These Beef Loaded Nachos are the perfect appetizer for a crowd. They start with homemade beef sausage and are loaded to the max and bursting with flavor.
This post is sponsored by The Beef Checkoff. As always, all opinions are my own.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy recipe for game day, or any day, these Beef Loaded Nachos are perfect! Crispy nachos are topped with an easy to make beef sausage that kicks the flavor into high gear.
What is Beef Sausage?
Homemade beef sausage is what sets these loaded nachos apart. The best part is, it’s super easy to make and only take a few extra minutes.
It starts with a base of ground beef. I like to use ground check because of it’s flavor and texture. Then some seasonings are added to the beef which really amp it up and give it great flavor. The entire recipe only takes about 10 minutes to make.
How to Make Loaded Nachos in the Oven
These loaded nachos are the perfect game day food. The components are easy to put together and then you make the beef nachos in the oven.
I like to use a hearty corn tortilla to make this beef sausage nacho recipe, but you can easily make your own nachos. I show you how to make nachos in the oven here.
What Kind of Ground Beef is Best in this Recipe?
I used ground chuck in this recipe. It was an 80/20 blend, which means that it is 80% lean with 20% fat. I’ve found that this type of ground beef has great flavor with a rich, beef-y texture.
Beef is also a nutrition power house. It has 10 essential vitamins and nutrients that we all need as part of a healthy diet. One serving of ground beef also has approximately half of the recommended daily serving of protein.
For example, a 3-ounce serving of cooked lean beef provides:
- Approximately 25 grams of protein, which is essential for building and maintaining muscle mass, as well as helping you feel satisfied after meals
- About 44% of the daily value for Vitamin B12, involved in energy metabolism and brain function
- About 36% of the daily value for Zinc, which helps maintain a healthy immune system – important for back to school!
- About 12% of the daily value for Iron, which is key for transporting oxygen to your muscles
You can learn more about the nutritional benefits of beef here. It’s perfect for this hearty snack.
Expert Tips for Making the Best Beef Nachos
Here are a few expert tips for making the best easy Loaded Nachos:
- This Recipe Can be Doubled: This is a great recipe for a crowd. Simply increase the ingredients proportionately and split it into two baking sheets before baking.
- Get Creative with Toppings: Lettuce, tomato and sour cream are classic, but you can also add guacamole, salsa or any of your other favorite nacho toppings.
- Freeze Extras: Make a double batch of the beef sausage and keep some in the freezer for a quick snack anytime.
One of my favorite things about this easy beef nacho recipe is that you can prepare it ahead of time. The easiest way to do this is to make the homemade beef sausage and store it in an air tight container. You can make it 1-2 days ahead of time and keep it in the fridge.
You can even make the beef sausage mixture in big batches and freeze it for later. This way, these incredible beef nachos can be put together in no time.
If you want to make these nachos ahead of time, simply reheat the beef sausage mixture on the stove top and add the remaining ingredients.
Then assemble the nachos and bake.
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Beef Loaded Nachos
Ingredients
Beef Sausage
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
- 1-1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
Beef Sausage Nachos
- Prepared Beef Sausage - recipe included
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 4 ounces diced mild green chiles - drained
- 8 ounces tortilla chips
- 1 cup canned black beans - drained, rinsed
- 1-3/4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 2 cups thinly sliced lettuce
- 1 cup diced seeded tomatoes
- Garnishes: sliced avocado - fresh chopped cilantro leaves, sliced ripe olives, sour cream, sliced jalapeño peppers, lime wedges
Instructions
Beef Sausage
- Combine Ground Beef, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and chipotle chili powder in large mixing bowl.
- Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Add sausage mixture and cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 1/2-inch crumbles.
- Drain any excess fat from the pan.
Beef Sausage Nachos
- Add salsa and green chiles to sausage mixture to a large skillet and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.
- Meanwhiles, preheat oven broiler to high.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick foil and spread tortilla chips in single layer.
- Spread beef sausage mixture evenly over the chips.
- Top with beans and cheese.
- Broil 5 to 8 minutes or until cheese melts and remove from the oven.
- Top with lettuce and tomatoes and garnish with cilantro, olives, sour cream, jalapeños and lime wedges, or any of your other favorite nacho toppings.
Notes
- This Recipe Can be Doubled: This is a great recipe for a crowd. Simply increase the ingredients proportionately and split it into two baking sheets before baking.
- Get Creative with Toppings: Lettuce, tomato and sour cream are classic, but you can also add guacamole, salsa or any of your other favorite nacho toppings.
- Freeze Extras: Make a double batch of the beef sausage and keep some in the freezer for a quick snack anytime.
Nutrition
- Want to scale a recipe up or down? Simply type in a new serving amount and the recipe will automatically adjust!
- When a recipe call for House Seasoning Blend, you can use this recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- I always use unsalted butter in my recipes.
- I always use a meat thermometor to test for doneness when cooking meat. This one is my favorite.
- When a recipe is made in the oven, it should be pre-heated to the temperature in the recipe, unless otherwise noted.
- The nutritional information provided in this recipe is an estimate. Learn more on how I calculate nutritional information for my recipes.
Donna says
Love that the sausage is made from scratch, added so much flavour without the need for all the extra salt and nasties found in some store bought versions. My kids loved this for friday night movie night dinner
Jamie says
We love nachos and eat them for dinner occasionally! I love this recipe using beef sausage…more meat means a better nacho experience. Thanks for the great recipe!
Fiorenza says
I had never even tried to cook beef sausage nachos, it was a pleasant surprise!
I like it so much so found out new recipes that I’m not used to make…thanks!
Eileen Kelly says
Yum, I can only say you never disappoint/ These beef sausage nachos were delicious. I have to double batch next time because they were gobbled up so fast. Such and easy recipe to follow .
Katie says
This is also a great recipe to have kids help with. Easy but delicious!
Katie says
Love the addition of sausage to these nachos. The whole family loved it too!