Loaded Baseball Nachos Cheese (Print version)

Crispy chips topped with spiced beef, creamy cheese sauce, jalapeños, and fresh garnishes for any gathering.

# What You'll Need:

→ Nachos Base

01 - 12 ounces sturdy tortilla chips
02 - 1 pound ground beef
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Cheese Sauce

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
13 - 1 cup whole milk
14 - 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
15 - 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
16 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
17 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Toppings

18 - 1/2 cup pickled jalapeño slices
19 - 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
20 - 1/3 cup sliced scallions
21 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
22 - 1/2 cup sour cream

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
02 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary
03 - Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Set aside
04 - For the cheese sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute until bubbling but not browned
05 - Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, approximately 2 to 3 minutes
06 - Lower heat and add cheddar, Monterey Jack, cayenne pepper, and salt. Whisk until cheese is melted and sauce achieves smooth consistency. Remove from heat
07 - Spread tortilla chips evenly on a large oven-safe platter or baking sheet
08 - Top chips with seasoned beef, then drizzle generously with cheese sauce
09 - Scatter jalapeño slices, diced tomatoes, and scallions over the top
10 - Transfer to oven and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until everything is heated through and bubbly
11 - Remove from oven. Garnish with chopped cilantro and dollops of sour cream. Serve immediately

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These nachos actually hold up without getting soggy because you bake them just long enough to meld everything together while keeping the chips crispy.
  • The homemade cheese sauce beats anything bottled—it's smooth, rich, and you control exactly how much heat goes into it.
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring you to be glued to the kitchen, which means you can actually watch the game or hang out with people.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the beef—excess grease makes the whole thing greasy instead of rich, and it pools at the bottom where it can make chips soggy.
  • Your cheese sauce needs to be smooth before the oven; if it goes in lumpy or broken, the oven heat won't fix it, so take time with the roux and the milk whisking.
  • The bake time is short by design—if you leave nachos in longer than 7 or 8 minutes, even sturdy chips eventually soften, and you lose that contrast between crispy and soft.
03 -
  • If your cheese sauce breaks or gets grainy, don't throw it out—whisk in a splash of cold milk and it usually comes back together, though next time, keep the heat lower and add cheese more slowly.
  • Use a kitchen scale for the chips if you have one, because a handful means something different to everyone, and you want enough weight to support all the toppings without creating a messy structural failure.
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