This Oven Baked Nachos and Cheese recipe makes a great party appetizer or quick and easy snack the whole family can enjoy.
These homemade oven baked nachos and cheese are perfect for Cinco de Mayo, game night, parties, or a simple snack! I top mine with Salsa Roja, Guacamole, and sour cream, and it’s always a big hit.
The best thing about nachos is how versatile they are! Once you have your chips base and cheese, you can use a ton of toppings. My family loves this vegetarian version, but we’ve added shredded pork with taco seasoning and grilled chicken. The sky’s the limit!
Ingredient Notes
- Tortilla Chips – Use good quality, sturdy tortilla chips with a good salt level without too much or too little seasoning. It’s hard to season tortilla chips. The salt will fall right off. You don’t want bland nachos, so choose wisely.
- Refried Beans – I used my refried beans recipe (which is delicious), but you can you whichever you prefer.
- Cheese – The recipe calls for a shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese mixture, but prepackaged Mexican blend cheeses work well. Just be sure to use cheese that melts well.
- Toppings: For this recipe, I used green chilies, refried beans, black olives, corn, and tomatoes and then topped it with salsa, Guacamole, and sour cream. You can use any topping you like, from leftover chili con carne to shredded chicken – the choice is yours!
How to Make Oven Baked Nachos & Cheese
Preheat the oven to 350°F/176°C and grease a 12-inch oven-safe skillet or small sheet pan with the oil. You only need a little oil, and a teaspoon will do.
Arrange a third of the tortilla chips in a single layer in a skillet.
Top chips evenly with a third of the refried beans, green chilies, chopped tomatoes, black olives, black beans, and corn. I hold off on the salsa with this layer to keep the chips from getting soggy from the moisture.
Top the layer with a third of the shredded cheese.
Repeat with the next layer, and on the third layer, use the remaining refried beans, green chilies, chopped tomatoes, black olives, black beans, and corn Then scatter with the salsa.
Top with the remaining cheese.
Bake in preheated oven until cheese melts and browns slightly, about 8 minutes.
Remove from oven, and top with Guacamole, jalapeño, and sour cream. At this point, I like to drizzle my nachos with a bit of hot sauce for a little kick. That’s totally optional, though.
Erren’s Top Tips
- Use good sturdy tortilla chips. Thin chips may be crunchy, but they can’t take the weight of the toppings.
- Choose cheeses with good flavor that melt well. Monterey Jack cheese has that oozy melt you get in the best nachos, and sharp cheddar offers a slight tang.
- Keep your toppings bite-sized, so your nachos are easier to eat with less mess.
- Add cold ingredients just before serving for best results.
- For easy cleanup– line your pan with nonstick foil instead of greasing the pan. When you’re done – just toss it in the trash!
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Let’s Make Oven Baked Nachos and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 12 oz tortilla Chips
- 2 cups refried beans
- 4 oz canned green chilies chopped
- 1 tomato chopped
- 4 oz black olives sliced
- ⅔ cup black beans or pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn canned or frozen
- 4 cups shredded cheese such as cheddar & Monterey Jack cheese
- ½ cup salsa
For Serving
- Guacamole optional
- 1 jalapeño pickled or fresh, sliced
- Sour Cream
- hot sauce optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/176°C
- Grease a 12-inch oven-safe skillet or small sheet pan with the oil.
- Arrange a third of the tortilla chips in a single layer in the pan.
- Top chips evenly with a third of the refried beans, green chilies, chopped tomatoes, black olives, black beans, and corn, then top with a third of the cheese.
- Repeat with the next layer, and on the third layer, use the remaining refried beans, green chilies, chopped tomatoes, black olives, black beans, and corn Scatter with the salsa before adding the remaining cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven until cheese melts and browns slightly, about 8 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and top with Guacamole, jalapeño, and sour cream. Drizzle with hot sauce, if desired.
Tips + Notes
- Use good sturdy tortilla chips. Thin chips may be crunchy, but they can’t take the weight of the toppings.
- Choose cheeses with good flavor that melt well. Monterey Jack cheese has that oozy melt you get in the best nachos, and sharp cheddar offers a slight tang.
- Keep your toppings bite-sized, so your nachos are easier to eat with less mess.
- Add cold ingredients just before serving for best results.
- For easy cleanup– line your pan with nonstick foil instead of greasing the pan. When you’re done – just toss it in the trash!
Odette Tenney says
I make this recipe a lot, I live alone but I just love this recipe, and I have enough for another day… Ppl
Erren's Kitchen says
That is wonderful, Odette! So glad you love our nacho recipe! Thank you for your feedback!
Douglas says
Thank you, but toss the aluminium foil in the trash? Come on think of the environment. Just use a non stick baking tray and give it a wipe afterwards.
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you for your feedback! I appreciate your eco-friendly suggestion. You’re absolutely right about reducing waste. I’ll definitely give the non-stick baking tray a try next time and do my part for the environment.
Gail says
My husband has made this recipe many times, everyone loves it, so delicious! I have seen some recipes for bundt pan nachos the ingredients are not as good as your recipe. Di you think this recipe could be made in a bundt pan ?
Erren Hart says
Hi Gail, I’m so happy to hear you enjoy the recipe so much!. You can use a Bundt pan, but keep in mind that The cast iron skillet provides a larger surface area, allowing the ingredients to spread out and cook evenly. Layering the ingredients in the skillet allows for a satisfying combination of flavors and textures in every bite. On the other hand, using a bundt pan could potentially impact the even distribution of toppings and cheese, leading to some parts being undercooked or overly saturated. If you do try it, please let me know how it turns out!
Erren Hart says
Thank you for leaving a comment about this recipe. Your feedback is appreciated, and I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it. Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions for future recipes. Thanks again for trying it out and sharing your thoughts!
Ruth says
This was delicious with your guacamole! I’m so glad I found your site!
Erren Hart says
Thank you for trying out our recipe and for taking the time to leave a review! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. If there’s anything we can do to improve your experience with Erren’s Kitchen, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
Monica says
I tested this recipe over the weekend for a party next week. Thank you Erren for this delicious recipe! I can’t wait to make it for my friends and family. Nachos are always a hit and this recipe takes them to a whole new level. Thanks again!
Erren Hart says
I’m so glad to hear it! Thank you for trying out this recipe and for leaving such a positive review. We’re glad you enjoyed it and hope you’ll come back again soon!
Erren Hart says
Oh my gosh, I’m so happy you liked the recipe! Thank you for leaving a comment and letting me know.
Lidia says
Made this for memorial day and it was a hit. I put the nachos in a big round pizza pan and used cheddar in addition to jack and longhorn cheeses. It was delicious!
Erren Hart says
It is such a pleasure to hear that you enjoyed the recipe. I’m so glad we could provide something yummy and exciting for your party!