Sheet Pan Halloween Nachos

Sheet pan halloween nachos are crispy tortilla chips layered with taco-seasoned ground beef and three cups of melted cheese, ready in about 30 minutes. They feed a crowd of 6, and the olives, tomatoes and cilantro on top make them look festive for a Halloween party.

Why This Recipe Works

Two layers of chips, beef and cheese are the main trick here. The middle of the pan gets beef and cheese too, so the bottom chips don’t end up bare and dry.

Draining the beef well before you add the seasoning matters more than it seems. Extra fat turns the chips soggy and leaves a greasy pool on the pan. The short simmer with water then thickens the meat into a spoonable, clingy layer.

Shred the cheese yourself from a block. Bagged shreds carry a coating that stops them from melting smoothly, and freshly shredded cheese blankets the chips and turns bubbly. Waiting to add the cold toppings until after baking keeps them fresh and crisp.

Sheet Pan Halloween Nachos Ingredients

For the beef

• 1 pound lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10)
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup water

For the nachos

• 1 (13-ounce) bag tortilla chips (thick, restaurant-style recommended)
• 3 cups freshly shredded cheese (Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Colby Jack)

For the toppings

• Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• Fresh cilantro
• Jalapenos
• Black olives
• Sour cream

How To Make Sheet Pan Halloween Nachos

Prep and cook the beef

1. Heat the oven: Set the oven to 400°F (200°C). Coat a big rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray, or cover it with foil, so the cheese won’t stick and cleanup is quick.
2. Brown the beef: Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until it’s browned. Drain the fat well, so the chips stay crisp.
3. Season and simmer: Stir in the taco seasoning and the water. Simmer for 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the meat.

Build and bake

4. Make the first layer: Spread half the chips over the pan. Top them with half the beef and half the cheese.
5. Make the second layer: Add the rest of the chips, then the rest of the beef and the rest of the cheese. Layering twice gives you toppings in every bite.
6. Bake: Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly. Watch it closely under the broiler, since chips burn fast.

Top and serve

7. Add the garnish: Take the pan out of the oven and top the nachos right away with the tomatoes, red onion, black olives, jalapenos and cilantro. Serve with sour cream and your favorite dips.

Recipe Tips

• Seed the tomatoes: Scoop out the seeds and watery pulp before you dice them. That keeps juice from running over the chips.
• Choose thick chips: Thin chips go limp under the beef and cheese. Thick, restaurant-style chips hold up through two layers.
• Grate your own cheese: A block of Cheddar, Monterey Jack or Colby Jack melts smoother than pre-shredded cheese, which has anti-caking coating.
• Serve right away: Nachos are best straight from the oven. As they sit, the chips soak up moisture and lose their crunch.

What To Serve With Sheet Pan Halloween Nachos

Set the pan in the middle of the table with bowls of sour cream and any other dips you like, and let everyone dig in. A simple green salad or a bowl of rice and beans makes it a full meal.

How To Store

• Fridge: Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container, but the chips will soften.
• Reheat: Spread the leftovers on a baking sheet. Warm them in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until hot all the way through.
• Make ahead: Cook the beef and chop the toppings a day ahead and keep them in the fridge, then build and bake the nachos just before serving.

FAQs

Can I make sheet pan nachos with ground turkey?

Yes. Swap in 1 pound of ground turkey and cook it the same way. Turkey is leaner, so you may want a teaspoon of oil in the skillet to keep it from drying out.

How do I keep the chips from getting soggy?

Drain the beef well and seed the tomatoes. Use thick chips, and add the cold toppings and sour cream only after the pan comes out of the oven.

Are these nachos gluten free?

They can be. Most plain tortilla chips are made from corn, but check the labels on your chips and your taco seasoning, since some seasoning blends contain wheat.

Can I prepare nachos ahead of time?

Not fully. Assembled nachos get soggy as they wait. Cook the beef and chop the toppings ahead, then layer and bake right before you serve.

Nutrition

Estimated per serving (1 of 6), worked out from the ingredients.

• Calories: about 560 kcal
• Total Fat: 33g
• Total Carbohydrate: 38g
• Dietary Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 28g

Sheet Pan Halloween Nachos

Recipe by Paula

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Total time

30

minutes

Crispy tortilla chips layered twice with taco-seasoned beef and melted cheese, then topped with fresh tomatoes, red onion, olives and cilantro. A fast party pan for 6 that comes together in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• For the beef

• 1 pound lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10)

• 1 package taco seasoning

• 1/2 cup water

• For the nachos

• 1 (13-ounce) bag tortilla chips (thick, restaurant-style recommended)

• 3 cups freshly shredded cheese (Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Colby Jack)

• For the toppings

• Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

• 1/2 cup red onion, diced

• Fresh cilantro

• Jalapenos

• Black olives

• Sour cream

Directions

• Heat the oven: Set the oven to 400°F (200°C). Coat a big rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray, or cover it with foil, so the cheese won’t stick and cleanup is quick.
• Brown the beef: Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until it’s browned. Drain the fat well, so the chips stay crisp.
• Season and simmer: Stir in the taco seasoning and the water. Simmer for 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the meat.
• Make the first layer: Spread half the chips over the pan. Top them with half the beef and half the cheese.
• Make the second layer: Add the rest of the chips, then the rest of the beef and the rest of the cheese. Layering twice gives you toppings in every bite.
• Bake: Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly. Watch it closely under the broiler, since chips burn fast.
• Add the garnish: Take the pan out of the oven and top the nachos right away with the tomatoes, red onion, black olives, jalapenos and cilantro. Serve with sour cream and your favorite dips.