Cheesy Loaded Nachos

Name: Cheesy Loaded Nachos
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 12 oz (340 g) sturdy restaurant-style tortilla chips; 10 oz (283 g) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded from a block (about 2½ cups); 15 oz can (425 g) canned black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin; ½ tsp (1½ g) chili powder; 1 whole (67 g) lime, half juiced (about 1 Tbsp), half cut into wedges for serving; ½ cup (70 g) pickled jalapeño slices, drained and patted dry; 1 cup (260 g) thick chunky salsa, drained of excess liquid; ½ cup (120 g) sour cream; 1 large (200 g) ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces; 3 whole (45 g) scallions, thinly sliced; ¼ cup (4 g) fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (optional); ¼ tsp (1½ g) kosher salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A big sheet pan of crisp chips layered with two rounds of melted cheddar, seasoned black beans, and pickled jalapeños, then finished with cool sour cream, fresh salsa, and avocado. Layering twice means every chip gets its share of toppings.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 35 min
Makes: 1 large sheet pan of nachos (6 party servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

12 oz (340 g) sturdy restaurant-style tortilla chips
10 oz (283 g) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded from a block (about 2½ cups)
15 oz can (425 g) canned black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin
½ tsp (1.5 g) chili powder
1 whole (67 g) lime, half juiced (about 1 Tbsp), half cut into wedges for serving
½ cup (70 g) pickled jalapeño slices, drained and patted dry
1 cup (260 g) thick chunky salsa, drained of excess liquid
½ cup (120 g) sour cream
1 large (200 g) ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces
3 whole (45 g) scallions, thinly sliced
¼ cup (4 g) fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (optional)
¼ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt

Equipment (6)

18×13-inch (46×33 cm) rimmed half-sheet pan
Parchment paper
Medium bowl
Box grater
Cutting board and knife
Small bowl for the beans

Steps

Before you start

Shred the cheese yourself from a block: pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking starch and melts less smoothly.
Position an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) before you start assembling.
Drain and rinse the canned black beans, then pat them dry so the nachos don't turn soggy.
Have all toppings chopped before the pan goes in the oven. The nachos are best served within minutes of baking.

1
Preheat and prep panOven 400°F / 205°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C).
- Line an 18×13-inch (46×33 cm) rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
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Ready when: Oven reads 400°F (200°C).
Tip: Don't use foil without greasing it: melted cheese sticks fiercely to it.
2
Shred the cheese
- Using the large holes of a box grater, shred the cheddar into a medium bowl.
- Toss with your fingers to separate the strands, then divide into two equal piles of about 1¼ cups (140 g) each.
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Ready when: Cheese is fluffy and divided into two equal piles.
Tip: Chill the block 15 minutes first if it is soft; it grates more cleanly.
3
Season the beans
- In a small bowl, gently toss the dried black beans with the cumin, chili powder, salt, and 1 Tbsp lime juice from half the lime.
- Cut the other half into wedges and set aside.
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Ready when: Beans are evenly coated with spices and look lightly glossy.
4
Build first layer
- Spread half the chips (about 6 oz/170 g) in an even, overlapping layer across the pan.
- Scatter half the beans, half the jalapeños, and one pile of cheese evenly over the chips, going all the way to the edges.
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Ready when: Most chips have at least a little topping on them.
Tip: Chips at the edges burn first, so cover them well with cheese.
5
Build second layer
- Pile the remaining chips on top, then scatter over the remaining beans, jalapeños, and the second pile of cheese.
- Keep the layer fairly even rather than mounded, so the heat reaches everything.
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Ready when: Cheese blankets the top layer with only small gaps.
6
Bake the nachosOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake on the center rack at 400°F (200°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
- Watch the last few minutes closely.
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Ready when: Cheese is fully melted, bubbling at the edges, and just starting to turn light golden in spots.
Tip: Tortilla chips go from toasty to burnt quickly; pull the pan as soon as the cheese is bubbling.
7
Prep fresh toppings
- While the nachos bake, dice the avocado, slice the scallions, chop the cilantro if using, and drain the salsa in a sieve for a minute.
- Spoon the sour cream into a small bowl.
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Ready when: All toppings are ready to go before the pan comes out.
Tip: Dice the avocado last so it stays bright green.
8
Top and serve
- Remove the pan from the oven.
- Immediately spoon the salsa over the center, dollop with sour cream, and scatter the avocado, scallions, and cilantro on top.
- Serve straight from the pan with lime wedges.
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Ready when: Toppings are added while the cheese is still molten.
Tip: Keep the cold toppings in the center and on the sides of the pan so some chips stay crisp.

Good to know

Tips

Layer twice rather than once so the chips in the middle get cheese too and the bottom ones don't stay naked.
Pat the beans and pickled jalapeños dry to avoid steaming the chips and making them soggy.
Add wet, cold toppings only after baking to keep chips crisp.
For a heartier meal, add 1 lb (450 g) cooked, seasoned ground beef or shredded chicken between the layers.

Make ahead

Shred the cheese, season the beans, and chop the scallions and cilantro up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate separately in covered containers. Assemble and bake just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten immediately. Leftovers (without cold toppings) keep covered in the fridge up to 1 day but the chips will soften; reheat on a sheet pan at 375°F (190°C) for 5 to 7 minutes. Not suitable for freezing. Store extra salsa, sour cream, and avocado separately in the fridge for up to 3 days (avocado 1 day).

Substitutions

sharp cheddar cheese → Monterey Jack or a Mexican-style melting blend. Jack melts especially smoothly; a mix of half cheddar and half jack is excellent.
canned black beans → pinto beans. Use the same weight, drained and dried.
sour cream → plain full-fat Greek yogurt. Slightly tangier; thin with a teaspoon of water if too thick to dollop.
pickled jalapeño slices → 1 fresh jalapeño, thinly sliced. Fresh gives a greener, sharper heat; remove seeds for milder.