Cowboy Nachos Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup. Place an even layer of tortilla chips on the baking sheet, leaving some space around edges so chips stay crisp.

Shred cheeses, dice tomato, chop onion, slice sausage, mince garlic, chop cilantro, slice green onions, and pit and dice the avocado. Drain and rinse the black beans.

Brown the beef

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil. When shimmering, add the chopped onion and cook 2–3 minutes until softened. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5–6 minutes.

Add sausage and aromatics

Stir in the sliced smoked sausage and cook 2–3 minutes until starting to brown. Add minced garlic and chopped jalapeño and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Season and finish

Sprinkle in chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine, then add tomato sauce (or diced tomatoes with juices), Worcestershire sauce, and black beans. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 3–4 minutes to meld flavors and thicken slightly. Taste and adjust salt/pepper. Remove from heat.

Layer nachos

Spoon about half of the meat-and-bean mixture evenly over the tortilla chips. Sprinkle half of each shredded cheese evenly over the chips and meat. Add another light layer of chips if you like maximum crunch, then top with the remaining meat mixture and finish with the rest of the cheeses in an even layer.

Transfer the tray to the oven and bake 6–8 minutes, or until cheeses are fully melted and bubbling. For browned spots, slide under the broiler 1–2 minutes while watching closely so chips don’t burn.

Remove nachos from oven. Immediately scatter pickled jalapeños, diced tomato, sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, and avocado over the melted cheese. Dollop sour cream in spoonfuls across the tray or serve in a bowl for dipping. Squeeze lime wedges over the top to taste.

Let sit 2 minutes so toppings settle, then serve straight from the baking sheet or transfer portions to plates. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container (refrigerate up to 2 days); reheat briefly in a hot oven to crisp chips.