Loaded Beef and Bean Nachos

Loaded Beef and Bean Nachos have it all! Thick corn tortilla chips topped with a saucy beef and refried bean mixture, melty cheese and a plethora of toppings like bell pepper, red onion and black olives. Once baked, serve with guacamole, sour cream and hot sauce! Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Did you know I have a whole recipe section dedicated to cinco de mayo?

Here you’ll find a growing collection of everything from burritos, tacos and nachos to drinks, sides and desserts. We love Mexican cuisine and it’s one of my favorites to make as well.

Today, we’re adding beef and bean nachos to the list! Thick corn tortilla chips topped with a saucy taco seasoned ground beef and refried bean mixture, lots of cheese and all the toppings. This recipe is fun to make while also being quick and super easy!

What are you making for cinco de mayo?

To Make These Loaded Beef and Bean Nachos You Will Need:

• avocado oil – Or use extra light olive oil.
• yellow onion – Adds a sweet and subtle onion flavor.
• garlic – Adds distinct punchy flavor.
• kosher salt – Helps to soften the onions while sautéing.
• lean ground beef – I like to use 90/10 for this recipe.
• taco seasoning –  Use homemade or store-bought. See notes on taco seasoning below.
• fat-free refried beans – Use either homemade or store-bought.
• thick corn tortilla chips – I like to use Fiesta Grande brand however you could make your own!
• cheddar jack cheese – Or use a good melty cheese you prefer, like pepper jack, cheddar or monterrey jack.
• bell pepper – Adds a pop of color and some mild crunchy texture.
• red onion – Finely diced and, this part is optional, soaked in ice water to remove some of the strong bite.
• black olives – These are optional, but add briny note to the nachos.
• green onion – Adds a mild yet bright onion flavor.
• tomato – I like roma tomatoes, but use what you like. Remove all seeds before dicing.
• cilantro – Gives the nachos bright flavor and a pop of color.

optional toppings for nachos:

• salsa – Use homemade or store-bought.
• sour cream – Adds creamy richness and tanginess.
• guacamole – Homemade or store-bought.
• hot sauce – Use your favorite. We like Chalula and/or Tapatio.
• jalapeños – Thinly sliced raw or pickled jalapeños.

A Note About Taco Seasoning:

If using my homemade taco seasoning you’ll want to double the recipe but DO NOT double the salt, otherwise this dish will be way too salty. You can make the beef mixture saucy by adding a little cornstarch 1 to 2 teaspoons to your homemade taco seasoning. Then, once your meat mixture is cooked though and seasoned, pour in 1/2 cup of water and stir until thickened – increasing the heat if needed.

If using store-bought, I highly recommend Siete brand as you would only need 1 packet (if you’re using another brand, you may need 2). There’s no need to add cornstarch if using store-bought seasoning, simply follow the package directions.

Preheat your oven to 325°F (or 160°C).

Prep your desired nacho veggies. We like trio of bell peppers (for color of course) – 3/4 cup finely diced, 1 medium red onion – finely diced, 1/2 cup sliced black olives, 4 green onion – sliced, and 1 to 2 seeded and diced roma tomatoes. Set this off to the side.

Add 2 teaspoons avocado oil, 1/2 a yellow onion and 4 cloves garlic to a 10-inch skillet. Heat on medium to medium-low, stir and cook 5 to 8 minutes or until softened.

Once the onions are soft, add in 1 pound lean ground beef. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small crumbles and cook until no longer pink. About 10 minutes.

Next, add in about 5 tablespoons taco seasoning.

Stir until combined. Since we are making a saucy meat mixture, so you’ll want to make sure your taco seasoning has a thickener in it (like cornstarch or tapioca powder). See my notes (under ingredient photo or in the printable recipe) on how to do that. Pour in 1/2 cup water and stir until thickened slightly.

Next add in 1 recipe fat free refried beans or you can use a can of fat-free refried beans – I like the La Preferida brand.

Stir until combined, adding a little more water if needed to thin out. Remove the pan off of the heat.

Arrange a single layer of thick sturdy chips on the bottom of a rimmed metal baking sheet. I personally like to use Fiesta Grande brand tortilla chips and usually buy 2 bags to make sure I get enough full size chips.

What Size Pan Should You Use For Nachos?

If serving a crowd, use a half sheet pan. If 4 people are splitting two nachos I will use 2 quarter sheet pans. And, for 4 individual nachos, I like to use 1/8 sheet pans and I’ve linked all of the different sizes in the recipe printable.

Top with a little of the beef and bean mixture and a sprinkle of cheese.

Add a second even layer of chips, top with more beef and bean mixture, cheese, peppers, onions and olives.

Bake on the middle rack for 10 to 15 minutes or until both layers of cheese have melted.

Once baked, remove and top with tomatoes, green onions and finely chopped cilantro.

In our house, we all like different toppings, but we all love our nachos with guac. Personally, I love sliced jalapeños, sour cream and hot sauce too. But you do what you like!

That’s it! This recipe is so easy, quick to prepare and enjoyed by all.

Looking for more nacho recipes? Below is a growing  list of favorites!

• bbq chicken nachos
• black bean and chicken chorizo nachos
• jacuzzi chicken nachos
• loaded taco nachos
• mexicali chicken nachos
• southwest chicken nachos

Enjoy! And if you give this recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!