Nacho Bar Recipe

Prep

Finely dice the yellow onion so you have about 1/2 cup. Mince the garlic cloves.

Cook beef

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Add the diced onion and cook 2–3 minutes until translucent. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook 5–7 minutes until browned with no pink remaining.

Stir in minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper; stir to coat the meat and toast the spices about 1 minute.

Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and 1/4 cup water, scraping any browned bits from the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm until assembly.

Make roux

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in 2 tablespoons flour and cook 1 minute, whisking constantly, to remove the raw flour taste.

Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups milk, continuing to whisk until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer; the sauce will thicken slightly in 2–3 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and whisk in 2 ounces softened cream cheese until fully incorporated. Add 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar (for sauce) a handful at a time, whisking until melted and smooth. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper and 2 tablespoons diced green chiles if using. Keep warm on very low, stirring occasionally to prevent skin forming.

Preheat & arrange

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). On a large rimmed baking sheet or an oven-safe platter, spread half of the tortilla chips in an even layer, keeping a slight overlap so chips support toppings.

Top the first layer of chips with half of the shredded cheddar and half of the Monterey Jack. Spoon half of the warm seasoned beef evenly over the cheese.

Add the remaining chips on top in a second even layer. Sprinkle remaining shredded cheeses over the top. Transfer to the oven and bake 6–8 minutes, until cheese is fully melted and bubbling.

Remove from oven and immediately spoon the warm cheese sauce over the nachos in several places so it drips into the layers. Spoon remaining seasoned beef on top if desired.

Top with pickled jalapeños, dollops of sour cream, chopped cilantro, black beans, corn, guacamole, and pico de gallo (see next section) as desired.

Make quick pico

In a medium bowl combine 1 cup diced ripe tomatoes, 1/2 cup finely diced red onion, 1 minced jalapeño (seeded for less heat), 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir and let sit 5–10 minutes to marry flavors.

For beans & corn: if using canned black beans rinse and drain. If using fresh corn, you can briefly sauté 1 cup corn in a small skillet with 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat 2–3 minutes to warm and lightly char; otherwise use thawed frozen kernels.

Warm guacamole briefly if desired (room temperature) and have sour cream and pickled jalapeños ready in small bowls for the bar.

Serve pico, beans, corn, guacamole, sour cream, pickled jalapeños and chopped cilantro in separate bowls so guests can top nachos to taste.