Beef Nachos with Fresh Tomato and Jalapeño Salsa

RECIPE UPDATED 10/12/25

I meant to post this recipe before the Super Bowl, but our trip to South America got the best of my schedule so making nachos had to wait. And from what I've been told, waiting for nachos is one of life's great challenges.

Useless Facts

• In 1959, waitress Carmen Rocha introduced nachos to Los Angeles at El Cholo, a local Mexican restaurant.
• Folklore says that Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya is the father of nachos. During WWII, the wives of ten Texan soldiers went to Mexico for an outing and happened upon a restaurant called the Victory Club. The chef was nowhere to be found (or the restaurant was closed, not sure about this part of the tale), so Ignacio had to improvise. He threw together some tortilla triangles, cheese, and jalapeños, then cooked them under the broiler. Good man. The rest is heartburn-inducing history. Viva Nacho!
• Habanero is not spelled "habañero". The addition of a tilde is what the internet calls "hyperforeignism". Not ashamed to say that I've been mispronouncing habanero up until I wrote this post.

Tools

• Cuisinart Mini-prep Food Processor
• 13 x 9 Baking Dish or Individual Oven-safe Dishes (if you want to make appetizer portions)

Heirloom tomatoes at Tutti Frutti Farms

Ingredients (Adapted from Cook's Illustrated)

Beans

• 1/2 can refried beans
• 1/4 cup shredded habanero jack cheese
• 1 teaspoon fresh jalapeño, chopped
• 3 teaspoons pickled jalapeño, chopped

Beef

• 1 lb lean ground beef Note: I often use Lindner Bison for this dish.
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or flake-style salt
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chopped chipotle plus 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Bake and Serve

• 9 1/2 ounces of hearty chips Note: I now use chips from Jimtown Store. Sadly, Jimtown Store closed so now I get chips from some local businesses. A mix of yellow and blue is nice for flavor and presentation.
• 2.5 cups habanero jack, shredded Note: If you can't find habanero jack feel free to substitute pepper jack for the entire 4.5 cups.
• 2 cups regular jack cheese, shredded
• Roasted Jalapeño and Tomato Salsa
• Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Note: I keep this salsa in the freezer so it's no effort the day of.
• 2 avocados
• Sour cream
• 2-3 fresh jalapeños, sliced thin Note: I now use pickled jalapeños in lieu of fresh. The acidity helps balance the strong flavors.
• Optional: I add Pickled Red Onions to the finished nachos if I'm out of pickled jalapeños.
• Optional: A mixture of finely minced parsley and cilantro is nice to sprinkle on top before serving. I use more cilantro than parsley in the blend.

Instructions (Adapted from Cook's Illustrated)

Beans

• Puree the beans, cheese, and jalapeños in a food processor then set aside. Note: This is where a mini food processor comes in handy. The bean mixture can be made the day before, but be sure to bring it to room temperature before baking the nachos.

Beef

• In a large stainless pan, heat the oil over medium.
• Cook the onion with a small pinch of salt for 5 to 10 minutes until translucent.
• Add the beef and increase the heat to medium-high. Break it up into small bits, then cook until no longer pink. Transfer the beef to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, wipe the pan clean, then spoon the mixture back into the pan.
• Add the spices, garlic, and salt, then cook until fragrant.
• Add the tomato paste, chopped chipotle, brown sugar, and adobo, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the water and simmer over medium-low heat until it has been absorbed, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice and taste, then adjust to your liking with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon. Transfer to a plate to cool. Note: You're not looking for the beef mixture to read limey, but when you hit the right point with the lime juice the overall flavor will pop.

Bake and Serve

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and move your rack to the middle position.
• In a 13 x 9 inch baking dish, spread half of the chips evenly, then distribute half of the bean mixture, beef, and cheese. Note: I spoon the beans into a small Ziploc bag, snip the corner, then "pipe" them onto the chips—much easier than trying to spread it.
• Repeat with the remaining chips, beans, beef, and cheese.
• Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese melts, bubbles, and begins to brown slightly.
• Serve immediately with salsa, sour cream, diced avocado, and sliced jalapeños. Note: Be sure your sour cream and salsa are room temperature.

Make-ahead Ingredients for Parties or RV meals

Preparing most of the ingredients ahead of time has no negative impact on flavor and makes cooking and cleanup super easy.

2-3 Days in Advance

• Grate cheese and refrigerate in an airtight bag.
• Make bean mixture and refrigerate in an airtight bag.
• Make beef mixture and refrigerate in an airtight container. If making more than 1 day in advance, freeze the cooked beef mixture once it is completely cool.

Day Before Cooking

• Transfer the cooked beef (if frozen) to the refrigerator so it can thaw overnight.

Day of Cooking

• Make your salsa early in the day and refrigerate so the flavors have time to set up. If the salsa is roasted, it can be made a day in advance.
• Gently reheat the beef so that it's warm to hot before assembling the nachos. Cold beef won't come up to temperature when baking in the oven.