjoy! The beans and cheese can get very hot so you may need to let your nachos cool on the counter for a few minutes before eating. Serve warm with a beverage of your choice.

Adding Additional Toppings and Variations

  1. Make it meaty. Nachos are already awesome, but you can make them even heartier by adding some meat to your dish. You can use fresh meat, but this is also a good opportunity to make use of leftovers. Add 1 pound of cooked ground beef, shredded pork, or chicken in small bite sized pieces over the top or mixed with the beans.
  2. Bulk up on the cold toppings. Chop a little iceberg lettuce, add fresh avocado slices, sliced black olives, jalapeño rings, diced fresh tomatoes, sliced green onions, or cilantro. Get creative and add as much or as little as you like. You can also add more or less guacamole or sour cream depending on your preferences.
  3. Get creative with the cheese. You can add a variety of different cheese to create the perfect nacho. Try pepper jack, Colby jack, Monterey jack, or any assortment of your favorite cheeses or a different flavor.
    • Pepper jack is a spicier cheese, so take care when sharing this dish with friends.
  4. Add some sauce. If you enjoy spicier nachos, try a few splashes of your favorite hot sauce. If you are sharing with friends, make sure not to add too much hot sauce.

Tips

  • Choose heavy duty chips. A thin chip may be crunchy and crisp, but it can’t take the weight of all of the toppings and may break easily when eating.
  • Shred your own fresh cheese mix. A Monterey Jack cheese will have the oozy-melted quality sought after in the best nachos, while a standard sharp cheddar will offer a little tang.[1]
  • Double layer your nachos. For maximum crunchy-to-gooey texture, start with a layer of chips that completely covers the bottom of your tray. Then, slather it with any toppings that need to be hot and/or melted, like beans, shredded meat, and cheese. Pour another layer of chips on top, and repeat with the hot toppings before cooking and adding the cold toppings.
  • Keep it bite sized. Shred chicken finely and cut steak into small pieces. Ground meat should be broken up into smaller clumps, too.
  • Your oven or microwave may cook slower or faster. Just keep an eye on your nachos. They are done when the cheese is melted.
  • Feel free to experiment with toppings. Nachos are a great way to use up leftover cooked meats.
  • As soon as you finish, wash your nacho dish. This is one dirty dish you don’t want to leave for tomorrow morning. The melted cheese cleans off best when cleaned immediately.

Warnings

  • Your nachos are going to be very hot when you first take them out of the microwave/oven. Be careful. Use hot pot holders and be mindful of the steam.

Things You'll Need

  • Microwave and microwave safe dish
  • OR conventional oven and oven safe dish
  • Hot pads
  • Spatula
  • Spoon
  • Cheese grater
  • Napkins
  • Aluminum foil

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.kcet.org/living/food/the-nosh/pre-shredded-versus-freshly-grated-cheese-whats-the-difference.html

You may like

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Make_%22Quick_%27n_Easy%22_Nachos&oldid=277334"