Ultimate Spicy Beef Nachos
By America's Test KitchenPublished on November 7, 2011
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Refried Beans
½ cup canned refried beans 3 tablespoons shredded pepper Jack cheese 1 tablespoon chopped canned jalapeñosSpicy Beef
2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1 small onion, chopped fine3 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon table salt 1 pound 90 percent lean ground beef 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar 1½ teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce½ cup water 2 teaspoons lime juice 9½ ounces tortilla chips 1 pound pepper Jack cheese, shredded (4 cups), divided2 jalapeño chiles, sliced into thin rings, dividedSalsaBefore You Begin
Top with our One-Minute Salsa, sour cream, chopped cilantro, and diced avocado.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
- For the beans: Pulse all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 10 pulses. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
- For the beef: Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook onion until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, sugar, chipotle, and adobo sauce and cook until paste begins to darken, about 1 minute. Add water, bring to simmer, and cook over medium-low heat until mixture is nearly dry, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in lime juice and transfer mixture to paper towel–lined plate to drain.
- Spread half of chips in 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Dollop half of bean mixture over chips, then spread evenly. Scatter half of beef mixture over beans, top with 2 cups cheese, and sprinkle with half of jalapeños. Repeat with remaining chips, beans, beef, cheese, and jalapeños. Bake until cheese is melted and just beginning to brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Serve with salsa.
Yield
Serves 8Ingredients
Refried Beans
½ cup canned refried beans
3 tablespoons shredded pepper Jack cheese
1 tablespoon chopped canned jalapeños
Spicy Beef
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon table salt
1 pound 90 percent lean ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
1½ teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
½ cup water
2 teaspoons lime juice
9½ ounces tortilla chips
1 pound pepper Jack cheese, shredded (4 cups), divided
2 jalapeño chiles, sliced into thin rings, divided
Salsa
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Refried Beans
½ cup canned refried beans
3 tablespoons shredded pepper Jack cheese
1 tablespoon chopped canned jalapeños
Spicy Beef
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon table salt
1 pound 90 percent lean ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
1½ teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
½ cup water
2 teaspoons lime juice
9½ ounces tortilla chips
1 pound pepper Jack cheese, shredded (4 cups), divided
2 jalapeño chiles, sliced into thin rings, divided
Salsa
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Refried Beans
½ cup canned refried beans
3 tablespoons shredded pepper Jack cheese
1 tablespoon chopped canned jalapeños
Spicy Beef
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon table salt
1 pound 90 percent lean ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
1½ teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
½ cup water
2 teaspoons lime juice
9½ ounces tortilla chips
1 pound pepper Jack cheese, shredded (4 cups), divided
2 jalapeño chiles, sliced into thin rings, divided
Salsa
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Too often, nacho recipes produce soggy chips loaded down with bland, greasy beef; dry beans; and cold strings of cheese. To avoid this, we created an Ultimate Spicy Beef Nachos recipe that turns out crisp, flavorful, and fresh. Boldly seasoning our beef with a mixture of spices and other flavorings caused the flavor to pop. While many nacho recipes call for cheddar cheese, we found it didn’t melt nearly as well as pepper Jack, which melted well and added a kick, too.
Before You Begin
Top with our One-Minute Salsa, sour cream, chopped cilantro, and diced avocado.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
- For the beans: Pulse all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 10 pulses. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
- For the beef: Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook onion until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, sugar, chipotle, and adobo sauce and cook until paste begins to darken, about 1 minute. Add water, bring to simmer, and cook over medium-low heat until mixture is nearly dry, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in lime juice and transfer mixture to paper towel–lined plate to drain.
- Spread half of chips in 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Dollop half of bean mixture over chips, then spread evenly. Scatter half of beef mixture over beans, top with 2 cups cheese, and sprinkle with half of jalapeños. Repeat with remaining chips, beans, beef, cheese, and jalapeños. Bake until cheese is melted and just beginning to brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Serve with salsa.
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