These grilled skillet nachos are loaded with all your favorite toppings and cooked on the grill in your cast iron skillet until toasted and cheesy. Serve them for an easy camping lunch or an epic game-day snack.
Nachos seem to have a magnetic quality at my house (or campsite). Whenever I yell that "nachos are ready", people magically appear, ready to dive into that pile of toasted, smothered chips. Not that I'm surprised. Loaded with beef, cheese, beans, tomatoes, and avocados, with all my favorite sauces and dips on the side, I'm right there in line with the rest of them.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- You can make it entirely in your cast iron skillet and cook it on the grill.
- You can prepare the meat ahead of time, so it comes together quickly if you're making it for a camping lunch or snack.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Ground beef--I recommend using lean ground beef (85/15), which will give you a little bit of fat for flavor, but not enough to make the nachos soggy. If you use regular ground beef, drain most of the fat from the cooked beef before adding the spices.
- Spices--I use a mixture of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder. I recommend using a mild chili powder. If you know that yours is hot, reduce the amount to 1 tablespoon and adjust to taste.
- Cheddar cheese--I recommend using full-fat and to grate the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese doesn't melt well.
- Refried beans--These add a creamy element to your nachos, but if you don't enjoy them, you can omit them. If they are very thick and hard to scoop, warm them over low heat, or in the microwave in 15-second blasts to soften them.
- Tortilla chips--You can use your favorite brand and shape. I find that the smaller round ones are easier to fit into a skillet.
How to Make Grilled Nachos
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat on the grill or stove. Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently until browned.
- Stir in the spices and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Scoop the meat into a bowl and wipe out the skillet.
- Assemble the nachos with layers of chips, beef, refried beans, and cheese.
- Cook on a covered grill over indirect heat until hot and the cheese is melted.
FAQs
I don't recommend it. As soon as your chips come into contact with any moisture, whether from the fat in the cheese and meat, or the juices from the tomatoes, they will start to lose their crunch. Reheating won't return them to their original crispiness.
If you don't think you'll be able to eat a full batch, scale the recipe down, or save some of the meat and make a fresh batch of nachos the next day.
Definitely. Follow the directions, cooking your ground beef on the stovetop. Assemble the nachos and bake them in a 350°F oven until hot and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
The nachos are hearty enough to be a meal in themselves, but be sure to serve them with all your favorite toppings. I recommend sour cream, salsa, pickled jalapeños, and queso.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- To get ahead, cook the ground beef mixture up to 3 days before assembling the nachos. Make a double batch and use it for burritos or walking tacos.
- This recipe is suitable for gluten-free diets.
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Recipe
Skillet Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 12 ounces (340 g) lean ground beef
- 1 ½ tablespoons mild chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper
- 10 ounce bag tortilla chips
- ½ cup refried beans
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 to 2 medium tomatoes diced
- 1 medium avocado diced
- Sour cream, salsa, and pickled jalapeños for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat on the grill (or stovetop). Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Scoop the ground meat into a bowl and wipe out the skillet with a paper towel.
- Prepare the grill for indirect medium heat (350°F).
- While the grill is preheating, assemble the nachos in the skillet. Create 2 or 3 layers of chips, refried beans, meat, and cheese, finishing with cheese on top.
- Place the skillet on the cool side of the grill and cook until the chips, beans, and meat are hot, and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
- Remove from the grill and top with tomatoes and avocado. Serve immediately, with your favorite toppings on the side.
Notes
- Get ahead--Cook the ground beef mixture up to 3 days before assembling the nachos. Make a double batch and use it for burritos or walking tacos.
- Dietary--This recipe is suitable for gluten-free diets.
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