Nachos - horizontal

Did you ever have junky days, growing up? 6 days of the week, my family tried to eat fairly healthy. Sundays were junky days.

Fur lunch, we made nachos. Not loaded like Pioneer Woman makes. There was no meat, no hidden veggies, nothing redeeming about this meal except that it filled all 7 stomachs and tasted amazing.

This made it simultaneously inexpensive and fun. Conveniently, we made it with fairly clean ingredients, and it was naturally gluten-free. These make a perfect addition to your Superbowl snack table or any other game day.

Sometimes we make nachos into this huge affair – with pickled jalapenos, a drizzle of queso, and dollops of sour cream. That sounds fantastic, but it doesn’t have to be so complicated.

Nachos can be as simple and frugal as Chips + Salsa + Cheese. Everything else is optional. Have fun with yours – pile your favorite toppings on the baking sheet. Just remember that you can keep it simple, and your taste buds will still be happy.

Nachos can be as simple and frugal as Chips + Salsa + Cheese. Perfect for a quick, easy meal, made with fairly clean ingredients, and naturally gluten-free. From CheapskateCook.com.

Cost:

1 baking sheet of nachos costs me around $3. This is enough for our family of 5 as long as we have something on the side, like a big salad. If we’re just eating nachos, we make 2 trays for $6, and people can have plenty of seconds.

Nachos can be as simple and frugal as Chips + Salsa + Cheese. Perfect for a quick, easy meal, made with fairly clean ingredients, and naturally gluten-free. From CheapskateCook.com.

Simple & Frugal Nachos

Yield: 1 baking sheet
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Nachos can be as simple and frugal as Chips + Salsa + Cheese. Perfect for a quick, easy meal, made with fairly clean ingredients, and naturally gluten-free.

Ingredients

  • One 12-ounce bag tortilla chips
  • 2 cups salsa, to taste
  • 2 cups shredded cheese, to taste, (cheddar or Mexican blend work great)
  • Optional toppings (before baking):
  • leftover beef
  • leftover chicken
  • beans
  • Optional toppings (after baking):
  • pickled jalepeños
  • sour cream
  • chopped green onions
  • cilantro

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Spread tortilla chips in a messy, imperfect layer on a baking sheet.
  3. Dollop the tortilla chips with salsa. Top with any additions. Sprinkle with an even layer of cheese. 
  4. Bake nachos for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Add desired optional toppings.

Notes

This is a great recipe for make ahead ground beef or make ahead chicken, or leftover beans!

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Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1 cup
Amount Per Serving Calories 299

Please note: The actual calories and nutrition of this dish will change depending on what ingredients you use. Nutrition information is not always accurate.

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Nachos can be as simple and frugal as Chips + Salsa + Cheese. Perfect for a quick, easy meal, made with fairly clean ingredients, and naturally gluten-free. From CheapskateCook.com.
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