Championship Nacho Platter (Printable)

A nacho platter loaded with seasoned beef, melty cheese, and classic toppings for sharing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Ground Beef Mixture

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

→ Nacho Base

11 - 12 oz 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat your oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Sauté onions until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
03 - Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and 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 the 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 Hints:

01 -
  • The seasoned beef mixture is what keeps people coming back for seconds
  • Everything melts together in the oven so every chip counts
02 -
  • Layering chips and cheese in two stages prevents bottom chips from staying bare while top chips get overloaded
  • Wait until after baking to add any fresh toppings, or you'll end up with hot tomatoes and wilted cilantro
03 -
  • Letting the beef mixture cool slightly before layering prevents steam from making the chips soggy
  • Sprinkle cheese in an even layer rather than dumping it in clumps for consistent melting