Reheating nachos is also a problem. It is a delicate process that requires keen attention. You need to watch them carefully. Otherwise, our favorite snack will just go to waste. So, how to reheat nachos properly? What is the reason behind them becoming soggy easily? What are the best nachos recipes for your kids?
Nachos are one of the best snacks for people of all ages. They can be prepared in many ways, depending on your preference or even health concerns. You have the liberty to choose what goes into your recipe. Be it for you or for your kids, they are the perfect go-to, regardless of the occasion. Be it for your kid’s birthday party, the holidays, or just a simple day at home, nachos do not get old.
Usually, nachos are prepared in large batches. It helps save time and effort. The only problem is when there are leftovers because they have the tendency to become soggy. As the nacho chips are exposed to air, they become unpleasing to eat.
Table of Contents
How To Reheat Nachos In 3 Simple Methods?
There are three ways on how to warm up nachos. I will detail all three processes as we move along; so, let us begin!
1. Reheating Nachos Using The Broiler
The good thing about using the broiler is that it distributes heat evenly. So, given the nature of nachos, it is a really great appliance for reheating them. Another thing I love about it is that it has a glass panel. This makes the nachos easy to check every once in a while.
# What Do You need?
- Broiler
- Broiler or Oven-Safe Pan
# How To Do It?
First, place the nachos in a broiler pan. Make sure that you spread them evenly.
Then, put the pan into the broiler. Broil it for up to three minutes. During this time, always look after the nachos, checking for the consistency and warmth. This is to prevent them from burning. Then, take them out from the broiler and let them cool.
2. Reheating Nachos Using The Oven
Using the oven will result in the nachos being as crispy as they originally were.
# What Do You Need?
- Baking Sheet
- Oven
# How to Do It?
First, preheat the oven to 300°F. Preheat it to 250°F if your nachos have beans, preventing them from drying. Afterward, place the nachos on the baking sheet, spreading them evenly.
Put the baking sheet into the oven and bake for at least five minutes. Do not let them exceed 10 minutes. Remember, nachos easily burn, so watch them thoroughly. Once they become warm or melty, it means that they are ready.
Lastly, take them out of the oven and let them cool.
3. Reheating Nachos Using The Skillet
Using the skillet is the fastest way to reheat nachos. If you do not have enough time to use the oven, this is the best alternative.
# What Do You need?
- Aluminum Foil
- Skillet
# How To Do It?
First, make sure that the skillet is clean. Spread the nachos on it evenly. Make sure that you have a skillet large enough to prevent an uneven arrangement. Otherwise, it will compromise the whole process since the ones in the middle might turn out soggy. If you do not have any choice, you have to reheat in batches.
Then, cover it with aluminum foil. This is to make sure that the heat is concentrated, making the entire process efficient and quick.
Set the burner to medium heat and let the nachos cook for up to five minutes. As usual, do not take your eyes off them to prevent them from burning. Lastly, turn off the heat and let the nachos cool.
Is Microwave The Best Way To Reheat Nachos?
The microwave is always our go-to appliance when reheating food, but does it really work for nachos? Unfortunately for most of us who depend on microwaves heavily, the answer is NO.
The microwave provides an uneven heating process, which does not lead to good results. The nachos become soggy easily, which is exactly what we are trying to avoid.
However, it is still permissible. Of course, if you cannot perform any of the first three methods I have discussed, you will need an alternative. Using the microwave will likely produce decent results as long as the reheating process is done properly. So, how do you do this?
First, put a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate or container. Then, spread the nachos evenly on it.
Try heating your nachos for a minute. If you are not yet satisfied with its quality, add another 20 seconds. Do this repeatedly until you get your desired results.
Kitchenaid Compact Oven (KCO253CU)
The KitchenAid Compact Oven is one of the best convection ovens today. It boasts with its ability to distribute heat evenly, ensuring the consistent results.
It comes with four preset functions, allowing you to heat any kind of food. With two reversible racks, you also have six possible height configurations.
Moreover, it is truly innovative. It uses relatively less energy than traditional ovens.
How To Prevent Nachos From Getting Soggy
1. Choosing The Right Cheese
Cheese is what makes nachos richer and more flavorful. So, choosing the right cheese is really a crucial part of the decision-making process.
The best cheese for nachos is the kind that melts well, such as cheddar cheese. Do not buy pre-shredded ones because these easily dry out. Usually, they also have anti-clumping agents, which may compromise the overall quality.
Do not go for hard and strongly-flavored types of cheese. The former contains a lot of oil, which you would not want spreading out over your nachos. Meanwhile, the latter has the tendency to dominate the taste.
2. Choosing the Right Nacho Chips
When choosing nacho chips, make sure that they are thick enough to hold up properly. However, they should not be too thick, making them hard to chew. You would not want them thin because they easily get soggy once you put all those toppings.
There are two kinds of nacho chips available— corn and flour. Nonetheless, it does not matter which one you choose. The only factor that you should prioritize is thickness.
3. What Makes a Healthy Variety of Tortilla Chips?
It is a fact that nachos are snacks. Sometimes, it cannot be helped for them to be unhealthy, especially with the many ingredients that can go into them. So, it is important that we know how to choose the healthiest options for us.
With the many varieties of nacho chips available in the market today, being mindful and conscious is hard. To make it easier, I will list the three most important factors you need to consider when buying nacho chips. Here they are:
a. Calorie Content:
Watching our calorie intake is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Snacks like nachos tend to have high-calorie content. The good news is that you are still allowed to have nachos even if you are on a strict calorie intake watch. A maximum of 200 calories from these snacks per day is good enough to satisfy your cravings.
To make sure that you comply to these limits, always check the nutrition facts label on your chips. Usually, an ounce of serving is enough to satisfy your needs without ruining your diet.
b. Fat Content
Of course, fat is also an important consideration. You would not want to see trans fats in the nutrition label of your nacho chips. These give rise to your bad cholesterol levels while decreasing your good cholesterol levels. At the same time, they also trigger inflammation.
Opt for low-fat chips, which usually contain a maximum of three grams of fat. These are considered the healthiest varieties because they have about 50% less fat than regular varieties.
c. Sodium Content
Sodium, while giving flavor to everything, is not really healthy in excess. Normally, we should comply with a daily intake limit of 1,500 mg.
Of course, flavored nacho chips have more sodium content. If you opt for the unsalted and plain varieties, you will only have less than five milligrams of sodium in each serving.
To say that a nacho chips variety is healthy, it should have a maximum of 90 mg of sodium in an ounce of serving. This would not compromise your diet and your enjoyment of the snacks.
How to Make Your Own Tortilla Chips
1. Ingredients
- Canola, Corn, or Grapeseed Oil
- Corn Tortillas
- Kosher Salt
Homemade Tortilla Chips
2. Steps
– Step 1: Leave the corn tortillas exposed to air overnight. This is to let them dry out because they fry better when they are stale. If you do not want to expose them to air overnight, you can dry them out using the microwave or oven. If you are using the former, lay the corn tortillas in a single layer on a paper towel and put them in the microwave for 20 to 60 seconds.
The duration depends on how powerful your microwave is and how many corn tortillas there are. Alternatively, may lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet and place them in the oven. If you have a 350°F heat setting, you can dry them out for five minutes. For 200°F heat setting, you can dry them out for 10 minutes.
– Step 2: Cut the corn tortillas into six triangle-shaped wedges.
– Step 3: Pour the canola, corn, or grapeseed oil in a skillet. Make sure that the oil is ⅛” to ¼” high. Let it heat under medium heat setting. You may use an infrared thermometer to make sure that it is 350°F hot.
Alternatively, you may try frying a tortilla chip. You will know it is ready once the tortilla chip sizzles. Remember, you would not want your oil to be too hot or it will just smoke.
– Step 4: Line a plate with a paper towel. Prepare more paper towels, depending on how many batches you will prepare.
– Step 5: Using metal slotted spoon or tongs, put the tortilla chips in the skillet in a single layer. Make sure that they are spread out evenly without one overlapping another. All tortilla chips must be coated with oil. Fry them for two minutes or until they start changing in color and become firm.
– Step 6: Remove the tortilla chips from the skillet and transfer them to the plate.
– Step 7: Put another paper towel on top of the fried nacho chips, ready for another batch.
3. Choosing the Right Toppings
There are four basic elements that should go into your nachos. It is not just a random combination of ingredients. So, there really is a formula behind it.
These elements include acidity, depth, freshness, and smothering.
Acidity is important, as it gives life to flavor. You may use ingredients such as lime, pickled jalapeños, salsa, among others.
For depth, you may use ingredients such as meat and chili. Beans are the perfect alternative for those who want to go meatless.
Of course, you also need to make sure that your nachos come with fresh ingredients. Some of the most common ones include avocado, cilantro, coriander, onion, scallion, tomato, among others.
Moreover, smothering ingredients such as sour cream further improves the overall quality of your nachos.
4. Layering Properly
Layering can make or break your nachos. It is the key to making sure that your nachos can last long without getting distasteful or soggy.
To do this properly, layer the nacho chips on a plate or container evenly. Distribute the toppings equally on all nacho chips. Repeat the layering process until everything has been used up. Make sure to spread the fresh ingredients last— once the nachos are ready to be served.
5. Smothering Correctly
You would not want a heavy smothering on your nachos. Not only does this make them soggy quickly, it also makes them appalling to the taste. I bet you would not want a mouthful of sour cream up to the point that you would want to vomit!
Further, wet toppings such as sour cream cool the nacho chips easily. So, it is highly recommended that you serve your nachos with smothering ingredients on the side. Let people serve themselves with these ingredients and do not add them on the nachos right away.
Top 10 Nachos Recipes Your Kids Will Love
1. Avocado Nachos
Avocados help improve digestion. So, if your kids have digestion problems and hate eating fruits, try using nachos as a means.
Ingredients
- Black or Red Kidney Beans;
- Cheese;
- Chopped Tomatoes;
- Coriander Leaves;
- Green and Red Capsicum;
- Nacho Chips;
- Red Onion;
- Salt and Pepper;
- Sliced Avocado;
- Sour Cream; and
- Sugar
Steps
– Step 1: Mix the chopped tomatoes, coriander leaves, green and red capsicum, red onion, salt and pepper, and sugar in a bowl. Then, set aside. This will serve as your salsa.
– Step 2: Heat a grill.
– Step 3: Place the nacho chips evenly on a plate.
– Step 4: Top the nacho chips with cheese.
– Step 5: Add black or red kidney beans and some salsa.
– Step 6: Continue layering in the same manner until your desired results are achieved.
– Step 7: Place it in the oven. Let it grill for up to four minutes or until the cheese melts.
– Step 8: Serve with the remaining salsa, sliced avocado, and sour cream.
2. Baked Nachos
Ingredients
- Avocado;
- Black Beans;
- Black Olives;
- Jalapeño Peppers;
- Lettuce;
- Meat of Choice;
- Nacho Chips;
- Onion;
- Salsa;
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese;
- Sour Cream; and
- Tomatoes
Steps
– Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
– Step 2: Place an aluminum foil on the oven plate and spray it with some cooking spray.
– Step 3: Put the nacho chips evenly on the oven plate in a single layer only.
– Step 4: Top them with black beans and meat.
– Step 5: Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top.
– Step 6: Bake this for a maximum of 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.
– Step 7: Dice the avocado, black olives, jalapeño pepper, lettuce, onion, and tomatoes while baking.
– Step 8: Take out the nachos from the oven.
– Step 9: Add the diced avocado, black olives, jalapeño pepper, lettuce, onion, salsa, sour cream, and tomatoes over them.
3. Cheesy Nachos
Ingredients
- Mild Taco Sauce;
- Nacho Chips;
- Shredded Cheese;
- Sliced Black Olives; and
- Sour Cream (optional)
Steps
– Step 1: Put the nacho chips evenly on a microwave plate. Make sure that they are in a single layer only.
– Step 2: Top them with the mild taco sauce followed by the shredded cheese.
– Step 3: Add the sliced black olives.
– Step 4: Put it in the microwave and heat for a minute or until the cheese melts.
– Step 5: Serve it with sour cream, if desired.
4. Chicken Nachos
Ingredients
- Avocado;
- Chicken Breast;
- Corn Kernels;
- Diced Red Capsicum;
- Grated Cheese;
- Nacho Chips;
- Olive Oil;
- Taco Seasoning;
- Tinned Kidney Beans;
- Tinned Tomatoes; and
- Yogurt
Steps
– Step 1: Mash the avocado in a bowl. Set aside.
– Step 2: Drain and rinse the tinned kidney beans. Set aside.
– Step 3: Cook the chicken breast.
– Step 4: Shred it using fork. Set aside.
– Step 5: Set the burner to medium heat.
– Step 6: Heat the olive oil in a fry pan.
– Step 7: Add the diced red capsicum, cooking for two minutes or until it becomes tender.
– Step 8: Add the corn kernels, taco seasoning, tinned kidney beans, and tinned tomatoes, simmering for up to 10 minutes. Set the mixture aside.
– Step 9: Preheat the oven to 180°C.
– Step 10: Spread the nacho chips evenly on a baking plate.
– Step 11:Top them with the mixture followed by the grated cheese and shredded chicken breast.
– Step 12:Place it in the oven for up to 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.
– Step 13: Take it out of the oven and serve with avocado and yogurt on top.
5. Classic Nachos
Ingredients
- Corns;
- Diced Bacon (optional);
- Ground Cumin
- Ground Paprika;
- Kidney Beans;
- Mozzarella Cheese;
- Nacho Chips;
- Onion Flakes;
- Salt and Pepper; and
- Tomatoes
Steps
– Step 1: Preheat oven to 200°C.
– Step 2: Spray some cooking spray on an oven tray.
– Step 3: Line the nacho chips evenly on the oven tray.
– Step 4: Cook the diced bacon in a pan and set aside.
– Step 5: Put the tomatoes in a bowl to mash them with your hands.
– Step 6: Add the corn, diced bacon, ground cumin, ground paprika, and kidney beans in the bowl.
– Step 7: Add salt and pepper to taste.
– Step 8: Stir the mixture properly. If it becomes watery due to the tomatoes, drain it.
– Step 9: Place the mixture on top of the nacho chips.
– Step 10: Top it with mozzarella cheese.
– Step 11: Bake it in the oven for 20 minutes or until the mozzarella cheese melts.
6. Meaty Nachos
Ingredients
- Beans;
- Chopped Chives or Spring Onions;
- Grated Cheese;
- Mexican Style Tomato Mix;
- Minced Meat (of your choice);
- Nacho Chips;
- Olive Oil; and
- Sour Cream;
Steps
– Step 1. Heat olive oil in the pan.
– Step 2. Cook the minced meat.
– Step 3. Add the beans and Mexican style tomato mix.
– Step 4. Simmer for a maximum of 10 minutes.
– Step 5. Place the nacho chips in a bowl.
– Step 6. Layer them with the minced meat mixture.
– Step 7. Top with the grated cheese.
– Step 8. Grill for a few minutes or until the cheese melts.
– Step 9. Add the chopped chives or spring onions and sour cream to serve.
7. Nachos Salad
Ingredients
- Chopped Coriander;
- Diced Avocado;
- Enchilada Sauce;
- Nacho Chips;
- Shredded Barbecue Chicken (optional);
- Sour Cream; and
- Warm Water
Steps
– Step 1. Mix the sour cream and warm water in a bowl.
– Step 2. Place the nacho chips evenly on an oven plate.
– Step 3. Top them with the chopped coriander, diced avocado, enchilada sauce, shredded barbecue chicken, and sour cream mixture.
– Step 4. Repeat the layering until desired results are achieved.
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8. Nachos Wrap
- Ingredients
- Avocado Dip;
- Diced Coriander;
- Diced Onions;
- Diced Tomatoes;
- Indian Rotis;
- Mild Mexican Sauce;
- Refried Beans; and
- Shredded Cheese
Steps
– Step 1. Spread the Indian Rotis with refried beans.
– Step 2. Put the diced coriander, onions, and tomatoes in a bowl and mix them well.
– Step 3. Put the mixture in the Indian Rotis.
– Step 4. Top them with the shredded cheese.
– Step 5. Add the mild Mexican sauce.
– Step 6. Roll them and close.
– Step 7. Heat a sandwich press. In its absence, you may use a pan as an alternative.
– Step 8. Toast them on each side for up to three minutes or until it turns golden brown.
– Step 9. Serve them with mild Mexican sauce on the side.
9. Ultimate Nachos
Ingredients
- Chopped, Pitted Black Olives;
- Diced Green Onions;
- Ground Beef;
- Nacho Chips;
- Refried Beans;
- Salsa;
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese;
- Sliced Jalapeño Peppers;
- Sour Cream;
- Taco Seasoning Mix; and
- Water
Steps
– Step 1. Drain the chopped, pitted black olives and sliced jalapeño peppers. Set them aside.
– Step 2. Cook the ground beef in the skillet using medium heat. Stir for up to 10 minutes or until it is no longer raw or pinkish.
– Step 3. Drain excess grease from the meat, should there be any.
– Step 4. Stir in the taco seasoning mix and water, letting it simmer for up to 10 minutes or until the mixture becomes thick enough.
– Step 5. Set an oven rack at least six inches from the heat source.
– Step 6. Preheat a broiler.
– Step 7. Put an aluminum foil over the baking plate.
– Step 8. Spread the nacho chips evenly on the baking plate.
– Step 9. Top them with refried beans, ground beef mixture, and shredded cheddar cheese.
– Step 10. Broil it in the oven for up to five minutes or until the cheese melts.
– Step 11. Add the black olives, green onions, jalapeño peppers, salsa, and sour cream to serve.
10. Veggie Nachos
Ingredients
- Chopped Garlic;
- Chopped Onion;
- Chopped Tomatoes;
- Fresh Coriander;
- Grated Cheddar Cheese;
- Nacho Chips;
- Olive Oil;
- Pinto Beans;
- Sour Cream; and
- Water (optional)
Steps
– Step 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
– Step 2. Heat the olive oil.
– Step 3. Add the chopped garlic and onion in a pan, cooking them for up to five minutes.
– Step 4. Add the chopped tomatoes and pinto beans.
– Step 5. Add some water. Otherwise, you can just let it cook in tomato juice.
– Step 6. Let the mixture come to a boil.
– Step 7. Reduce heat.
– Step 8. Simmer for 15 minutes or until it thickens.
– Step 9. Put the nacho chips evenly on an oven plate.
– Step 10. Top them with the mixture followed by the grated cheddar cheese.
– Step 11. Bake them for up to 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.
– Step 12. Serve with fresh coriander and sour cream.
How To Reheat Nachos – To Sum It Up…
There are a lot of advantages to nachos. Of course, they are delicious. They can also be as healthy as possible given the flexibility when it comes to the ingredients you can add. You can modify every recipe according to your personal needs and preferences. You can serve them everywhere— whatever the occasion is. The best thing is that they are easy to prepare! You do not even need to be expert when it comes to baking or cooking.
The only problem is that nachos are often prepared in large batches. It is more convenient that way, but it becomes a problem if we do not know how to choose ingredients and/or prevent the nacho chips from becoming soggy.
You need to know how to reheat nachos properly to make sure that nothing goes to waste. There are three ways to do this. You may use the broiler, oven, or skillet. The last resort would be the use of the microwave. It is not recommended for reheating nachos because of the uneven heat distribution. However, there are still promising microwaves that have already addressed this issue.
To prevent nachos from getting soggy easily, make sure that you choose the right cheese, nacho chips, and toppings. Layering and smothering are also important parts of the equation.
Cheddar cheese is the best type of cheese for nachos. Then, to make sure that you make a healthy snack, be mindful of the amounts of calories, fats, and sodium in your nacho chips.
Lastly, the toppings are classified into four elements. These include acidity, depth, freshness, and smothering. At least one ingredient from these elements must be present in your nachos to make the recipe complete and nutritious.
Have you tried any of the recipes I shared? What is your favorite recipe? How do you reheat your nachos? Let us know what you think!
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