Loaded Nachos

Loaded Nachos are easy homemade sheet pan nachos piled high with seasoned ground beef, peppers, onions, plenty of melted cheese, and all your favorite toppings. This Loaded Nachos recipe is ready in about 25 minutes and makes a tasty appetizer, snack, or easy dinner for game day, Super Bowl parties, or anytime you’re craving fully loaded nachos.

There are nachos, and then there are Loaded Nachos. You know, the kind where nearly every tortilla chip gets some combination of taco meat, gooey melted cheese, peppers, onions, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and all the good stuff. THOSE are my kind of nachos.

No need to go to a Mexican restaurant or even Taco Bell to get some nachos. So easy to make at home!

These easy homemade nachos start with tortilla chips covered with lots of shredded cheese, followed by seasoned ground beef cooked with onion and green bell pepper. Add another layer of cheese on top and pop the whole pan into the oven until everything is hot and melty.

Then comes the fun part: TOPPINGS! Pile on lettuce, tomatoes, green onion, cilantro, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, olives, or whatever your family likes. You can keep your nachos fairly simple or turn them into seriously fully loaded nachos.

This recipe is also easy to customize. Swap the beef for chicken, pork, steak, or another meat, make spicy nachos with jalapeños, add beans or veggies, or drizzle queso over the top. I’ll give you LOTS of ideas below.

What I Love About This Recipe

• These nachos are seriously loaded. Ground beef, peppers, onions, and lots of cheese turn basic tortilla chips into a hearty appetizer or easy meal. Then you can add as many fresh toppings as you want after they come out of the oven. If you’re looking for a fully loaded nachos recipe rather than a sad little plate of chips with a sprinkle of cheese, you’ve found it.
• They’re perfect for feeding a crowd. Everything is assembled on one large baking sheet, so you can make a LOT of nachos without standing around preparing individual servings. They’re especially good for Super Bowl parties, game day, movie night, casual get-togethers, and family dinners. Put the pan in the middle of the table with bowls of toppings and let everyone dig in.
• You can customize them a million different ways. Beef is my go-to for this Loaded Nachos recipe, but chicken, pork, steak, chili, bacon, beans, and veggies can all take the basic idea in a different direction. You can also play around with cheddar, Monterey Jack, Mexican blend cheese, queso, and spicy toppings. It’s a great clean-out-the-fridge kind of recipe.
• They’re quick and easy. The beef mixture cooks while you get the other ingredients ready, and the assembled nachos only need about 5 to 10 minutes in the oven. The whole recipe takes about 25 minutes from start to finish. Not bad for restaurant-style homemade nachos loaded with meat, cheese, veggies, and toppings!

Equipment You May Need

• Large Baking Sheet – A large sheet pan gives the tortilla chips plenty of room so you can spread them out rather than piling them into one big mountain.
• Large Nonstick Skillet – You’ll need a skillet to cook the ground beef, onion, and green bell pepper.
• Cheese Grater – I prefer freshly grated cheese because it generally melts more smoothly than packaged preshredded cheese.
• Parchment Paper or Aluminum Foil – Either makes cleanup easier and helps you slide the finished nachos off the hot pan for serving.
• Ground Meat Chopper – Helpful for breaking up the ground beef as it cooks and distributing the meat mixture over the tortilla chips.

Loaded Nachos Ingredients

• Ground Beef – One pound of ground beef makes these nachos hearty and gives them that classic taco-style flavor. Drain excess fat before adding the taco seasoning.
• Onion – Finely chopped onion cooks right along with the ground beef and adds extra flavor.
• Green Bell Pepper – Finely chopped green pepper adds color, flavor, and a little veggie crunch to the meat mixture.
• Taco Seasoning – A one-ounce packet makes seasoning the meat quick and simple. You can also use homemade taco seasoning.
• Tortilla Chips – Use sturdy tortilla chips that can stand up to the meat, cheese, and toppings. Thin chips can break more easily once they’re fully loaded.
• Shredded Cheese – I like a combination such as cheddar and Monterey Jack, but Mexican blend cheese is another easy option. Freshly grated cheese generally melts especially well.
• Toppings – Lettuce, tomato, green onion, cilantro, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and olives are all good but don’t stop there if you have other favorites.

How to Make Loaded Nachos

(For the full printable recipe, scroll to the bottom of the post.)

Step 1: Prepare the oven and pan. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. You can make nachos at a higher temperature or even under the broiler, but tortilla chips can burn quickly, so I like this easy oven method.

Step 2: Cook the taco meat. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the ground beef with the finely chopped onion and green bell pepper until the beef is cooked through and the vegetables have softened slightly. Drain off excess fat, then stir in the taco seasoning.

Step 3: Layer the chips and cheese. Spread the tortilla chips in an even layer over the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle about half to three-fourths of the shredded cheese over the chips. Starting with cheese helps distribute that melty goodness throughout the pan instead of putting all the cheese on top.

Step 4: Add the beef and more cheese. Spoon the seasoned ground beef, onion, and pepper mixture evenly over the cheesy tortilla chips. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the top. That final layer melts over the meat and helps hold everything together.

Step 5: Bake the nachos. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 5-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Keep an eye on the pan toward the end so the chips don’t get too dark around the edges.

Step 6: Add toppings and serve. Serve the nachos immediately with your favorite toppings, such as lettuce, tomato, green onion, cilantro, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and olives.

Loaded Nachos Toppings

This is where you can turn a basic pan of sheet pan nachos into fully loaded nachos.

• Lettuce
• Diced Tomatoes
• Green Onions
• Cilantro
• Salsa or Pico de Gallo
• Guacamole or Chopped Avocado
• Sour Cream
• Sliced Olives
• Pickled Jalapenos
• Black Beans or Refried Beans
• Corn
• Queso Sauce
• Hot Sauce
• Pickled Onions

Quick Tips for the Best Loaded Nachos

• Use sturdy tortilla chips. Thin chips may not hold up under all that meat and cheese.
• Grate the cheese yourself when possible. It tends to melt more smoothly than preshredded cheese.
• Spread the chips out. A huge pile makes it harder to evenly distribute the toppings.
• Put cheese underneath the meat too. This helps get melted cheese on more chips.
• Drain the ground beef well. Excess grease can make the chips soggy.
• Add wet toppings after baking. Salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and tomatoes are best added at the end or served on the side.
• Watch the oven. The cheese melts quickly, and tortilla chips can go from toasted to burned before you know it.
• Serve immediately. Loaded Nachos are definitely best hot and fresh from the oven.
• Use the measurements as a guide. The amounts are approximate, so adjust them to your personal preference.

Loaded Nachos FAQ

What are the best chips for Loaded Nachos?
I recommend sturdy tortilla chips that can support the beef, cheese, and toppings without breaking easily. Spread them fairly evenly over the baking sheet rather than making one giant pile. You could also change it up and try potato chips, Doritos, or French fries.

What cheese is best for nachos?
Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Mexican blend cheese are all good options. I like shredding cheese from a block because it tends to melt more smoothly. You can also add queso for even more cheesy goodness.

How do you make Loaded Nachos without getting them soggy?
Drain excess grease from the meat, don’t overload the chips with wet ingredients before baking, and add salsa, sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, and similar toppings after the nachos come out of the oven. Serve immediately for the best texture.

What meat is best for Loaded Nachos?
This recipe uses seasoned ground beef, which is easy, inexpensive, and delicious. You can substitute chicken, pork, steak, or another ground meat. Leftover chili or pulled pork can also work, but avoid adding too much liquid.

Can I make Loaded Nachos without meat?
Absolutely. For veggie nachos, leave out the beef and add ingredients such as beans, corn, peppers, onions, jalapeños, cheese, avocado, tomatoes, salsa, and guacamole.

Can I make Loaded Nachos ahead of time?
I wouldn’t fully assemble them too far ahead because the chips can soften. You CAN cook the taco meat, chop the toppings, and shred the cheese ahead of time. Then assemble and bake the nachos right before serving.

How do you reheat Loaded Nachos?
Nachos are best right after they’re made. If you do have leftovers, remove cold toppings such as lettuce and sour cream when possible and reheat the nachos in the oven until warmed through. The microwave is convenient but tends to make tortilla chips softer.

Other Recipes You May Enjoy

• BBQ Nachos – Cheesy nachos topped with barbecue pulled pork and homemade pickled onions.
• Buffalo Chicken Nachos – Easy sheet pan nachos with chicken-wing-inspired flavors, hot sauce, veggies, and blue cheese.
• Shrimp Nachos – Tropical sheet pan nachos made with shrimp, Caribbean seasoning, and pineapple.
• Buffalo Chicken Biscuit Poppers – A quick and easy game day snack or appetizer.
• Mini Buffalo Chicken Calzones – Mini calzones that make a fun party appetizer.
• Pumpkin Salsa – An easy homemade salsa with a fall twist that’s fun to serve with chips.

Quick video on how to make these nachos and other sheet pan nachos all on one pan!

Be sure to serve these nachos immediately. If they sit around too long, they might get a bit soggy.

Hope you enjoy these delicious Loaded Nachos!