Mains & Entrees

Bean Nachos and Loaded Beef

Loaded Beef and Bean Nachos have it all! Thick corn tortilla chips topped with a saucy beef and refried bean mixture, melty cheese and a plethora of toppings like bell pepper, red onion and black olives. Once baked

Serves 6 servings

Jump to the recipe

Did you know I have a whole recipe section dedicated to cinco de mayo?

Here you’ll find a growing collection of everything from burritos, tacos and nachos to drinks, sides and desserts. This earns a repeat Mexican cuisine and it’s one of my favorites to make as well.

Today, we’re adding beef and bean nachos to the list! Thick corn tortilla chips topped with a saucy taco seasoned ground beef and refried bean mixture, lots of cheese and all the toppings. This dish is fun to make while also being short and especially straightforward!

What are you making for cinco de mayo?

To Make These Loaded Beef and Bean Nachos Gather:

avocado oil – Or use extra light olive oil.
yellow onion – Adds a sweet and subtle onion flavor.
garlic – Adds distinct punchy flavor.
kosher salt – Helps to soften the onions while sautéing.
lean ground beef – I like to use 90/10 for this method.
taco seasoning – Use kitchen-made or store-bought. See notes on taco seasoning below.
fat-free refried beans – Use either from-scratch or store-bought.
thick corn tortilla chips – I like to use Fiesta Grande brand however you could make your own!
cheddar jack cheese – Or use a good melty cheese you prefer, like pepper jack, cheddar or monterrey jack.
bell pepper – Adds a pop of color and some mild crunchy texture.
red onion – Finely diced and, this part is optional, soaked in ice water to remove some of the strong bite.
black olives – These are optional, but add briny note to the nachos.
green onion – Adds a mild yet bright onion flavor.
tomato – I like roma tomatoes, but use what you like. Remove all seeds before dicing.
cilantro – Gives the nachos bright flavor and a pop of color.

optional toppings for nachos:

salsa – Use kitchen-made or store-bought.
sour cream – Adds creamy richness and tanginess.
guacamole – Kitchen-made or store-bought.
hot sauce – Use your go-to. We like Chalula and/or Tapatio.
jalapeños – Thinly sliced raw or pickled jalapeños.

A Note About Taco Seasoning:

If using my from-scratch taco seasoning you’ll want to double the recipe but DO NOT double the salt, otherwise this dish will be way too salty. You can make the beef mixture saucy by adding a little cornstarch 1 to 2 teaspoons to your from-scratch taco seasoning. Then, once your meat mixture is cooked though and seasoned, pour in 1/2 cup of water and stir until thickened – increasing the heat if needed.

If using store-bought, I highly recommend Siete brand as you would only need 1 packet (if you’re using another brand, you may need 2). There’s no need to add cornstarch if using store-bought seasoning, simply follow the package directions.

Preheat your oven to 325°F (or 160°C).

Prep your desired nacho veggies. We like trio of bell peppers (for color of course) – 3/4 cup finely diced, 1 medium red onion – finely diced, 1/2 cup sliced black olives, 4 green onion – sliced, and 1 to 2 seeded and diced roma tomatoes. Set this off to the side.

Add 2 teaspoons avocado oil, 1/2 a yellow onion and 4 cloves garlic to a 10-inch skillet. Heat on medium to medium-low, stir and cook 5 to 8 minutes or until softened.

Once the onions are soft, add in 1 pound lean ground beef. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small crumbles and cook until no longer pink. About 10 minutes.

Next, add in about 5 tablespoons taco seasoning.

Stir until combined. Since we are making a saucy meat mixture, so you’ll want to make sure your taco seasoning has a thickener in it (like cornstarch or tapioca powder). See my notes (under ingredient photo or in the printable recipe) on how to do that. Pour in 1/2 cup water and stir until thickened slightly.

Next add in 1 recipe fat free refried beans or you can use a can of fat-free refried beans – I like the La Preferida brand.

Stir until combined, adding a little more water if needed to thin out. Remove the pan off of the heat.

Arrange a single layer of thick sturdy chips on the bottom of a rimmed metal baking sheet. I personally like to use Fiesta Grande brand tortilla chips and usually buy 2 bags to make sure I get enough full size chips.

What Size Pan Should You Use For Nachos?

If serving a crowd, use a half sheet pan. If 4 people are splitting two nachos I will use 2 quarter sheet pans. And, for 4 individual nachos, I like to use 1/8 sheet pans and I’ve linked all of the different sizes in the recipe printable.

Top with a little of the beef and bean mixture and a sprinkle of cheese.

Add a second even layer of chips, top with more beef and bean mixture, cheese, peppers, onions and olives.

Bake on the middle rack for 10 to 15 minutes or until both layers of cheese have melted.

Once baked, remove and top with tomatoes, green onions and finely chopped cilantro.

In our house, we all like different toppings, but we all love our nachos with guac. Personally, A regular here sliced jalapeños, sour cream and hot sauce too. But you do what you like!

That’s it! This method is so unfussy, short to prepare and enjoyed by all.

Looking for more nacho recipes? Below is a growing list of favorites!

Enjoy! And if you give this dish a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

The recipe

Home Kitchen Loaded Beef and Bean Nachos

Serves 6 servings

Ingredients

3 cups cheddar jack cheese (freshly grated/shredded)
1 cup diced bell peppers (I like a mix of red, orange and yellow)
1 medium red onion (finely diced)
1/2 cup sliced black olives
4 green onions (sliced)
1 to 2 medium roma tomatoes (seeded and finely diced)
2 teaspoons olive oil (or avocado oil)
1/2 medium yellow onion (finely diced)
4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 pinch kosher salt
1 pound lean ground beef (I like to use 90/10)
5 tablespoons taco seasoning (see notes)
1 recipe fat free refried beans (or use store bought (I like La Preferida))
16 ounces thick/sturdy tortilla chips (or more as needed)
chopped fresh cilantro (for serving)

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS FOR SERVING:

guacamole
sour cream
salsa
jalapeños (raw or pickled)
hot sauce

Method

1
Preheat your oven to 325°F (or 160°C). Prep your desired nacho veggies and shred 3 cups of cheddar jack cheese. We like a trio of bell peppers (for color of course), red onion, black olives, green onion and seeded and diced roma tomatoes. Set this off to the side.

MAKE THE BEEF AND BEAN MIXTURE:

2
Add oil, onion and garlic to a 10-inch skillet. Heat on medium to medium-low, stir and cook 5 to 8 minutes or until softened. Then add in the ground beef. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small crumbles and cook until no longer pink. About 10 minutes.
3
Next, add in taco seasoning. Stir until combined. Since we are making a saucy meat mixture, so you’ll want to make sure your taco seasoning has a thickener in it (like cornstarch or tapioca powder). See my notes above (under ingredient photo) on how to do that. Pour in 1/2 cup of water and stir until thickened slightly.
4
Next add in the fat free refried beans (in a pinch? you can use a can of fat-free refried beans – I like the La Preferida brand). Stir until combined, adding a little more water if needed to thin out. Remove the pan off of the heat.

BUILD THE NACHOS:

5
Arrange a single layer of thick sturdy chips on the bottom of a rimmed metal baking sheet. See blog post for the dependable size pan to use.
6
Top with a little of the beef and bean mixture and a sprinkle of cheese. Add a second even layer of chips, top with more beef and bean mixture, cheese, peppers, onions and olives. Bake on the middle rack for 10 to 15 minutes or until both layers of cheese have melted.
7
Once baked, remove and top with tomatoes, green onions and finely chopped cilantro.
8
Serve with desired toppings like sour cream, guacamole, salsa, jalapeños, hot sauce etc.

From the cook

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on this site should only be used as a general guideline. *The nutritional information is for the nachos only and does not include things like sour cream, guacamole etc. Also, nutritional value may differ depending on brand/type and how many chips you are using. A Note About Taco Seasoning: If using my from-scratch taco seasoning you’ll want to double the recipe but DO NOT double the salt, otherwise this dish will be way too salty. You can make the beef mixture saucy by adding a little cornstarch 1 to 2 teaspoons to your from-scratch taco seasoning. Then, once your meat mixture is cooked though and seasoned, pour in 1/2 cup of water and stir until thickened – increasing the heat if needed. If using store-bought, I highly recommend Siete brand as you would only need 1 packet (if you’re using another brand, you may need 2). There’s no need to add cornstarch if using store-bought seasoning, simply follow the package directions.