If you’ve been out for Mexican food recently and ordered nachos, you may have thought I can make these at home while you crunch away at tortilla chips loaded with cheese and toppings. You’re right; you can make nachos at home, but they’re never quite as good as what you get from a Mexican restaurant. But you can come pretty close if you understand the basics of what makes nachos from your favorite Mexican restaurant so good.
Are you ready to try making Mexican food at home? Follow these three steps to make the perfect nachos.
Start with the chips.
Tortilla chips are the base of your nachos, so you need to get them right. If you can find fresh tortilla chips (try your local grocery store deli or bakery), they are your best bet. If you have to use something from the snack aisle, look for a brand that uses just a few simple ingredients. Once you’ve picked your chips, make sure you spread them in an even layer. You don’t want any to get buried and be untouched by toppings or cheese.
Load ‘em up.
Speaking of toppings, this is your chance to shine. Make your nachos your own by adding chicken, beef, chorizo, beans, salsa, or whatever else you want on your nachos. Whatever you choose, make sure you cut everything into small enough pieces and spread them evenly over the chips. You want all the flavors and textures of the toppings you choose to get into every bite. Just make sure you don’t overdo it. You don’t want your chips to break under the weight of all your toppings!
Cover it in cheese.
Now for the finishing touch: the cheese. Cheese is actually pretty essential to nachos. You can have nachos with just chips and cheese, but without it, they’re not really nachos. Sprinkle a generous layer of shredded cheese on top, leaving no corner untouched. It’s best to use a mild cheese like monetary jack that will melt easily and won’t take away from the flavor of your toppings. After you melt the cheese, let your nachos sit until they’re cool enough to eat, but don’t wait too long! If the cheese becomes too solid, it will be hard to separate the chips.
