Championship Nacho Platter (Print Version)

Crowd-pleasing platter with seasoned beef, melty cheese, and fresh toppings ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Ground Beef Mixture

01 - 1 pound ground beef
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1 tablespoon chili powder
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/4 cup tomato sauce

→ Nacho Base

11 - 12 ounces tortilla chips

→ Cheese

12 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
13 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Toppings

14 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
15 - 1/2 cup sliced jalapeños
16 - 1/2 cup sliced black olives
17 - 1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped
18 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
19 - 1 large avocado, diced or sliced
20 - 1/2 cup sour cream
21 - 1/2 cup salsa

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef to skillet, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned, about 5–7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and tomato sauce. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until well combined. Remove from heat.
05 - On a large ovenproof platter or baking sheet, spread half the tortilla chips. Sprinkle with half the beef mixture and half of both cheeses. Layer remaining chips, beef, and cheeses.
06 - Bake in preheated oven for 7–10 minutes until cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
07 - Remove from oven and top evenly with cherry tomatoes, jalapeños, black olives, red onion, cilantro, and avocado.
08 - Serve immediately with sour cream and salsa on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Its the kind of dish that disappears before halftime even starts
  • Layered properly so every chip has the perfect ratio of beef to cheese
  • Customizable enough that everyone finds their favorite bite
02 -
  • Never put sour cream or salsa on before baking or you will end up with a sad, watery mess
  • Layering in two distinct tiers prevents the tragedy of bare chips at the bottom
  • Serve immediately because these go from perfect to soggy fast
03 -
  • Shred your own cheese from blocks for the smoothest melt
  • Wipe the jarred jalapeños so they do not make the nachos soggy

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