Skillet Loaded Nacho Recipe

I cannot resist homemade nachos, especially when they’re loaded with all of my favorites like seasoned ground beef, black, beans, corn, cilantro, and of course, plenty of melted cheese. I cannot resist (melted) cheese in any form. That’s just a fact. And with all the different ingredients there is so much texture and so many Mexican-inspired flavors going on in every bite. These ground beef nachos are so fast and easy and are ready in just 15 minutes from start to finish. A little too fast and easy and you probably have most of the ingredients on hand. And if the truth be told? I could make a dinner out of homemade nachos. Just sayin’.

Ingredients in Loaded Skillet Nachos

To make this easy cast iron skillet nacho recipe, you’ll need:

Olive oil Ground beef Taco seasoning  Tortilla chips Cowboy Caviar Shredded Mexican cheese blend Green onions Fresh cilantro

If you’re not familiar with Cowboy Caviar, it’s a thick black bean, corn, and red pepper salsa with a fair amount of kick. If you can’t find it in your area, use a thick bean and corn-based salsa.

How to Make Nachos in a Skillet

Making homemade nachos with ground beef is quick and easy! Here are the basic steps: 

Can This Recipe Be Prepared in Advance? 

Once you assemble the nachos in the skillet, you’ll want to bake and eat them right away or else the tortilla chips will become soggy.  However, you can prep the toppings and brown the ground beef up to 48 hours in advance. Then, all you have to do day-of is assemble and bake the nachos. 

Can I Add Additional Nacho Toppings? 

If you have red onions, guacamole, avocado slices, pico de gallo, pickled radishes, sour cream, or any variety of extra salsa you want to add, go for it. These babies are already loaded and I say the more, the merrier.

Can I Use Ground Turkey? 

I made the loaded nachos with ground beef , but if you’d like to make slightly healthier nachos, you’re welcome to use ground turkey or chicken instead. Just note that ground turkey doesn’t contain as much fat as ground beef, so your loaded nachos might not be as flavorful.  You may also want to consider making my Loaded Chicken Enchilada Nachos instead of these loaded beef nachos. 

Tips for Making Loaded Nachos

Taco seasoning: I used medium heat taco seasoning on these loaded nachos, but you’re welcome to buy whichever kind you’d like. I also prefer buying reduced sodium taco seasoning so I can control the amount of salt in these beef nachos.  Browning the ground beef: For easier scooping, be sure to continually break up any clumps that form as the ground beef browns. You want the beef to be finely crumbled so it’s easier to distribute over the nachos and scoop out.  Scaling the recipe: This recipe serves 6 but can easily be scaled up or down to suit however many people you’ll be serving. Just note that loaded nachos are best enjoyed right away and don’t keep well in the fridge. 

More Mexican Beef Recipes:

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