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.
