Make this restaurant style beef nachos recipe on busy weeknights when you’re in a rush to get dinner on the table. They also make a great game day snack!
Loaded with southwest flavors, these ground beef nachos will become a family favorite at your house. It might just become your newest go-to recipe! Check out my BBQ chicken nachos too while you’re here.
I love making these ground beef nachos when I’m busy and haven’t had much time to meal plan.
You can make fully loaded nachos (my favorite) or keep it simple with just tortilla chips, seasoned beef for nachos, and cheese if you’re running low on groceries.
How to Make Beef Nachos
White onion is a more traditional choice to add flavor to ground beef nachos. However, in this case, I used the leftover red onion from my pico de gallo recipe instead. Red onion lends a very subtle, yet distinct, sweet note to the garlic and savory taco seasoning.
If you wind up needed to use a white onion because that’s what you have on hand and you’re not making your own pico de gallo then be all means feel free.
To get started you’ll need to have pico de gallo and taco seasoning on hand. Prepare your own with either of my recipes designed for ground beef nachos or feel free to used pre-packaged varieties.
Be sure to find pico de gallo in the deli section of your grocery store. Don’t use the jarred salsa from the chip aisle. Trust me on this one.
Ground Beef Nachos Ingredients
- 1 recipe pico de gallo
- 1 recipe beef taco seasoning mix
- extra virgin olive oil
- red onion, finely chopped
- garlic, finely minced
- Sea salt
- black pepper
- ground beef
- tortilla chips
- 4-cheese Mexican blend, finely shredded
- green onions, green parts only, sliced thin
- black olives, chopped
- jalapeño pepper, deseeded and sliced thin
- avocado, seeded and chopped
- fresh lemon juice
- fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Directions:
Place the top oven rack in the center position and pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining three-quarters chopped red onion and minced garlic.
Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and starts to develop a bit of color, approximately 5 minutes.
Add the beef and break it up into small pieces with a spatula. Add 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning mix and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally until the beef is browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
Spread the tortilla chips into an even, overlapping layer on the prepared baking sheet. Using a slotted spoon, evenly distribute the seasoned, browned beef on top of the tortilla chips.
Add the cheese on top of the beef and nachos in an even layer and place in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted.
Remove baking sheet from oven and cool slightly before topping with sliced green onion, chopped black olives, Pico de Gallo, and sliced jalapeño pepper.
Toss the avocado with the fresh lemon juice and spoon on top of the nachos. Sprinkle with the fresh cilantro and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Restaurant Style Beef Nachos Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ medium red onion finely chopped
- 2-3 large cloves garlic finely minced
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large bag 11-14 oz. tortilla chips
- 1 8- oz. bag 4-cheese Mexican blend finely shredded
- 2 large green onions green parts only, sliced thin
- 1 6- oz. can black olives chopped
- 1 large jalapeño pepper sliced thin
- 1 large ripe avocado seeded and chopped
- 2 T. fresh lemon juice
- 2 T. fresh cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
- Prepare taco seasoning and pico de gallo and set aside
- Place the top oven rack in the center position and pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat™ baking mat and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining three-quarters chopped red onion and minced garlic. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and starts to develop a bit of color, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add the beef and break up into small pieces with a spatula. Add 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning mix and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally until the beef is browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Spread the tortilla chips into an even, overlapping layer on the prepared baking sheet. Using a slotted spoon, evenly distribute the seasoned, browned beef on top of the tortilla chips.
- Add the cheese on top of the beef and nachos in an even layer and place in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted.
- Remove baking sheet from oven and cool slightly before topping with sliced green onion, chopped black olives, Pico de Gallo, and sliced jalapeño pepper.
- Toss the avocado with the fresh lemon juice and spoon on top of the nachos. Sprinkle with the fresh cilantro and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Lynda says
Dang, girl! Those look amazing and much better than what I have seen at a couple of restaurants.
Jenn says
I like to be in charge of my nacho toppings. You measure cheese with your heart! haha.