Irresistible loaded air fryer nachos with crispy tortilla chips, lots of veggies, black beans and melted cheese are so easy and quick to make. Served with sour cream, salsa or guacamole, they make for a perfect vegetarian snack or appetiser.
These cheesy air fried nachos are a great option for party, get-together, game day or midnight snack. They take barely 10-15 minutes to get ready and can be customised by using toppings of choice.
Before going ahead with the recipe, I would like to mention an interesting post I encountered online, discussing the difference between tortilla chips and nachos (many of you may already be knowing it). Both are often used interchangeably but they are actually different .
Tortilla chips are cut, fried and salted corn tortillas, usually served with dips. Nachos, on the other hand, refers to the loaded baked dish comprising of tortilla chips covered with vegetable / meat / beans and cheese. They can be meatless or non-vegetarian.
To make these loaded nachos you will need-
Tortilla Chips- Use homemade or store-bought as per your liking. You can even opt for your favourite flavour of tortilla chips (like doritos).
Veggies- Vegetables like onion, capsicum, coloured bell peppers, tomatoes, olives, sweet corn are used in this recipe. Pick any of your choice.
Beans- To add protein to this dish, you can use cooked black beans, red kidney beans (rajma) or refried beans. If you are using canned beans, wash and drain them properly to drip all excess liquid.
Jalapeños– This is my favourite addition to the loaded nachos but definitely optional if you don’t like spicy food. Both fresh or jarred works fine but I personally prefer latter as it gives a perfect balance of spicy & tangy. If you are using fresh ones, use lesser quantity, deseed and chop them finely before adding to nachos.
Herbs- A generous sprinkle of herbs like cilantro or scallions adds freshness to the dish.
Cheese- Any meltable cheese works here but for authentic taste use cheddar. You can even use Monterey jack, Colby jack, pepper jack or a combination of these.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- Tortilla Chips- 5 cups (4 oz)
- Onion (diced)- 1 small
- Tomato (diced)- 1 small
- Bell Pepper (diced)- 1/2 (use any colour)
- Black Beans (cooked)- 1/2 cup
- Pickled Jalapeños (diced)- 8 to 10 slices
- Cheddar Cheese (shredded)- 1.5 cup
- Cilantro (chopped)- For garnishing
- For serving:
- Salsa / Sour Cream / Guacamole
(Note: Drain the jalapeños and canned beans (after rinsing) on a colander, to drip all extra moisture.)
Directions:
Step 1:
Cut a parchment paper or aluminium foil larger than the size of air fryer basket for lining. Though it is an optional step, but it makes the cleaning easier later.
Step 2:
Line the air fryer basket and spread tortilla chips in single layer. Add half of black beans, onion, bell peppers, pickled jalapeño, and cheese.
Step 3:
Add another layer of tortilla chips, black beans, onion, bell peppers, jalapeños, tomatoes (save some for later), and cheese.
Step 4:
Air fry at 160°C (320°F) temp for 5 min till the cheese is all melted and bubbly. Add 1-2 min more if required. Bring the nachos out of air fryer basket by lifting the parchment paper from edges.
Step 5:
Top up with remaining chopped tomatoes, jalapeños or cilantro. Serve immediately with sour cream, guacamole or salsa.
Tips:
- You can also include sweet corn kernels (fresh or frozen) in this recipe or top up the air-fried nachos with sliced olives or chopped spring onion greens.
- Avoid adding tomatoes in the middle layer as it is high in moisture which can make tortillas chips soggy.
- Instead of black beans you can use pinto beans, red kidney beans (rajma), refried beans or any meat topping of choice.
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(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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