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Flavorful Loaded Nacho Cheese Beef Skillet

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A quick and easy skillet recipe combining seasoned ground beef, melty nacho cheese, and crispy tortilla chips, perfect for game day snacks or casual dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground beef (80/20 preferred)
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups tortilla chips, roughly crushed
  • 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup sliced jalapeños (optional)
  • 1/4 cup sliced black olives (optional)
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • Sour cream and fresh cilantro for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients: chop onion, mince garlic, dice tomatoes, slice jalapeños and green onions, and have tortilla chips ready (about 10 minutes).
  2. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking apart, until browned and no longer pink, about 7-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
  3. Stir in chopped onion and garlic; cook until softened and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Add chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper; mix well.
  4. In a small saucepan or pushed to the side of the skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, stirring constantly until thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheddar until melted and smooth.
  5. Pour cheese sauce over beef mixture and gently stir to combine.
  6. Sprinkle half of the crushed tortilla chips evenly over the beef and cheese mixture in the skillet; press gently.
  7. Scatter diced tomatoes, jalapeños, black olives, and green onions on top of the chips layer.
  8. Top with remaining crushed tortilla chips for crunch.
  9. Optional: Place skillet under broiler for 2-3 minutes until top chips are golden and cheese bubbles. Watch closely to prevent burning.
  10. Remove from heat, dollop with sour cream and sprinkle fresh cilantro if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Use 80/20 ground beef for juiciness. Layer tortilla chips to keep them crispy. Add a splash of milk if cheese sauce is too thick. Broil briefly for extra crispiness. Can substitute ground turkey or plant-based meat. Use gluten-free flour and chips for gluten-free option.

Nutrition

Keywords: nacho cheese, beef skillet, game day snack, easy recipe, loaded nachos, comfort food

Find it online: https://lucastable.com/flavorful-loaded-nacho-cheese-beef-skillet-easy-recipe-for-perfect-game-day-snack/