These one-pot nachos are a favorite — a flavorful layer of taco-seasoned ground beef with green chiles and pinto beans sits beneath melty cheese and tortilla chips. Bake until golden and gooey, then serve hot. Truly the best nachos.
Yes — one pot nachos!
These are incredible: layers of spiced beef, green chiles, pinto beans and corn, topped with plenty of cheese and big crunchy tortilla chips, then finished with your favorite toppings.
This may be one of my favorite things to make. If you love sheet pan nachos, try this version — the one-pot method keeps everything cozy and easy, and it’s a crowd-pleaser every time.
Hearty and full of flavor, these nachos are a fun, shareable dish. You can always serve extra tortilla chips on the side.
The trick is arranging the tortilla chips so they stand into the beef mixture — the melted cheese helps hold them in place and gives great texture.
I worried the chips might get soggy, but they stay pleasantly crisp at the edges and just soften a touch where they meet the beef — if you like chilaquiles, you’ll appreciate this texture.
We couldn’t stop eating them. They’re that good — I make them again and again.
Ingredients in the pan:
- Ground beef (or substitute ground turkey)
- Taco spices and tomato paste to boost flavor
- Diced green chiles for brightness
- Pinto beans (black or kidney beans work too)
- Corn — frozen is convenient (about 1 cup)
- Cheese — a mix of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack melts beautifully; freshly grated melts best
Then arrange the chips around the pan, tucking the edges into the beef mixture. Bake briefly so the cheese melts and the chips toast a little. The flavors combine and your kitchen will smell amazing.
When the dish comes out of the oven, add toppings. My favorites are sour cream, guacamole, crumbled cotija, pickled onions, cilantro and jalapeños — but you can customize however you like.
These nachos are simple, versatile, and impossible not to love.
One Pot Cheesy Nachos
One Pot Nachos
4
to 6 people
30 mins
15 mins
45 mins
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (14-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn
- 1 ½ cups beef or chicken stock
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar, freshly grated
- 6 ounces Monterey Jack, freshly grated
- Pickled onions, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, jalapeños, cotija — for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef, another pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks.
- Add the cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder and garlic powder. Stir in the tomato paste and green chiles and cook for 5 minutes, stirring as the flavors combine. Stir in the pinto beans and corn, then add the stock. Simmer over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes until the mixture reduces slightly. Turn off the heat.
- Toss the cheeses together and sprinkle half over the beef mixture. Arrange tortilla chips standing into the mixture around the pan, adding as many as fit.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the chips. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the chips are slightly golden.
- Serve immediately with sour cream, guacamole, pickled onions, cilantro, cotija, jalapeños or other preferred toppings.
Notes
Recipe adapted from a published version; feel free to swap beans, use turkey instead of beef, or adjust spices to taste.
These are everything — simple, shareable, and endlessly customizable.