Whether you're planning a get-together for the big game or having friends over for drinks, let our nachos tips and recipes inspire you. From meaty feasts to veggie and vegan ideas, there's a nacho to suit everyone's taste. We've a host of ideas for new salsas and sauces too. Be warned, though: these are so delicious, you might want a bowl all to yourself.
For meaty nachos, minced beef works a treat. You can simply fry it, then add Mexican seasoning or a nacho spice mix. Go further by making your own chilli con carne, but ensure that it's not too wet or the nachos will become soggy. You can always take out most of the meat and beans with a slotted spoon, adding a little sauce over the top.
When you're building nachos, spooning guacamole over the hot nachos adds a flavour sensation. What you need to do, is to add a little water to the guacamole to make it thinner, and easier to spread over. Shop-bought just can't compare with homemade. You could even stir in some crumbled feta cheese for added wow factor. Any extra can be served on the side.
You can spoon refried beans over your nachos or serve them on the side as an extra dip for the tortillas. They are so easy to make, and almost as fast as opening a tin of them. You just need black beans or pinto beans, some cumin and paprika, and some drained canned cherry tomatoes or fresh.
The traditional salsa to serve with nachos is pico de gallo, which means rooster's beak. It's a simple mixture of chopped tomatoes, onion (spring onions are best), chilli, lime, coriander and salt. The key is using ripe tomatoes, or it will be pretty tasteless. So if you can't find any, there's nothing wrong with buying a good quality jar of salsa.
Thin slices of chicken breast tossed in Mexican seasoning are great in nachos. But take the chicken to the next level by slowly poaching it, shredding it, then toss in seasoning or barbecue sauce. The chicken will be meltingly tender. And remember, you can layer up your nachos with two layers of tortilla chips and filling, then add grated cheese, chunks of mozzarella, or both.
You might be surprised to know that you can make a really good queso without cheese. Soak raw, unsalted cashew nuts overnight, then blend with a little yeast extract (such as Marmite), fresh coriander and chillies. Add a little water to achieve the correct consistency. Heat it through gently. You'll be amazed how cheesy it tastes! Layer up the nachos with olives, chillies, tomatoes and peppers then add guacamole for a vegan feast.
Make two sirloin steaks feed four with this tasty recipe. The steaks are thinly sliced then marinated overnight. The sautéed steak is layered up with fried onions and peppers, topped with gherkins and chillies, before a rich cheese sauce is poured over. The recipe asks for Red Leicester cheese, but a mature Cheddar would be just fine.
If you're looking for a super simple tomato sauce to serve on the side with your nachos, this spicy recipe is the one. Just five ingredients, using olive oil, a tin of chopped tomatoes spiced with chilli, garlic and oregano, it's ready in 15 minutes and you can serve it hot or cold.
Slow cooker fans – here's a great recipe for you. A piece of beef silverside is marinated in spices, then slow cooked in beer. It's then shredded and layered up with two layers of tortilla chips and loads of grated cheese. It's served with guacamole, fresh tomatoes and coriander.
Slow-cooking a shoulder of pork for nachos is a great idea if you've lots of people to feed. It's hot, spicy, sticky and a little sour. Although it takes a long time to marinate and cook (start it the day before), there's very little hands-on time and most of the ingredients for the marinade are from the store cupboard.
If you're looking for a veggie or vegan nachos recipe that's a bit different, have a go at barbecue jackfruit. Once shredded, it has the "meatiness" of pulled pork. Tinned jackfruit pieces are cooked in spices, barbecue sauce and soy then shredded with two forks. Our recipe serves them with sweet potato fries, but they are just as good with tortilla chips.
A quick and easy idea for veggies and students on a budget, simply drain and rinse a can of pinto beans (or kidney beans). Mix with chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned chillies, mashed avocado and chopped red onion. Cover with grated cheese then bake until hot and the cheese has melted, around 15 minutes. Spoon over some sour cream. You could also use a bean chilli, but cook it for longer so that the liquid reduces.
This classic Mexican dish for marinated pork is traditionally served with tacos. But it works perfectly with nachos. The pork is marinated in pineapple and orange juice, with chillies, onion and spices, before being griddled. It's really tender and full of flavour.
Why not fire up the barbecue and cook your nachos on that? Use a cast iron skillet or paella pan, then cook just away from the direct heat until the cheese has melted and everything is piping hot. The family can then just dig in.
Now discover the three-ingredient dips you can make in minutes