What is the best thing to put on nachos?

Nachos are a popular appetizer or snack made of tortilla chips covered in a variety of delicious toppings. With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to determine the best ingredients to elevate your nachos. This article will explore some of the most popular nacho toppings and help you decide what is the best thing to put on nachos.

Table of Contents

Cheese

Cheese is an essential ingredient for any plate of nachos. The melted cheese acts as a binding agent to hold all the toppings together. Some classic cheese choices for nachos include:

Cheddar – Cheddar cheese provides a sharp, tangy flavor. Shredded cheddar melts smoothly.
Monterey Jack – Monterey Jack has a mild, creamy taste. It melts well without becoming greasy.
Queso – Smooth, creamy queso cheese sauce is a nacho staple in Tex-Mex cuisine. It provides a decadent texture.

Pepper Jack – Pepper Jack gives nachos a spicy kick. The jalapeño peppers provide extra flavor.
Mozzarella – Mozzarella has a soft, milky texture when melted. It gives nachos a nice stretch.
Mexican Cheese Blend – Many store-bought shredded Mexican cheese blends contain a mix of Monterey Jack, cheddar, and asadero. The blend of cheeses provides an authentic Tex-Mex nacho experience.

For best results, use freshly shredded cheese rather than pre-shredded cheese which can have added starch coatings that inhibit melting. The cheese should be evenly distributed over the chips so every bite is cheesy.

Beans

Beans make a hearty, protein-packed addition to any plate of nachos. Popular types of beans used on nachos include:

Refried Beans – Smooth, creamy refried pinto beans are a nacho staple. They spread easily over chips.

Black Beans – Hearty black beans provide great texture and flavor contrast.
Pinto Beans – Earthy pinto beans pair nicely with Tex-Mex seasonings.
Kidney Beans – Kidney beans add chunky texture and visual appeal.

White Beans – Smooth white beans like cannellini have a mild, buttery taste.

Beans help make nachos a more filling meal. They also add extra flavor and nutritional value with fiber and plant-based protein. Beans go well with spicy toppings like jalapeños or salsa to balance out the heat.

Meat

For a heartier nacho platter, adding some meat is a must. You have several excellent protein options for topping your chips, including:

Ground Beef – Seasoned ground beef provides classic, meaty flavor.
Shredded Chicken – Savory pulled or shredded chicken is easy to spread over the chips.
Chorizo – Spicy Mexican chorizo sausage adds big, bold flavor.

Carnitas – Crispy, tender shredded pork carnitas make a delicious topping.
Bacon – Crisp bacon bits add a smoky, salty crunch.
Steak – Grilled steak tips lend rich, beefy texture.

The meat should be thoroughly cooked and chopped or crumbled into small pieces so it is easy to eat on top of the nachos. Adding some meat enhances the heartiness, protein content, and overall flavor impact of the dish.

Salsa

What’s a plate of nachos without some salsa? The salsa provides juicy texture, spice, and bright, fresh flavor to balance out the heavier cheese and meat toppings. Popular salsa options include:

Pico de Gallo – Fresh pico de gallo made with chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, cilantro, and lime juice adds vibrant color and flavor.

Red Enchilada Sauce – Red enchilada sauce infuses nachos with traditional Mexican flavor.
Tomatillo Salsa – Tangy salsa verde made with tomatillos and cilantro provides delightful acidity.
Mango Salsa – For a fruitier salsa, try mango salsa made with diced mango, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro.

Pineapple Salsa – To switch things up, add some sweet, tropical flavor with fresh pineapple salsa.

The salsa should have a pourable, saucy texture so it can be drizzled over the top of the nachos before serving. Let people add extra dollops of salsa on top to amp up the flavor. The freshness of salsa balances and cuts through the rich, heavy nacho toppings.

Jalapeños

For those who like some heat, jalapeño peppers are an essential nacho topping. You can add jalapeños in several forms:

Sliced Raw Jalapeños – Fresh sliced jalapeños provide the most direct spicy kick.
Pickled Jalapeño Slices – For a tangy, sour heat, try pickled jalapeño slices.
Jalapeño Poppers – For an over-the-top indulgence, cut up some breaded, fried jalapeño poppers.

Jalapeño Sauce – Drizzle spicy nacho cheese or jalapeño pepper sauce over the top.

The jalapeño’s spice helps cut through the rich flavors and gives nachos an extra dimension. Let people add as much or as little jalapeño as they can handle. Provide a glass of milk or other beverage to help tame the heat!

Guacamole

Creamy, fresh guacamole is another beloved nacho topping. The cool, smooth avocado flavor pairs perfectly with spicy nachos. To make guacamole for nachos:

Mash ripe avocados with a fork until mostly smooth but still a bit chunky.
Stir in lime juice, salt, cilantro, diced tomatoes, jalapeños, and onion.
Adjust seasoning to taste. The guacamole should be rich, creamy, and fresh tasting.

Heap big dollops of guacamole across the nachos before serving.

The fatty richness of the avocado helps tame the saltiness of the chips and other toppings. Guacamole also adds nutritional value with heart-healthy fats and vitamin C. Nachos simply aren’t complete without a generous amount of guac!

Corn

For extra texture and sweetness, stir in some corn. Options for adding corn include:

Grilled Corn – Grilled corn kernels cut straight off the cob provide fantastic smoky, charred flavor.
Roasted Corn – Oven-roasted corn nibs are super flavorful.
Corn Salsa – Mix corn into your favorite homemade or store-bought salsa.

The corn lends a pleasant sweetness, color, and added crunch factor. It helps provide more substance and vegetables along with the chips. Corn is especially tasty paired with zesty seasonings like chili powder, cayenne, lime juice, and cilantro.

Black Olives

Salty, bite-sized black olives make a delicious nacho topping. They add a nice flavor contrast and visual appeal. Olives go well with Tex-Mex-style nachos in particular. Chopped black olives pair nicely with taco meat, beans, salsa, jalapeños, and guacamole. The briny, tangy olives help cut through the rich cheese and heavy nacho flavors.

Green Onions

Don’t overlook the topping power of simple green onions! Thinly sliced green onions add a splash of color and a sweet, aromatic flavor that enhances any plate of nachos. Green onions contain antioxidant compounds that may provide some health benefits as well. Their crisp texture and bright bite make them an excellent finishing touch for nachos.

Other veggies like diced bell peppers, shredded lettuce, or cherry tomatoes also make flavorful, fresh nacho toppers. Don’t be afraid to experiment with produce to liven up your nachos!

Sour Cream

A dollop of cold sour cream over hot nachos is hard to beat. The cooling tanginess balances out the hot, salty flavors beautifully. Sour cream also adds a luxuriously creamy texture. Consider these tips for getting the most out of sour cream on nachos:

Look for full-fat sour cream for the richest, creamiest flavor and texture.

Add some lime juice and cilantro to the sour cream for extra zing.
Drizzle crema Mexicana or Mexican crema over nachos for authentic flavor.
Cut the sour cream with mashed avocado for a tangy, creamy combo.

The sour cream ties everything together, cools the palette, adds moisture, and creates an indulgently creamy nacho experience. It takes the dish to the next level.

Conclusion

When it comes to the best thing to put on nachos, there are lots of excellent options for maximizing flavors, textures, nutrition, and eye appeal. Cheese, beans, salsa, jalapeños, guacamole, corn, olives, green onions, and sour cream are some of the most popular, delicious toppings. Combining a variety of ingredients creates an overloaded nacho platter everyone will devour. The melted cheese binds everything together, while other toppings provide contrasting temperatures, flavors, colors, and textures.

When deciding what to add to your nachos, consider these tips:

Use a mix of rich, hearty ingredients and fresh, lighter toppings for balance.
Aim for a variety of flavors – spicy, savory, salty, creamy, and acidic.
Add toppings with diverse textures like crunchy, chunky, creamy, and crispy.

Incorporate multiple colors for visual appeal.
Include plant-based ingredients like beans, corn, and guacamole for nutrients.
Cater to different preferences and spice tolerances with optional toppings on the side.

Layer toppings carefully so flavors don’t become muddled.

With the right combination of delicious toppings, nachos go from basic chips and cheese into a flavor-packed fiesta platter. Get creative with each component while maintaing balance. The beauty of nachos is that you really can’t go wrong piling on your favorite ingredients. Now that your mouth is watering, it’s time to start cooking up a batch of fully loaded nachos!