Chorizo Nachos

I don’t need an excuse to make homemade nachos, but if you’re looking for one, might I remind you that sporty season is upon us. Football is a bit of a thing at our house, and while I might not fully understand what a two-point conversion is, I do understand football snacks. And there’s no better sporty snack than a big pan of these chorizo nachos.

Ingredients

• Mexican chorizo – This is the star of the recipe. Mexican chorizo is made with pork and spices, and the flavor is warm and spicy. Don’t confuse it with Spanish chorizo, which is a cured sausage. The two aren’t interchangeable for these nachos.
• Shredded pepper jack cheese – This is used to make the creamy cheese sauce. For the best creamy sauce, shred a block of cheese instead of using pre-shredded. I’ve tried both, and the pre-shredded doesn’t melt as well, and the sauce ends up with a weird stretchy texture.
• Cornstarch – A touch of this prevents the cheese from turning too stringy once it melts into the sauce.
• Kosher salt
• Half and half
• Tortilla chips – For this recipe, I use an 11-ounce bag of tortilla chips.
• Shredded cheddar cheese – This is sprinkled over the nachos, so feel free to use bagged shredded cheese.
• Pico de gallo – I use this to garnish the nachos before serving. It’s a fresh salsa made with jalapeno, tomatoes, onions, lime juice, and cilantro. You can make your own or use storebought. Just make sure to drain off the liquid so your nachos don’t get soggy.
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves

How to Make the Nachos

Cook the chorizo: Mexican chorizo is very fatty, so it will take about 10 minutes to cook it and render the fat. Do this in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Once the chorizo is crumbly, drain off as much of the fat as possible. I like to transfer the cooked chorizo to a fine mesh strainer placed over a plate lined with paper towels. Use a spatula to press out as much fat from the meat.

Cheese Sauce: Place the pepper jack cheese, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan. Toss the cheese to coat it in the cornstarch. Add the half and half and warm the mixture over medium heat. Stir as it warms up until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.

Bake: Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake the nachos for about 10 minutes at 350°F.

Garnish: Spoon the pico de gallo over the top of the nachos, along with a sprinkle of cilantro.

Recipe Tips

• If the cheese sauce is too thick, thin it with a splash or two of half and half. It will thicken up as it stands, so don’t leave it sitting around for too long before you assemble the nachos.
• Variations: I love this recipe because it’s easy to swap ingredients. Instead of chorizo, try cooked ground beef flavored with taco seasoning or make chicken nachos.
• Other garnishes: Add some sliced green onions, diced avocado, sliced radishes, or a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
• Serve these chorizo nachos just as they are, or add some salsa, guacamole, and sour cream on the side for dipping.

Happy sporty season to all who celebrate – I hope you give these homemade nachos a try!