Air Fryer Nachos
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These Air Fryer Nachos come together in only 10 minutes for a savory and comforting dish that’s perfect for sharing!
Add your favorite toppings and enjoy this classic appetizer with perfectly cooked ground beef or ground chicken and a fun updated twist.
To turn these air fryer nachos into a full-blown appetizer spread, serve them alongside another air-fried treat like Cheeseburger Egg Rolls or these Baked Chicken Tenderloins.
If you’re putting them out for snacking, these Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Tenders or this Air Fryer Ranch Chicken can be served with them!
And for something sweet to finish it all off, try this Air Fryer S’mores Dip, no campfire required!
Why You’ll Love Them
When I was babysitting in college I used to make the kids microwave nachos and they LOVED them. Can you imagine if I had an air fryer back then? They would have been obsessed.
- Quick and easy: With quick prep and only 5 minutes of cook time, these nachos in the air fryer are ready in no time!
- Great to customize: This recipe is a good base to add all your favorite nacho toppings and add-ons.
- Perfect for crowds: Need something to feed your friends while you watch the game? No one will turn down cheesy nachos!
Most of the ingredients this recipe calls for are staples for classic nachos, but you might be scratching your head when you see burger sauce and pickles.
All I have to say is TRUST ME! They’re a complete game changer and give your nachos a tangy and savory flavor that pairs so well with the ground beef (duh!) for a cheeseburger-inspired take on nachos like you’ve never had before.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Tortilla chips: Use your favorite corn tortilla chips from the store, Tostitos are a classic choice, but these are my favorite!
- Ground beef: This recipe calls for cooked ground beef, so make sure to brown it to perfection before adding it to your nachos. Leftover ground beef is perfect for these if you happen to have any.
- Burger sauce: You might be able to buy a burger sauce at the grocery store, but my homemade Big Mac Sauce is the best!
Best Cheese For Nachos
This ultimately comes down to preference since there are lots of cheese varieties that melt well and taste great with nachos! Some of my favorite types of cheese to use are pepper jack, cheddar cheese, queso blanco, or monterey jack.
I also recommend buying a block of cheese and shredding it yourself if you can. Pre-shredded cheese is often covered in a thin coat of starch that prevents it from sticking together in the bag, but can also make it less melty.
How to Make Nachos in The Air Fryer
Step 1. Add chips. Place the tortilla chips in an even layer at the bottom of the air fryer basket, ensuring they overlap so there aren’t any gaps. (Add a layer of parchment paper or aluminum foil to the bottom if you’re worried about messy cleanup.)
Step 2. Add toppings. On top of the chips, add a layer of cheese, ground beef, and onions.
Step 3. Layer again. Add another even layer of tortilla chips and top with the rest of the cheese.
Step 4. Air fry. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melty and everything is heated through. Top with pickles and burger sauce, then serve warm.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Use a different protein: Instead of ground beef, you could also use ground chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken, ground turkey, ground pork, or some tofu crumbles for a vegetarian option.
- Add toppings: Top with parsley, sour cream, more pickles, refried beans, green onions, jalapeno slices, black olives, diced tomato or pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, black beans, fresh cilantro, or this homemade authentic guacamole recipe.
- Chicken Fajita Nachos: layer shredded chicken, peppers, onions, jalapeno, and shredded cheese.
- Greek Nachos: ground lamb or falafel crumbles, tzatziki, crumbled feta cheese, lemon zest, olive oil and pickled onions layered on pita chips.
What to serve with nachos
These nachos are a complete meal in my house, but if you want to serve something alongside them I recommend a healthy side like Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, a Chopped Vegetable Salad, or this super tasty Avocado Tomato and Corn Salad!
FAQs
Air fryers circulate heat well so they’re great for quickly melting that cheese and getting all of the other ingredients warmed up!
I like to cook mine at 350 degrees for just a few. minutes. You can also bake them in the oven at the same temperature if your air fryer is occupied!
As long as you reheat them in the oven or air fryer, your nachos should get nice and crispy again. Heating in the microwave is what leads to soggy nachos. If just the air fryer alone doesn’t work, cook them at 300 degrees until everything is heated, then turn it up to 350 until they’re crisped up again.
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Air Fryer Nachos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8.5 oz tortilla chips
- 3/4 cup cooked ground beef
- 1/4 cup white onion, finely diced
- 2 cups triple blend cheese, shredded
- 1/3 cup dill pickles, finely diced
- 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
- 3 tbsp burger sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 350F.
- Place the tortilla chips in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they overlap so there are no gaps. Top the tortilla chips with ground beef, diced onion, and half the cheese. Add another layer of chips and top with the remaining cheese.8.5 oz tortilla chips, 3/4 cup cooked ground beef, 1/4 cup white onion,, 2 cups triple blend cheese,
- Cook the nachos for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Remove the nachos from the basket and top with dill pickles, parsley and burger sauce.1/3 cup dill pickles,, 1 tbsp parsley,, 3 tbsp burger sauce
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
