Cheesy Nachos with Spicy Beef
By America's Test KitchenPublished on May 22, 2012
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
One-Minute Salsa
½ small jalapeño chile or ½ chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced¼ small red onion, peeled, and root end removed1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves ¼ teaspoon table salt pinch ground black pepper 2 teaspoons lime juice from 1 lime2 small tomatoes (about ¾ pound), ripe, each cored and cut into eighths, or one (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drianedFresh Guacamole
2 small avocados ripe,(preferably Haas)1 tablespoon minced red onion 1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press½ small jalapeño chile, minced (about 1 ½ teaspoons)2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves table salt 1 tablespoon lime juice from 1 limeSpicy Beef
2 teaspoons corn oil or vegetable oil1 small onion, chopped fine1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press1 tablespoon chili powder ¼ teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground coriander ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ⅛ teaspoon table salt ½ pound 90% lean ground beef (or leaner)Nachos
8 ounces tortilla chips 1 pound shredded cheddar cheese (4 cups)2 large jalapeño chiles (¾ ounce each), sliced thin (about ¼ cup)2 scallions, sliced thin½ cup sour cream (4 ounces)1 lime, cut into 6 wedgesInstructions
- Pulse all ingredients except tomatoes in food processor until minced, about five 1-second pulses, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Add tomatoes and pulse until roughly chopped, about two 1-second pulses.
- Halve 1 avocado, remove pit, and scoop flesh into medium bowl. Using fork, mash lightly with onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, and 1/8 teaspoon salt until just combined.
- Halve and pit remaining avocado. Using a dinner knife, carefully make 1/2-inch cross-hatch incisions in flesh, cutting down to but not through skin. Using a soupspoon, gently scoop flesh from skin; transfer to bowl with mashed avocado mixture (see illustrations below). Sprinkle lime juice over and mix lightly with fork until combined but still chunky. Adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary, and serve. (Can be covered with plastic wrap, pressed directly onto surface of mixture, and refrigerated up to 1 day. Return guacamole to room temperature, removing plastic wrap just before serving.)
- Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering, but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, spices, and salt; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and combined with onions, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon and scraping pan bottom to prevent scorching, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread half of chips in even layer in 13- by 9-inch baking dish or similar ovenproof platter; sprinkle half of beef mixture on chips and cover evenly with 2 cups cheese and half of jalapeño slices. Repeat with remaining chips, beef mixture, cheese, and jalapeños. Bake until cheese is melted, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove nachos from oven, cool 2 minutes, then sprinkle with scallions. Along edge of nachos, drop scoops of guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. Serve immediately, passing lime wedges separately.
for one-minute salsa
for fresh guacamole
for spicy beef
for nachos
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
One-Minute Salsa
½ small jalapeño chile or ½ chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
¼ small red onion, peeled, and root end removed
1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
¼ teaspoon table salt
pinch ground black pepper
2 teaspoons lime juice from 1 lime
2 small tomatoes (about ¾ pound), ripe, each cored and cut into eighths, or one (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drianed
Fresh Guacamole
2 small avocados ripe,(preferably Haas)
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
½ small jalapeño chile, minced (about 1 ½ teaspoons)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
table salt
1 tablespoon lime juice from 1 lime
Spicy Beef
2 teaspoons corn oil or vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
1 tablespoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅛ teaspoon table salt
½ pound 90% lean ground beef (or leaner)
Nachos
8 ounces tortilla chips
1 pound shredded cheddar cheese (4 cups)
2 large jalapeño chiles (¾ ounce each), sliced thin (about ¼ cup)
2 scallions, sliced thin
½ cup sour cream (4 ounces)
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
One-Minute Salsa
½ small jalapeño chile or ½ chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
¼ small red onion, peeled, and root end removed
1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
¼ teaspoon table salt
pinch ground black pepper
2 teaspoons lime juice from 1 lime
2 small tomatoes (about ¾ pound), ripe, each cored and cut into eighths, or one (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drianed
Fresh Guacamole
2 small avocados ripe,(preferably Haas)
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
½ small jalapeño chile, minced (about 1 ½ teaspoons)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
table salt
1 tablespoon lime juice from 1 lime
Spicy Beef
2 teaspoons corn oil or vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
1 tablespoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅛ teaspoon table salt
½ pound 90% lean ground beef (or leaner)
Nachos
8 ounces tortilla chips
1 pound shredded cheddar cheese (4 cups)
2 large jalapeño chiles (¾ ounce each), sliced thin (about ¼ cup)
2 scallions, sliced thin
½ cup sour cream (4 ounces)
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
One-Minute Salsa
½ small jalapeño chile or ½ chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
¼ small red onion, peeled, and root end removed
1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
¼ teaspoon table salt
pinch ground black pepper
2 teaspoons lime juice from 1 lime
2 small tomatoes (about ¾ pound), ripe, each cored and cut into eighths, or one (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drianed
Fresh Guacamole
2 small avocados ripe,(preferably Haas)
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
½ small jalapeño chile, minced (about 1 ½ teaspoons)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
table salt
1 tablespoon lime juice from 1 lime
Spicy Beef
2 teaspoons corn oil or vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
1 tablespoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅛ teaspoon table salt
½ pound 90% lean ground beef (or leaner)
Nachos
8 ounces tortilla chips
1 pound shredded cheddar cheese (4 cups)
2 large jalapeño chiles (¾ ounce each), sliced thin (about ¼ cup)
2 scallions, sliced thin
½ cup sour cream (4 ounces)
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
A good nacho recipe requires not only a hearty helping of cheese but also ample amounts of garnishes such as salsa, guacamole, sour cream, jalapeños, scallions, and so on. To ensure that our tortilla chips in our nachos recipe were cheesy and spicy, we layered them with a full pound of shredded cheddar cheese and sliced jalapeños. Flavored with onion, garlic, and a mix of warm spices, the beef added richness and a helping of protein to the mix. We used only the freshest ingredients to prepare quick homemade salsa and guacamole to garnish the nachos, and we finished our dish with fresh lime wedges and sour cream.
Instructions
- Pulse all ingredients except tomatoes in food processor until minced, about five 1-second pulses, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Add tomatoes and pulse until roughly chopped, about two 1-second pulses.
- Halve 1 avocado, remove pit, and scoop flesh into medium bowl. Using fork, mash lightly with onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, and 1/8 teaspoon salt until just combined.
- Halve and pit remaining avocado. Using a dinner knife, carefully make 1/2-inch cross-hatch incisions in flesh, cutting down to but not through skin. Using a soupspoon, gently scoop flesh from skin; transfer to bowl with mashed avocado mixture (see illustrations below). Sprinkle lime juice over and mix lightly with fork until combined but still chunky. Adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary, and serve. (Can be covered with plastic wrap, pressed directly onto surface of mixture, and refrigerated up to 1 day. Return guacamole to room temperature, removing plastic wrap just before serving.)
- Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering, but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, spices, and salt; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and combined with onions, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon and scraping pan bottom to prevent scorching, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread half of chips in even layer in 13- by 9-inch baking dish or similar ovenproof platter; sprinkle half of beef mixture on chips and cover evenly with 2 cups cheese and half of jalapeño slices. Repeat with remaining chips, beef mixture, cheese, and jalapeños. Bake until cheese is melted, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove nachos from oven, cool 2 minutes, then sprinkle with scallions. Along edge of nachos, drop scoops of guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. Serve immediately, passing lime wedges separately.
for one-minute salsa
for fresh guacamole
for spicy beef
for nachos
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