Nachos have got to be a favorite around the world, even when I was in elementary school nachos were my go to lunch option. These Beef Skillet nachos are SO GOOD and easy to make. It’s ease of cooking makes this a great party food or comfort food. The thing that sets these skillet nachos apart from regular nachos is the fact that after you have all of your ingredients cooked and prepped you throw a layer of shredded cheese onto a flat top griddle of sauté pan, then put the rest of your ingredients on top and use two spatulas to toss it. The reason this elevates the dish is because, for one you have caramelized cheese now(amazing), and it solved that problem where some chips have meat and toppings while others are naked.
Meat
My meat of choice this time was ground beef. I seasoned it with salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne and paprika. You could use any meat or cut you would like though, ground chicken, chicken breast, skirt steak or even short ribs. I will go into some of those variations in the brainstorm section though.
Vegetables
I used Spanish onions that I sautéed, tomatoes and raw red onions as a topping. There are lots more vegetables you could add though, like avocado slices or guacamole, cilantro, bell peppers or even mushrooms.
The sauce that is drizzled on top is an avocado sour cream. essentially it is avocado, sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic and a tap of cumin blended together. Sour cream by itself is amazing with nachos, but there are so many ways to up the flavor and appeal by giving it some color.
| Ingredient | Quantity |
| Ground Beef | 1 lb |
| Olive oil | 1 Tbsp |
| Salt | TT |
| Pepper | TT |
| Garlic powder | 1 Tbsp |
| Cumin | 1 Tbsp |
| Cayenne pepper | 1 Tsp |
| Paprika | 2 Tsp |
| Spanish Onion, sliced | 2 small to medium |
| Tomato, sliced | 2 |
| Jalapeno, sliced | 1 |
| Red Onion, diced | 1/2 an onion |
| Sour Cream | 4 oz |
| Avocado | 1 |
| Tortilla chips | 18-24 oz |
| Shredded Mexican Cheese blend | 16-24 oz |
Instructions:
- Pour the olive oil into a pan on medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot add the ground beef, cook until brown. 6-8 minutes. Then scoot the meat to one side.
- Add the onions to the empty side of the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until translucent, then add the tomatoes and cook for two more minutes. Next, mix the vegetables with the beef evenly to spread that onion and tomato flavor.
- In a blender or bullet, add the sour cream, avocado, salt, pepper, garlic powder and a tap of cumin. Blend and pour into a squeeze bottle or bowl.
- Take the beef mixture out of the pan and put it into a bowl.
- With the same pan on medium heat, sprinkle some cheese into the pan, then add the chips, and meat mixture, let it sit for a minute so the cheese on the bottom can caramelize. then start to gently toss it around with two spatulas. Once it is mixed evenly, you can put it on a plate and add your red onions, jalapeno slices, and avocado sour cream.
Tips:
- You can also make the avocado sour cream a day before, so you only have to worry about cooking the chicken and vegetables.
Brainstorm:
Lets go back to those other meat options now. Short ribs. This would take a lot longer to make but it would definitely be worth the wait. I have never had short rib nachos before, but I have had short ribs. So I know for a fact the texture and meatiness would go great with this recipe. I would Char a variety of peppers and onions, then sear the meat. Next I would add it all to an Instapot and pressure cook it for an hour and a half, so that the meat is fall of the bone tender. You could then reduce that braising liquid and dip the nachos in that too, almost like birria. I would serve this with some lime or lemon sliced though, short ribs are high in fat so the acidity would help cut that fattiness down and help you from feeling full as fast.
For a vegetarian option you could do this with a medley of black and pinto beans, then refry them yourself with the cheese. I love black beans and this would not only taste great but also be nutritious since beans are a good source of both protein and fiber.
Lastly you could squeeze some lemon or lime juice to the avocado sour cream before blending for more flavor. You could also add roasted garlic instead of garlic powder for a stronger garlic flavor.
That is it for today’s recipe, I hope you all give it a try. Maybe cook it if you plan to have some family or friends over, they will love it.
Have a Great day !
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