Campfire Nachos
Loaded, layered nachos built in a cast iron skillet or sheet pan and finished over the grill or an open fire — a snack hearty enough to become dinner.
Equipment
- 1 large cast iron skillet or foil-lined sheet pan
- 1 tongs
Ingredients
For the nachos
- 1 bag (300-350 g) unsalted corn tortilla chips totopos or chips from a Latin grocery store hold up best
- 250-300 g Monterey Jack or Tex-Mex-style shredded cheese
- 1 jar salsa, your choice use sparingly
Add your own
- protein of your choice cooked and warm — see suggestions below
- vegetables of your choice diced — see suggestions below
Instructions
Build the pan
- On a foil-lined sheet pan or in a very large cast iron skillet, spread a layer of tortilla chips.
- Top with cheese, your protein, a little salsa (go easy — too much and the nachos turn soggy), and vegetables.
- Add a second layer of chips and repeat with more toppings.
Cook on the grill
- Set the pan on the preheated grill grate and close the lid — or cover the pan with foil if your grill has no lid.
- Watch closely and rotate the pan every 5 minutes so one side doesn't scorch.
Or cook over an open fire
- Set the pan directly on the embers, or on a grate over the fire, turning it from time to time so the heat stays even.
Notes
For extra-melty nachos. Finish with a kitchen torch, or lay a sheet of foil over the pan for a minute or two — it traps heat and helps everything finish by convection.
Go easy on the salsa. Too much moisture between the layers and the chips turn soft before the cheese even melts.
Sturdy chips win. Thin, delicate chips break down under the weight of toppings — look for thick totopos or chips from a Latin grocery store.
Cold toppings go on last. Sour cream, guacamole, and fresh herbs should only touch the pan once it is off the heat.
See the frequently asked questions
- Making it without a cast iron skillet
- Best cheese for melting on nachos
- Stopping nachos from turning soggy
- Cooking it on a gas grill
- Which toppings go on before or after
- Making it vegetarian
- How many it serves