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Nachos Grande Recipe

Nachos Grande Recipe

Nachos Grande is the ultimate loaded nacho platter piled high with crispy tortilla chips, seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, and all your favorite toppings. This crowd-pleasing recipe is perfect for game day, movie nights, or casual gatherings, and can be customized with jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole, and fresh salsa. Ready in just 30 minutes, these restaurant-style nachos are easy to make at home and guaranteed to disappear fast, making them the perfect shareable appetizer or satisfying meal for the whole family.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 396
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • ½ green bell pepper chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 × 8oz 250g can chopped tomatoes
  • ½ –1 fresh jalapeño chile halved, seeded, and finely chopped
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp paprika plus extra for garnish
  • 1 × 14oz 400g can refried beans
  • 1 × 3oz 90g package tortilla chips
  • 6 oz 175g Cheddar cheese, grated

Method
 

  1. Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat 2 tbsp of sunflower oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then add 1 finely chopped onion, ½ chopped green bell pepper, and 3 crushed garlic cloves.
  2. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened and become fragrant. Add 1 × 8oz can of chopped tomatoes along with ½–1 fresh jalapeño chile (halved, seeded, and finely chopped) to the pan, and continue cooking over medium heat for another 5 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated, concentrating the flavors.
  3. Next, stir in ½ tsp chili powder and ½ tsp paprika, cooking for 3 minutes to allow the spices to bloom and deepen in flavor.
  4. Add 1 × 14oz can of refried beans to the mixture, breaking them up with a fork as you incorporate them into the sauce. Pour in ⅓ cup of water and add ¼ tsp ground cumin, then cook, stirring from time to time, for 8–10 minutes until the mixture thickens and becomes a rich, cohesive sauce.
  5. Transfer the bean mixture into a baking dish and arrange 1 × 3oz package of tortilla chips on top, layering them evenly throughout. Sprinkle 6oz of grated Cheddar cheese over the tortilla chips, ensuring full coverage for even melting.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly, then remove and garnish generously with extra paprika before serving.

Notes

What's the Difference Between Nacho Supreme and Nacho Grande?

While both are loaded nacho variations, the main difference lies in the toppings and portion size. Nacho Grande, meaning "large nachos" in Spanish, typically refers to a generous portion of nachos with fundamental toppings like seasoned meat, cheese, beans, jalapeños, and tomatoes. It's all about volume and satisfying hunger with classic flavors. Nacho Supreme, on the other hand, takes things further by including premium toppings such as sour cream, guacamole, black olives, diced tomatoes, green onions, and sometimes even lettuce. The "supreme" designation indicates a more complete, restaurant-style presentation with every possible topping. Think of Nacho Grande as your hearty, straightforward loaded nachos, while Nacho Supreme is the fully dressed version with all the bells and whistles for those who want maximum variety in every bite.