How to Make a Nacho Bar
on Apr 08, 2018, Updated Jan 18, 2024
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Letting your friends top their own plate of cheesy nachos is one of the best possible ways to kick off a party, and it's super easy.
If you are hosting a party (especially if there are teenagers as part of the mix) and want a surefire hit, you will be hard-pressed to find something more crowd-pleasing than a build-your-own-nachos bar.
My sister-in-law did this for one of her son’s graduation parties, and I knew then and there it was going to become part of my repertoire. It’s also clearly perfect for game day parties and incredibly easy. All you do is make a tray or two or more of hot nachos with the melty cheeses of your choice, and then put out lots of bowls of toppings and let everyone assemble their own nacho masterpiece.
Also, yes, there are Instagram versions where this is all pulled together right on your table, with the melted cheese poured over the chips and running everywhere, but honestly, who wants to clean that all up!? And who wants to eat off a table?
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The very first time I did a test run of these was when my younger son, Charlie, had a bunch of friends over for a movie night. (I will pause to mention that two of the attending friends were named Linus and Lucy. Yes, it’s freaking adorable. No, they didn’t watch Peanuts.)
Linus, amazingly, had NEVER had nachos! Isn’t that crazy? He kept repeating this fact with wonder and anticipation as the nachos baked. He lives a rich and full life otherwise, with much exposure to all of the wonders of the world, so this oversight is an anomaly. I was so happy to show him the light — how often do you get to provide a person with their first nacho night experience?
More recently, I put this out for a Super Bowl party, and it reminded me of watching a zookeeper feed the lions. Throw in the food, snatch back your hand as quickly as possible, and don’t get between the beasts (in this case, about half a dozen teenage boys) and the food.
How to Make a Nacho Bar: Letting your friends top their own plate of cheesy nachos is one of the best possible ways to kick off a party.
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How to Set up a Nacho Bar
- Leave space at one end of the table to place the tray of hot nachos with melted cheese. Put down a trivet or hot plate where the tray with the nachos will go.
- Place the plates at the end of the table just before where the nachos will be.
- Arrange the bowls for the toppings on the table. I like to put post-it notes in each bowl, reminding me of what will go into each bowl (e.g., sour cream, sliced jalapeños, diced onions, guacamole, etc.).
- At the far end of the table, you’ll want to have the napkins (lots of napkins) and forks (if you’re using forks) so people can grab them after they assemble their nacho plates.
- Then, fill the bowls with the toppings just before putting the nachos into the oven.
- Make sure to heat any toppings that should be hot, like chili, browned ground meat, or taco meat.
- Have plenty of chips and shredded or crumbled cheese on hand so you can make new trays of nachos as the one on the table gets inhaled. When you see the nachos running low, assemble another tray and pop it onto the preheated oven.
- Keep an eye on the toppings and replenish as needed.
What to Put on a Nacho Bar
The list of possible ways to personalize nachos abound, and while a number are listed below in the nacho bar topping list, you can get very creative — or stick with the basics. Then, stand back and let everyone make their own version of loaded bar nachos.
Nacho Bar Toppings
- Jalapeños (fresh or pickled)
- Olives
- Chili
- Various salsas or pico de gallo sauces
- Sliced scallions
- Guacamole, Avocado Crema, or diced avocado
- Sour cream
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Diced tomatoes
- Diced or pickled onions
- Diced artichoke hearts
- Sautéed mushrooms
Chili is one of the suggested toppings and a total crowd-pleaser. You can make any kind of chili, from chicken to turkey to beef to vegetarian. Here are some recipes to try:
- Slow Cooker Beef Chili
- Barbacoa Beef Chili
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
- Buffalo Chicken and White Bean Chili
- Turkey or Chicken Chili
Or, instead of chili, you can also serve up cooked ground beef or turkey taco meat or shredded slow-cooked pork, beef, or chicken.
FAQs
That’s a loaded question! (Pun very intended.) Think about jalapeños (fresh or pickled), olives, chili or taco meat, various salsas or pico de gallo, sliced scallions, Guacamole, Avocado Crema, or diced avocado, sour cream, fresh cilantro leaves, diced fresh tomatoes, diced onion or pickled onions, diced artichoke hearts, and sautéed mushrooms.
Of course, the answer is “that depends.” Mostly, it depends on your crowd (teenagers or little kids?) and what else you’re serving (is this part of a bigger spread?). Bigger eaters might eat 20 to 30 chips. However, if you are serving other appetizers, or if the nachos are just a first course, plan on about 1 ounce of chips per person.
Other super popular bar-food types of appetizers are air fryer chicken wings, Buffalo Turkey Burger Sliders, Chipotle Beef Sliders, and Cowboy Caviar. You could also make some Queso Fundido with Chorizo and Hot Pimento Cheese Dip to pour over the nachos in addition to or instead of melting cheese over the tortilla chips in the oven.
Other than the cheese, it really doesn’t matter!
On the alcoholic side, try Red Sangria, Summer Fruit and Berry Sangria, or Hibiscus Cocktail. On the nonalcoholic side, maybe a Watermelon Strawberry Smoothie or Agua Fresca.
My two favorite options are a blend of shredded Monterey Jack and mild cheddar. You want a milder cheddar here, which will become smoother and creamier when melted than a sharp, aged cheddar. Monterey Jack melts very smoothly, too. You can also go with a shredded Mexican blend, which might contain a mix of cheese like cheddar, Monterey, Jack, Asiago, Asadero, Chihuahua, and other Mexican cheeses.
How to Make a Nacho Bar
- Prepare to bake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread half the tortilla chips on a rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle over half of the cheese, and then layer on the rest of the chips, and cover with the rest of the cheese.
- Set up the toppings bar: Place any and all of the desired toppings in individual bowls and place them on the table with small plates. Heat up the chili or taco meat, if using.
- Bake: Bake the nachos for about 8 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Serve: Transfer the nachos to a serving platter and serve hot, letting your guests choose their toppings.
More Party Tips
- How to Throw a Super Bowl Taco Party
- 9 Tips for Relaxed Entertaining and Menu Planning
- How to Set Up a Buffet Table
- How to Throw a Holiday Open House Party
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How to Make a Nacho Bar
Ingredients
- 1 (13-ounce) bag tortilla chips
- 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend (or a blend of mild cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack)
Nacho Bar Toppings
- Jalapeños
- Olives
- Chili or taco meat
- Various salsas or pico de gallo sauces
- Sliced scallions
- Guacamole or diced avocado
- Sour cream
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Diced tomatoes
- Diced artichoke hearts
- Sautéed mushrooms
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Spread half the tortilla chips on a rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle over half of the cheese, and then layer on the rest of the chips and cover with the rest of the cheese.
- Place any and all of the desired toppings in individual bowls and place on the table, with small plates. Heat up the chili or taco meat, if using.
- When ready to serve, bake the nachos for about 8 minutes until the cheese is melted. Transfer the nachos to a serving platter, and serve hot.
Notes
- Leave space at one end of the table to place the tray of hot nachos with melted cheese. Put down a trivet or hot plate where the tray with the nachos will go.
- Place the plates at the end of the table just before where the nachos will be.
- Arrange the bowls for the toppings on the table. I like to put post-it notes in each bowl, reminding me of what will go into each bowl (e.g., sour cream, sliced jalapeños, diced onions, guacamole, etc.).
- At the far end of the table, you’ll want to have the napkins (lots of napkins) and forks (if you’re using forks) so people can grab them after they assemble their nacho plates.
- Then, fill the bowls with the toppings just before putting the nachos into the oven.
- Make sure to heat any toppings that should be hot, like chili, browned ground meat, or taco meat.
- Have plenty of chips and shredded or crumbled cheese on hand, so you can make new trays of nachos as the one on the table gets inhaled. When you see the nachos running low, assemble another tray and pop it onto the preheated oven.
- Keep an eye on the toppings and replenish as needed.
Both ways then. Hehe
And… Love In The Time Of Cholera!!