Loaded Nachos Supreme
Crispy chips layered with seasoned beef, beans, cheese, and all the fixings
- 1 lbground beef
- 1 packettaco seasoning(or 2 tbsp homemade)
- 15 ozblack beans(drained and rinsed)
- 12 oztortilla chips(sturdy restaurant-style)
- 3 cupsshredded Mexican cheese blend
- 1 cuppico de gallo
- 1avocado(diced)
- 0.5 cupsour cream
- 0.25 cuppickled jalapeños(sliced)
- 0.25 cupfresh cilantro(chopped)
- lime wedges(for serving)
Prep toppings ahead. Cook meat ahead and reheat. Assemble and bake just before serving - nachos must be eaten immediately.
- 1Preheat oven to 400°F
- 2Brown ground beef in skillet, drain fat
- 3Add taco seasoning and water per package directions, simmer until thickened
- 4Spread half the chips on large oven-safe platter or sheet pan
- 5Layer with half the beef, beans, and cheese
- 6Add remaining chips and repeat layers
- 7Bake 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling
- 8Top with pico de gallo, avocado, sour cream, and jalapeños
- 9Scatter cilantro over top
- 10Serve immediately with lime wedges
Use sturdy, restaurant-style chips that won't get soggy. Layer ingredients so every chip gets toppings. Don't overbake - you want melted cheese, not browned. Add cold toppings after baking. The key is serving immediately while chips are still crispy. A large platter allows everyone to dig in.
The "loaded nachos" format — piling chips with multiple toppings including protein, beans, sour cream, guacamole, and cheese — developed progressively in American Tex-Mex restaurants from the 1960s through the 1980s, building on the foundation of the original invention. As confirmed by multiple sources including the Smithsonian Institution, nachos were invented in 1943 by Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya, the maître d' at the Club Victoria in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, who improvised the dish for a group of U.S. military wives arriving after kitchen hours. Anaya's original preparation was straightforward: fried tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, and pickled jalapeño slices. The loaded version was developed as nachos crossed northward into Texas and spread through American Tex-Mex restaurants in the 1960s and 1970s. National awareness accelerated dramatically in 1978 when sportscaster Howard Cosell introduced nachos to a television audience during a Monday Night Football broadcast at Texas Stadium, reportedly exclaiming "nachos are delicious" live on air. By the 1980s, sports arenas across America had adopted nachos as a stadium food staple, and the loaded format — with seasoned beef, jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole, and cheese sauce — became the standard party version.