Nachos Recipe

Quick-pickle onions

Place thinly sliced red onion in a heatproof jar or bowl. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt; bring to a gentle simmer until sugar and salt dissolve. Pour hot brine over onions so they're fully submerged. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 30 minutes (can be made up to 3 days ahead).

Cook and blend tomatillos

Place rinsed tomatillos and the whole jalapeño on a sheet pan and broil or roast under high heat (or char in a skillet) until blistered and slightly blackened on all sides, about 6–8 minutes, turning once. Let cool slightly.

Transfer roasted tomatillos and jalapeño to a blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup chopped white onion, 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, 2 tbsp lime juice and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend until mostly smooth but still slightly chunky. Taste and adjust salt or heat (remove seeds from jalapeño for milder). Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup Mexican crema (or sour cream), 1 tsp lime juice and 1/4 tsp salt. Add up to 1 tsp water if needed to reach a drizzleable consistency. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make queso

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 1 tbsp butter. Whisk in 1 tsp flour and cook 30 seconds to make a light roux. Slowly whisk in 3 tbsp whole milk until smooth. Add 8 oz chopped white American cheese and 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack in small handfuls, stirring until melted and smooth. Stir in 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1 tsp salt. Keep warm over the lowest heat, stirring occasionally; if it becomes too thick, stir in another teaspoon or two of milk to loosen.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). On a large ovenproof platter or rimmed baking sheet, spread 12 cups tortilla chips in an even layer, slightly overlapping but not piled too high so toppings can reach chips beneath.

Spoon or drizzle half of the warm queso evenly over the chips, then add small dollops of salsa verde across the surface (about 1/3–1/2 cup total). Reserve some queso and salsa for reheating/serving on the side if desired.

Scatter pickled onions (drained) evenly across the chips, using all or most of the pickled onion, then spoon the remaining queso in spots to ensure coverage. Put the tray in the preheated oven for 5–7 minutes just to warm everything and help toppings meld (do not bake until chips burn).

Remove from oven. Drizzle crema over the nachos in a thin even stream. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese evenly over the top. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.