Loaded Sheet Pan Ground Beef Nachos
Loaded Sheet Pan Ground Beef Nachos are a fast, cheesy snack or casual dinner made with crispy tortilla chips, taco-seasoned beef, refried beans, Colby jack, jalapeños, and fresh toppings. They’re worth making because everything builds right on one pan, the cheese melts into the beef and beans, and the cold toppings go on at the end so the nachos still taste fresh. This is a great game day recipe, movie night dinner, or “everyone just eat off the pan” meal, because apparently plates are sometimes too much to ask.
Before You Get Started
Use sturdy restaurant-style tortilla chips so they can hold up under the beef, beans, cheese, and toppings. Thin chips can break or get soggy faster.
Drain the grease from the ground beef before adding the taco seasoning. This keeps the nachos from getting oily once they bake.
Save the guacamole, sour cream, olives, and tomatoes for after the nachos come out of the oven. The cheese and jalapeños bake with the chips, but the cool toppings are best added fresh right before serving.
What You Need To Make Sheet Pan Ground Beef Nachos
All exact amounts are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s what you’ll be working with:
- Ground beef for the hearty taco meat layer.
- Taco seasoning to give the beef quick, bold flavor.
- Water to help the taco seasoning coat the beef.
- Restaurant-style tortilla chips for the crunchy base.
- Refried beans to make the nachos extra filling and help everything stick together.
- Shredded Colby jack cheese for a melty, cheesy layer.
- Jalapeños for a little heat.
- Guacamole for a creamy topping.
- Sour cream to cool everything down.
- Sliced olives for a salty finish.
- Roma tomato for a fresh topping at the end.
You’ll also need measuring cups, a medium skillet, silicone spatula, cutting board, knife, large baking sheet, and parchment paper.
How To Make Sheet Pan Ground Beef Nachos
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cook the ground beef in a medium skillet over medium heat, breaking it apart as it cooks, until no longer pink.
Drain any grease from the skillet, then stir in the taco seasoning and water according to the packet directions.
Slice the jalapeños and dice the tomato.
Arrange the tortilla chips on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.
Drop spoonfuls of refried beans over the tortilla chips, then sprinkle the seasoned ground beef evenly over the top. Cover with shredded Colby jack cheese.
💡 Tip: If the refried beans are hard to spoon over the chips, warm them briefly first so they loosen up. They do not need to be hot, just soft enough to dollop without breaking every chip underneath like a tiny edible demolition site.
Arrange the jalapeño slices over the cheese.
Bake for 12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the chips are lightly toasted around the edges.
Remove the nachos from the oven. Drop dollops of guacamole and sour cream over the top, then sprinkle with sliced olives and diced tomato before serving.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I use a different meat?
Yes. Ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork can all work. You can also use shredded chicken or leftover taco meat if you already have some cooked.
What kind of chips work best?
Restaurant-style tortilla chips work best because they’re usually thicker and sturdier. Thin chips can still taste good, but they may not hold up as well under the beef, beans, and toppings.
Can I make these nachos spicier?
Yes. Use hot taco seasoning, add extra jalapeños, sprinkle on pepper jack cheese, or finish the nachos with hot sauce. You can also use pickled jalapeños if you want more tangy heat.
Can I add more toppings?
Absolutely. Green onions, cilantro, salsa, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, black beans, corn, or diced avocado would all be good. Add cold toppings after baking so the chips stay as crisp as possible.
Can I make these without refried beans?
Yes. You can leave them off or swap in black beans or pinto beans. The refried beans help make the nachos more filling, but the recipe will still work without them.
How do I keep sheet pan nachos from getting soggy?
Use thick chips, drain the beef well, and add wet toppings like sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and tomatoes after baking. Serving them right away also helps keep the chips crunchy.
Sheet Pan Ground Beef Nachos
Equipment
- Measuring cups
- medium skillet
- Silicone spatula
- Cutting board
- Knife
- large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground beef
- 1 oz packet taco seasoning
- 9 oz bag restaurant style tortilla chips
- 16 oz can refried beans
- 2 cups colby jack shredded
- 2 jalapenos sliced
- ½ cup guacamole
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup sliced olives
- 1 roma tomato diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cook the ground beef in a medium skillet over medium heat, breaking the meat apart as it cooks, until no longer pink. Drain any grease, then mix in taco seasoning and water.
- Cut the jalapeno and tomato.
- Arrange the tortilla chips on the baking sheet.
- Drop spoonfuls of refried beans over the tortilla chips, then sprinkle ground beef over them. Cover with the cheese.
- Arrange jalapeno slices over the top.
- Bake for 12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and drop dollops of guacamole and sour cream over the nachos, then sprinkle with olives and tomatoes.