Simple Beef Nachos Recipe with Pico de Gallo
Recipe development and and food photography by Mitzi de Maa RD, LDN
Copywriting by Isabel Vasquez Larson RD, LDN
For those nights you want something that’s both comforting and easy to make, these simple beef nachos with pico de gallo are perfect.
Despite some people thinking nachos are “unhealthy”, these make for a well-rounded meal full of protein, carbs, fat, and fiber. They’re a delicious dinner that’s sure to please your whole family.
You can also cut down on the prep time by using leftover ground beef.
What You’ll Need
Nachos are quite simple to prepare, which is part of why we love them. You can typically throw them together with ingredients you already have on hand like chips, canned beans or ground meat, cheese, and salsa.
To make these nachos, you’ll only need six simple ingredients:
Ground beef
Olive oil
A small onion
Taco seasoning
Tortilla chips
Shredded cheese
If you have high cholesterol, you may want to opt for lean ground beef (e.g. 90/10 instead of 80/20) and low-fat cheese to reduce your saturated fat intake.
For high blood pressure, consider using reduced sodium taco seasoning to lower your sodium intake.
The recipe will still have loads of flavor if you use these lower-saturated fat and lower-sodium ingredients.
We’re all about adding nutrition here at Your Latina Nutrition, so we’ve created a pico de gallo salad to go with these nachos. For the salad, here’s what you need:
Shredded cabbage
A small onion
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Fresh cilantro
Lime juice
If you’re anything like us, you love loading your nachos up with salsas, beans, and other toppings. Here are some optional additions you may want to use:
Refried beans
Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
Guacamole
Tomatillo salsa or regular salsa
How to Make Beef Nachos with Pico de Gallo
1. Sautée the onions
Before you get started, preheat the oven to 350°F. As it preheats, heat olive oil in a medium skillet on the stove. Once it’s hot, add in the chopped onions and sautée them until they’re translucent.
2. Add the beef.
Once the onions are translucent, add in the ground beef. As it cooks, break it apart with a spatula so it is a crumbly texture. Cook it until it browns, about 10 minutes. If there’s a lot of fat in the pan, drain it.
3. Add the Seasonings.
Time for sabor! Stir in the taco seasoning and then do a taste test of the beef. If you think it needs more flavor, add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Prep the chips
Next, prep the tortilla chips and cheese for the oven.
Simply fill a baking sheet or oven-safe dish with tortilla chips and sprinkle the shredded cheese on top. We suggest using a Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese.
You can shred it yourself, of course, but for convenience sake we like pre-shredded cheese.
We used round tortilla chips, but any shape or color works great!
5. bake the nachos
Once your oven is heated to 350°F, insert the tray of chips and cheese and bake it until the cheese is melted and bubbly (about 5-10 minutes).
The edges of the chips may get a little browned, and that’s okay. Just be sure not the burn the cheese.
6. Add beef and other toppings
Once the cheese is melted, take the nachos out of the oven. Add the ground beef and any other toppings you want!
We recommend refried beans, sour cream, jalapeños, guacamole, salsa, and a fresh pico de gallo salad (recipe details below). Buen provecho!
For more recipes and education on how to ADD nutrition to your favorite Latine cultural dishes, make peace with food, and focus on your health without dieting, join our nutrition library for only $27/month.
Simple Beef Nachos with Pico de Gallo
These easy-to-make beef nachos are topped with a pico de gallo salad, bringing beautiful color and nutrition to the plate.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- Taco seasoning to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bag (about 10-12 ounces) of tortilla chips
- 2 cups shredded cheese (preferably Mexican blend or cheddar cheese)
- 1 cup finely shredded cabbage
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Juice of 1-2 limes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Refried beans
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Tomatillo salsa or red salsa
- Jalapeño
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add chopped onions and sauté until onions are translucent.
- Add ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned, about 10 minutes, breaking it apart with a spatula as it cooks.
- Drain excess fat if necessary, then stir in the taco seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- On a large baking sheet or oven-safe dish, spread out a layer of tortilla chips. Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly on top.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven. Add the cooked beef mixture and your desired toppings over the chips. Enjoy!
- While the nachos are in the oven, in a mixing bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, diced cucumber, diced tomatoes, and chopped cilantro.
- Squeeze the juice of one lime over the mixture and toss gently to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
The taco seasoning does contain salt, so keep that in mind before you add more salt, especially if you have high blood pressure and are trying to be mindful of your sodium intake.
The pico de gallo salad makes a great addition to these nachos because it adds more color and a crisp texture. Plus, it's packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants to promote your health and nutritionally complement this delicious meal.
Nutrition Facts
Fat
56 gSat. Fat
19 gCarbs
67 gFiber
8 gNet carbs
59 gSugar
8 gProtein
40 gSodium
1113 mgIron
5 mgVitamin D
0 µgPotassium
856 mgCalcium
432 mgEven though people may not think of nachos as "healthy", this recipe is well-rounded nutritionally. It's a good source of high-quality protein thanks to the ground beef and cheese.
If you're trying to reduce your saturated fat consumption (say, because you have high cholesterol), you can opt for lean ground beef and/or reduced-fat cheese to lower the saturated fat content.
The tortilla chips provide carbohydrates and fiber, and the pico de gallo salad adds more fiber. If you choose to add refried beans or guacamole, you'll get even more fiber in this meal, which supports heart, digestive, and gut health.
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