Beef Nachos with Black Beans (Printable View)
Crispy chips loaded with spiced beef, beans, and melted cheese for a perfect Tex-Mex meal.
# What You Need:
→ Beef Mixture
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1 tsp chili powder
06 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
09 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 1/4 cup water
→ Nachos Assembly
11 - 8 oz tortilla chips
12 - 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
13 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
14 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
→ Toppings
15 - 1/2 cup sour cream
16 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
17 - 1 medium tomato, diced
18 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
19 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
20 - 1 jalapeño, sliced
21 - Lime wedges
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add ground beef and cook for 2–3 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon.
03 - Add onion and garlic; sauté until softened, about 3 more minutes.
04 - Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Mix in tomato paste and water. Simmer for 4–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
06 - On a large baking sheet or ovenproof platter, spread tortilla chips in an even layer.
07 - Scatter black beans over the chips, then spoon the beef mixture evenly on top.
08 - Sprinkle both cheeses evenly over the beef and beans.
09 - Bake in preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
10 - Remove from oven and garnish with your choice of toppings: sour cream, avocado, tomato, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It feeds a crowd without making you feel like you're stuck in the kitchen—literally 35 minutes from start to shared plate.
- The spiced beef is deeply savory in a way that feels intentional, not rushed, and it elevates everything above basic nachos.
- You control the heat and toppings, so it works whether you're feeding heat-lovers or people who just want the comfort of melted cheese.
02 -
- Rinsing your canned beans is the difference between beans that taste like individual beans and beans that turn into a starchy paste—don't skip this step thinking it doesn't matter.
- If your nachos get soggy, it's because the chips sat in humidity too long after assembly, not because of the toppings; assemble and bake immediately, then garnish after baking.
- Spreading chips in a single layer seems tedious, but piled chips in the middle won't cook evenly—the edges get hot while the center stays cool and the cheese stays gummy.
03 -
- Use an ovenproof skillet instead of a baking sheet—it keeps the bottom chips from getting pale and sad while the top cheese browns, and the heat distributes more evenly.
- If you're doubling this recipe for a party, bake two separate batches instead of stacking everything on one sheet; crowded nachos steam instead of getting crispy-edged.