Loaded Nachos

Crisped tortilla chips under beans, molten cheese, and all the cold toppings — built in layers, gone in minutes.

25 min4 servingsMexican-American508 kcal/serving23g protein
Loaded Nachos — Mexican-American recipe, finished and plated

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Ingredients

  • 8 Corn tortillas
  • 150 g Melting cheese
  • 1 tin Black beans
  • 2 tbsp Neutral oil
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 1 Tomato (optional)
  • 1 Jalapeno (optional)
  • 4 tbsp Sour cream (optional)
  • 2 tbsp Cilantro (optional)
  • ½ tsp Ground cumin (optional)

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
  2. Cut the tortillas into wedges and toss them with the oil and salt on a sheet tray.
  3. Bake the wedges until golden and crisp, about 8 minutes.
  4. Warm the drained beans in a small saucepan over medium heat with the cumin and a splash of water, mashing them slightly.
  5. Dice the tomato, slice the jalapeño, and chop the cilantro while the chips bake.
  6. Layer the chips, beans, and cheese on the tray in TWO layers so no chip stays dry.
  7. Bake the loaded tray until the cheese is molten, about 6 minutes.
  8. Top the nachos with the diced tomato, jalapeño, sour cream, and cilantro and serve on the tray.

Nutrition per serving

508Calories
23gProtein
53gCarbs
24gFat
13gFiber

Estimated from ingredients; varies with exact portions and brands.

About Loaded Nachos

Loaded nachos are the ultimate Tex-Mex and Mexican-American sharing dish, a tray of crisp tortilla chips built up with warm and cold toppings to be eaten with your hands. Corn tortillas cut into wedges and baked with a little oil turn golden and sturdy — the whole thing lives or dies on chips that stay crisp under their load. Cumin-spiced mashed black beans and melting cheese provide the hot, gooey base, while diced tomato, jalapeño, sour cream, and cilantro go on cold at the end for brightness and crunch.

The appeal is textural chaos in the best way: crunchy chips, creamy beans, molten cheese, cool sour cream, and the sharp bite of fresh jalapeño all in one grabbed handful. It is party food and game-day food, meant to hit the table hot and disappear fast. Serve it straight from the tray so everyone digs in together, with extra salsa or guacamole alongside if you like. The smart move in this version is layering the chips, beans, and cheese in two tiers rather than one — so no chip is left bare, and every one gets its share of melted cheese.

Loaded Nachos: frequently asked questions

How many calories are in Loaded Nachos?

One serving of Loaded Nachos has about 508 calories, with 23g of protein, 53g of carbs, 24g of fat and 13g of fiber. These are estimates based on the ingredient amounts in this recipe and will vary with your exact portions and brands.

Is Loaded Nachos gluten-free?

Based on its ingredients, Loaded Nachos has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.

Is Loaded Nachos dairy-free?

Not as written — it uses Sour cream. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.

How long does Loaded Nachos take to make?

About 25 minutes start to finish, but only around 18 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.

Do I need every ingredient to make Loaded Nachos?

The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out tomato, jalapeno, sour cream — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.

How many servings does Loaded Nachos make?

This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.