How to Make Nachos in the Oven

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

If you've got a craving for nachos but don't feel like ordering out, try making them yourself in the oven. Oven-baked nachos are quick and easy to throw together, require only a handful of basic ingredients and won't leave you with a big mess to clean up later. Just line a baking pan with tortilla chips, sprinkle with your favorite toppings and run them through the oven just long enough to melt the cheese. In a few minutes, you'll have a crunchy, gooey snack that works just as well as a full meal as a midnight nibble.

Ingredients

1 bag hearty corn tortilla chips
1-2 cups freshly grated or shredded cheese
Sliced jalapeno peppers
Tomatoes
Red onion
Corn
Black beans
Black olives
Sour cream
Guacamole
Fresh salsa
Cilantro
Ground beef, chicken or other protein (optional)
Additional toppings of choice (optional)

Makes 2-3 servings

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Building the Nachos

1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176°C). Set your oven to convection and make some room on the center rack. Let it begin warming up as you assemble the nachos.^{[1]
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- A lower cooking temperature will allow everything to heat evenly throughout without burning the chips.
2
Prepare a large baking pan with cooking spray. Melted cheese and other temperamental ingredients can stick and harden on an ungreased cooking surface if you're not careful. A quick spritz of cooking spray will prevent that from happening, even with the cheesiest nachos.^{[2]
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- Nonstick cookware can be cleaned with a simple wipe, saving you a lot of messy cleanup.
- Choose a deep pan or casserole dish that will contain all the ingredients you'll be heaping onto your nachos.^{[3]
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3
Spread the tortilla chips at the bottom of the baking dish. Distribute the chips out to the edges of the dish. Make sure they're lying as flat as possible. This way, they'll be able to hold toppings better and won't be as likely to break.
- Use a hearty style of tortilla chip that will hold up to heavier toppings.^{[4]
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- Try to overlap the edges of the chips so there are no open spaces between them.
4
Cover the chips with shredded cheese. Distribute the cheese evenly over the top of the tortilla chips. Use as much as you please—for smaller portions, a couple handfuls should be enough, while you may need to use an entire package for party-sized platters.^{[5]
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- Freshly grated cheese tends to melt better than bagged shredded varieties.^{[6]
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- Put down two layers of chips and cheese to achieve just the right ratio of crunch to creaminess.^{[7]
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Add the rest of your ingredients. With your first layer complete, you can now pile on any and all of your other favorite nacho toppers. Fresh tomatoes, diced red onion, black olives, refried beans, jalapeño peppers, corn and black beans are all popular options. Once again, aim for even coverage with your ingredients.^{[8]
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- Sprinkle a little more cheese on top to help tie it all together.
- Get creative with your nacho toppings. Try bacon-bleu cheese nachos with sliced scallions, or serve them fajita style with caramelized bell peppers and onions.^{[9]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Baking and Topping the Nachos

1
Bake the nachos for 5-10 minutes. Place the nachos in the oven on the center rack and heat until the cheese is melted and perfectly gooey. Keep an eye on the nachos as they heat up to prevent them from getting too done.^{[10]
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- Switch the oven light on so that you'll be able to tell exactly when your nachos are ready.
- Be sure to remove the nachos before the chips begin to brown around the edges.
2
Finish with any remaining cold toppings. The nachos will be piping hot when they first come out of the oven, so give them a minute or two to cool. Afterwards, you can add your choice of fresh and non-heatable ingredients. Spoon on a dollop of sour cream, guacamole or salsa, then use a few sprigs of chopped cilantro or a squeeze of lime to provide the finishing touches.^{[11]
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- Add your fresh toppings just before serving the nachos. If allowed to sit for too long, they may get soggy.
- Ingredients like sour cream and guacamole don't do well when heated.
3
Spice things up a bit. If you prefer your nachos to have a little heat to them, feel free to include a few bonus add-ons like fresh jalapeños, roasted poblanos or cayenne. You can also add a dash of hot sauce or chipotle pepper for a subtle smoky finish.^{[12]
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- Leave the spicy toppings on the side to take it easy on eaters with milder tastes.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Making Nachos for Any Occasion

1
Put together a single serving. For a scrumptious snack for one, only use about half a bag of tortilla chips, or as many as you can eat at a time. Combine them with smaller amounts of each of your other ingredients and run them through the oven for around five minutes. You'll have just enough to satisfy your hunger without having to deal with leftovers.^{[13]
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- Snack-sized nachos make a great afternoon pick-me-up or fun finger food for a movie night.
2
Serve a party platter. If you plan on having company over and need something to feed them, it doesn't get any easier than homemade oven nachos. Just use a larger piece of cookware, like a roasting pan or cookie sheet, to make sure you can fit all of the nachos in the oven at once.^{[14]
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- Set up your toppings assembly line-style so that everyone can customize their nachos individually.
- Take all the difficulty out of serving and cleanup by serving the nachos on disposable plates and encouraging hungry guests to help themselves by hand.
3
Include a source of protein. With the addition of ground beef, chicken, chorizo or even a fried egg, you can turn a simple batch of nachos into a satisfying lunch or dinner. Have the protein cooked and ready by the time you add your second layer of toppings so it will be nice and hot when it comes out of the oven. And bring an appetite, because these loaded nachos are extra filling!^{[15]
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- Top nachos with smoky marinated chicken or pulled pork barbecue and serve them as a tasty food court-style meal.
4
Make vegetarian nachos. Meat eaters don't have to be the ones having all the fun. Nachos are one dish that's extremely easy to modify for plant-based dietary restrictions. In fact, most types of meat-free nachos already qualify as vegetarian. If you're a vegan, simply use your favorite plant-based cheese substitute in place of regular dairy cheeses.^{[16]
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- Add some substance to vegetarian nachos using tofu, sweet potatoes or baked tempeh.
- Vegans should also double check that the tortilla chips they use, along with any other prepackaged ingredients, aren't made with animal products.^{[17]
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5
Finished.