I can make a meal out of guacamole. I don’t even need chips.
Adding melted cheese to the chips just means I will officially and very happily spoil my dinner.
Nachos are fast, easy, and a crowd-pleasing, comfort food recipe that people can’t resist. They’re a perfect snack, appetizer, and for tailgating or game day parties, you’ll look like a superstar if you emerge from the kitchen with a plate of these.
The big pile of creamy, fresh, homemade guacamole makes the nachos truly irresistible. Homemade guac literally takes minutes to make and tastes a million times better than storebought.
I generally keep my guacamole pretty basic with mashed avocado, lime juice, salt, pico de gallo or chopped tomatoes and onions, bell peppers, and cilantro. Add your favorite items and for suggestions check out this Do-It-Yourself Guacamole Bar.
For the cheese I used queso quesadilla which is an easy-melting cheese that reminds me of Fontina in the melt-ability sense, but it’s about one-third the price. It’s perfect in grilled cheese, quesadillas, and on nachos. It’s available at my regular grocery store and found near the Mexican cheeses in your grocer’s cheese case, or substitute with Monterey Jack.
I made the nachos in the microwave because it’s faster and easier for me, but if you prefer to bake them, go ahead. The directions are written for either method.
I love texture and heat and sprinkled the nachos with bell peppers, jalepenos, pico de gallo, and cilantro.
The crunchy bits of fresh vegetables are a welcome addition and break up some of the gooey cheese-fest.
Smothering the chips with as much guacamole that they’ll hold before breaking en route to my mouth is the best.
And washing them down a cold margarita is mandatory.
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Loaded Guacamole Nachos
Ingredients
Guacamole
- 1 medium ripe avocado, mashed
- juice of 1/2 lime, or to taste
- pinch salt, to taste
- ¼ cup pico de gallo, equal mixture tomatoes and white onions with a pinch of cilantro, optional
- ¼ cup bell pepper, diced small (any color), optional
- 2 tablespoons jalepeno peppers diced small, optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Nachos
- 4 cups yellow or white corn tortilla chips
- 2 cups shredded queso quesadilla, found near the Mexican cheeses in your grocer’s cheese case; or substitute with Monterey Jack
- ⅓ cup pico de gallo
- ¼ cup bell pepper, diced small (any color), optional
- 2 tablespoons jalepeno peppers diced small, optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- sour cream, optional for serving
Instructions
- Guacamole – Peel and de-seed the avocado. Scoop out and mash the flesh in a medium bowl.
- Add the lime juice, salt to taste, and stir to combine.
- Optionally based on what you like in your guacamole, add pico de gallo, bell pepper, jalepenos, cilantro, and stir to combine; set guacamole aside.
- Nachos – On a large microwave-safe platter or in a shallow bowl (or preheat oven to 375F and use an oven-safe skillet or baking sheet), add half the chips and sprinkle with half the cheese.
- Top with the remaining chips, and sprinkle with remaining cheese making sure all the chips are nicely covered.
- Microwave until cheese has melted, about 1 minute on high power (or bake until cheese has melted, about 5 to 10 minutes).
- Add the guacamole to the center of the nachos and sprinkle with pico de gallow.
- Optionally and evenly sprinkle with bell pepper, jalepenos, and cilantro.
- Optionally add a dollop of sour cream before serving. Nachos are best warm and fresh.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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These nachos are what my dreams are made of. Seriously your first statement is so true (and I live by many days). Meal out of guac. YUM. Pinned. Drooled.
I can often and easily make dinner out of guac :) Thanks for pinning! I’m thinking between this guac and your watermelon salsa, we could throw a real fiesta :)
my kids would live happily ever after on these nachos = gorgeous as always Averie
I’d get along quite well with your kids then :)
I am a big guacamole fan!! Loving this idea!
I LOVE NACHOS!!!!
I used to eat them Every.Single.Day in college. Every day. No joke. I didn’t like guac back then, because I was crazy.
I hate that all the loaded nachos at restaurants come with beans and not guac. Because guac >>>>> beans, and THIS is the recipe that they should be using!! I’d eat at your restaurant any day!
I know you love avocados and I totally agree that guac wayyyyy trumps beans. I mean I do like beans on nachos (or on the side for a dunk or two) but the guac is where it’s at :) I used to eat nachos every day in college for about a year, too! The memories :) I was also biking around campus every day and for about 6 mos didn’t even drive so I could get away with my daily nachos.
I basically live on guacamole so this is the perfect meal for me! I totally agree with you about homemade guac – so easy and much tastier, although I do buy it sometimes anyways when we’re traveling for convenience sake!
You know, I bet I could eat an entire bag of chips in one sitting if left to my own devices, especially if there is cheese and guac involved. LOVE and pinned of course!
I have to put out a pile and say to myself that.is.it. When those are done, you’re done. Now, in the meantime, I will pile each chip with so much guac that it almost breaks. Next time I see you, it’s all about the drinks and the guac :)
So easy and it looks beautiful as always! Great for a quick crunchy dinner!
Nachos for dinner! Love the way you think :)
You had me at guacamole, Averie! These nachos look amazing! So want this for breakfast right now!
Nachos for breakfast – totally okay in my book :)
The more guac, the better! These nachos look perfect Averie!
We think alike :)
My youngest and I can (and do!) make a meal out of guacamole. I love this!
Me too! Can I come over for dinner? :)
Okay, I love guacamole, and I love nachos. Why have I separated the two for so long? Why has the guacamole been forced to live alongside the nachos in a soulless bowl? From now on, the guacamole will live ON TOP of the nachos. Those whom the Chef hath joined together let no man put asunder!
Glad you are inspired to combine two of the best foods in the world now :)
Yes, yes and yes! I am always making nachos for dinner when I am home along but to be honest I could have it every night for dinner and be so happy. This plate full with your toppings is like a dream come true for me.
I could & would eat nachos with guac for dinner every night if I could get away with it!
I think these would be great for the next office party. My co-workers all love chips, guac, salsa and queso dip–and these nachos have it all! They are so visually appealing too with those bright pops of tomato and pepper.
Paula this was like my dream dinner :) I think your co-workers would be very happy! If you try it, LMK!
There is literally no better after-work snack in the summer than a huge plate of nachos and a margarita :) Yum!
a huge plate of nachos and a margarita <--- that has been summer 2014, quite a bit for me :)
These nachos are so colorful who wouldn’t want to eat the whole dish…I’m with you on guacomole..it’s so good…I often eat a tomato hollowed out and stuffed with guac..so good you have to try it.
I actually do that with tomatoes! It cuts down on the (mindless and sodium-laden) quantity of chips I could eat otherwise. I also do the same thing with zucchini or cucumbers and/or slice into rounds and use the rounds as chips.
I LOVE GUACOMOLE! And these look scrumptious! :)
Thanks! :)