The basics of a nacho stack

To build a stack of nachos, you really don’t need much. Nacho chips, guacamole, cheese and a few interesting toppings will do the trick. The secret is in how you layer everything and how you balance textures and flavours.

The nachos

Let’s start with the obvious. To build a nacho stack, you’re going to need nachos, but the kind you use is up to you. Go for a classic salted variety or mix it up with a seeded, cheesy, or even spicy kind if you fancy. If you’re feeling especially industrious, you could even slice tortilla wraps into triangles and lightly fry them. Essentially, you’re looking for a chip with a good surface area to hold a good mix of toppings.

The toppings

When it comes to layering, the sky is the limit. You could use refried beans, grilled corn, shredded cooked chicken, or steak. Roast vegetables or even sliced baby tomatoes would be great, too. Ideally, this wouldn’t be something too saucy as you risk making everything a soggy mess at the end. Make sure you scatter the toppings evenly across each layer of nachos before adding the next layer.

The cheese

This is the easy part. Just before your stack of nachos goes into the oven, generously scatter grated cheese over the top. The type of cheese is up to you; if you want something a little sharper, a mature Cheddar could work well, especially if topped with a bit of Parmesan. If you want maximum cheesiness, add some mozzarella, or go wild and make a mix of all the above. When placing the cheese on top, leave a few bare spots here and there so you can still pick up the corner of a nacho. Place under a hot grill just long enough for everything to melt and char in a few places.

The garnish

When the nacho stack is done, remove from the oven and garnish with a few final flavour bombs. Guacamole is an obvious one, but you could also add sliced jalapeños, a spicy salsa, sour cream, torn coriander or pink pickled onions.

Find our simple step-by-step to making the ultimate nacho stack below.