These Healthy Nachos are perfect for a quick and easy meal to share. Load up some homemade chips with fresh and healthy toppings!
When I was a little girl, my father would always take us to a nearby Mexican restaurant as a weekend treat. I remember that restaurant—Mexico Lindo—quite fondly. It was small and cozy, and if you were lucky, a mariachi band would sometimes pop in to serenade us as we enjoyed everything from crispy beef or chicken tacos to their utterly decadent fried ice cream. But it was their nachos that were the most irresistible. The tortilla chips were fried, and the sweet, toasty aroma of corn still makes my mouth water, even to this day.
Those Mexico Lindo nights sparked a lifelong love affair with nachos, inspiring countless recipes over the years. From the simple dorm room version (open a bag of tortilla chips, dump them unceremoniously onto a plate, top with salsa and cheese, and microwave till the cheese is melted), to more wholesome versions for the health-conscious girl I’ve (thankfully!) become.
Today’s recipe is sumptuously crowned with real ingredients and promises to satisfy your cravings for warm nachos. All they need is a nice cold bottle of beer with a slice of lemon in its neck, or a well-made margarita.
Are These Nachos Healthy?
Made with real ingredients and tortilla chips that are not fried but baked, these nachos are probably better for you than the richer, saltier restaurant versions. That said, they still contain a fair amount of saturated fat, so it’s best to keep the indulgences to a minimum. To make them a bit more wholesome, you could use whole-wheat tortillas, low-fat cheese, and Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. You could also replace the beef with lean ground turkey or chicken.
The nachos can easily be made vegan by replacing the beef with mock ground “beef,” tofu crumbles, or black beans. The dairy can be replaced with plant-based versions, too.
And nothing is stopping you from topping the nachos with even more vegetables. Chopped bell peppers, green or red onions, crispy shredded lettuce, sweetcorn, and chopped cucumber will all work very well in this recipe.
A Brief History of Nachos
The history of nachos is believed to date back to 1940, when they were first created in the Mexican town of Piedras Negras, just south of the Texas border. Legend has it that they were served at a restaurant called the Victory Club and were the invention of chef Ignacio Anaya, who was affectionately nicknamed “Nacho” by his friends.
One evening, a group of hungry ladies visited Nacho’s restaurant, and he quickly improvised a dish of tortilla chips topped with grated cheese and sliced jalapeño peppers. He called it “Nacho’s Special,” and it wasn’t long before the dish crossed the border, eventually becoming a beloved snack around the world.
How To Make Ahead And Store
These nachos are not very fond of sitting around waiting to be eaten! Serve them immediately! That said, you can bake the tortilla chips and cook the meat mixture the night before. Once cooled, keep the chips in an airtight container at room temperature. The meat can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Serving Suggestions
Invite family and friends over for a Tex-Mex feast, and start the evening with a Mexican Martini or a classic Margarita. Great dishes to serve alongside these hearty nachos include this Three-Bean Mexican Corn Black Bean Salad, some Healthy Chicken Enchiladas, and for dessert, a light and cooling Watermelon Fruit Salad.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 8-inch tortillas (gluten-free if needed)
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- 1/2 pound 93% lean ground beef
- 2/3 cup salsa
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese, or a Mexican cheese blend (very tightly packed)
- 1 Roma tomato diced
- 1 avocado diced
- 2 tablespoons canned jalapeño peppers
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rub the olive oil on both sides of the tortillas and then cut into 8 triangles.
- Arrange them in a single layer on 2 baking sheets, sprinkling with salt.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Switch the sheets halfway through the baking time.
- While the tortillas bake, heat a medium pan on medium-high heat and cook the beef until no longer pink inside, breaking it up as you cook.
- Once the tortillas are baked, let them cool for 5 minutes.
- Stir the salsa into the beef and divide this mixture evenly over the baked chips, followed by the cheese.
- Bake until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes.
- Top with remaining ingredients and serve.
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
Are you using flour or corn tortillas? Thank you
Flour tortillas. You’re welcome, Elise!
Delighted to see that in your bio you say “Follower of Christ.” I have similar phrasing in my FB bio, so it resonates. See you in Heaven! (-:
God bless!