Game Day Nachos

Nachos are always a crowd pleasing snack at game day parties or family movie nights. They can be catered to any diet - from diabetic to gluten-free. Nachos are also an inexpensive way to feed a crowd! Keep reading to find out how to serve delicious, crispy nachos at your next game day gathering or family get-together.

Tips for Serving the Perfect Nachos:

If you will be serving a large game day crowd, set up a buffet and have your guests assemble their nachos on a plate or in a bowl.

When hosting a smaller game day gathering or enjoying your nachos at a family movie night, you could set up a nacho buffet or top the nachos and heat them under the broiler before serving.

If you are using the broiler to prepare your nachos, watch them carefully. Be sure that the cheese does not harden and the nachos do not burn. Your nachos are ready when the toppings are melted and bubbly.

Chose what kind of chips to serve as the base of your nachos:

Tortilla Chips

Toasted Pita Wedges

Veggie Chips

Snack Crackers

Nut Chips

Use Crockpots or fondue pots to keep nacho toppings warm on your nacho buffet.

For gooey, cheesy nachos, use a cheese sauce instead of shredded cheese.

To maximize the topping to chip ratio of your nachos, create layers of chips and toppings in your bowl instead of putting a heap of chips in your bowl and then piling on the toppings.

Save time by buying chips instead of making your own.

Offer traditional nacho toppings, such as:

Green Onion

Jalapenos

Sour Cream

Taco Sauce

Nacho Cheese Sauce

Refried Beans

Taco Seasoned Meat

Try some nontraditional nacho ideas, such as:

Enchilacos: Serve your favorite enchilada fillings and sauce on top of tortilla chips. For example:

Poach one boneless, skinless chicken breast in enough water to cover, seasoning with 1 Tbsp of garlic salt and 1 Tbsp of onion powder.

After the chicken is cooked through, it should take about 15 minutes, remove it from heat and let it cool in the cooking liquid.

Once the chicken has cooled, pull or cut it into bite-sized pieces.

Make a creamy sauce by mixing together: 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup, 1 cup of salsa, and ½ cup of reserved cooking liquid.

Add chicken to the sauce and heat through.

Serve chicken and sauce over tortilla chips and top with Monterey Jack Cheese.

Garnish with sour cream.

Hillbilly Nachos: Corn chips are topped with Sloppy Joe filling and shredded cheese.

Prepare a recipe of Sloppy Joes according to the seasoning packet instructions OR heat through a can of Sloppy Joe filling, such as Manwich.

Top Corn Chips, such as Fritos, with Sloppy Joe filling and shredded cheddar or American cheese.

Carry the nacho theme into dessert by offering dessert nachos. Simply drizzle cinnamon-sugar coated tortilla chips with honey, chocolate sauce, or a powdered sugar glaze. You could also top cinnamon sugar coated tortilla chips with your favorite canned fruit pie filling, such as cherry, peach, or apple.

For healthier nachos:

Offer chips that have been baked instead of fried

Serve homemade refried beans that you mash with a stick blender and heat in the microwave instead of frying in butter OR serve refried beans that are labelled “Fat-Free”.

Use low-fat dairy products, such as cheese and sour cream.

Serve a simple guacamole made with avocados and garlic.

Give your guests lots of freshly made salsa, packed with fresh vegetables.

Serve lean ground meat that has been well drained, shredded beef or pork roast, or poultry that has been poached.

Check out the recipes below for more ideas on how to serve your guests traditional Mexican-style nachos or alternative nachos with a fun twist.

Recipes:

Traditional Nachos: