These air fryer nachos are the perfect nachos recipe for a weeknight, tailgate, or backyard party. I love to layer them with seasoned ground beef, beans and cheese so they can be either a hearty appetizer or a main course. I was a little skeptical at first about making them in the air fryer, but now I’m hooked and understand why it’s the best method: they cook faster in the air fryer than the oven, and the air fryer helps to keep the chips crispy.
I’ve served these at a party before, and they worked so well because the nachos never got hard or congealed. I made smaller batches throughout the party since they only take 6 minutes to cook, and they worked out perfectly! If you love a Mexican-inspired recipe, try my taco casserole or ground beef tacos.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Less than 10 ingredients. These nachos are so easy to make. Use your favorite toppings, and they’ll be a hit with any crowd.
- Perfect for a small or large group. It’s easy to make nachos in the air fryer for 1-2 people or for a crowd in batches. This guarantees they’ll be cheesy, hot, and fresh every time.
- Easy to clean up. Using the air fryer creates little mess, keeping dinnertime simple and efficient.
Tips for Busy Cooks
Make it a nacho night! Instead of taco night, we sometimes make these nachos with our kids and let them build their own. They love adding toppings and cooking them in the air fryer all by themselves.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Lean ground beef – I like 90/10 so the nachos aren’t too greasy. If you have a higher fat meat, drain any excess fat off before topping the chips.
- Taco seasoning – Buy it from the store or use a homemade recipe.
- Water – Add a little to keep the ground beef moist.
- Thick-cut tortilla chips – Make sure they are thick-cut to hold all the toppings. Thick-cut chips add the best crunch.
- Canned black beans – Drain and rinse them before topping. You can also use pinto if you prefer.
- Shredded cheddar and Colby Jack cheese blend – Grate the cheese yourself if you can, it melts better than the pre-shredded.
- Diced tomatoes add nice fresh flavor on top.
- Sour cream gives some creaminess. You can swap this for Greek yogurt if you’d like.
- Sliced green onions – A light onion flavor and a pop of green color.
- Diced avocado – Creamy and delicious for topping. I like to squeeze lime juice over it before topping to prevent it from oxidizing.
How to make air fryer loaded nachos
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up as it browns.
Simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened and well coated. Let some of the sauce and seasoning remain so the meat stays hydrated during air frying. Remove from heat.
Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Line your air fryer for easy removal.
Place a layer of tortilla chips in the air fryer basket, making sure they are spread out spaced.
Sprinkle half the shredded cheese, then add about half the seasoned beef and black beans.
Repeat with a second layer of chips, cheese, beef, and beans, reserving a little extra of each for the topping.
Air fry for 4–6 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Carefully remove the nachos and transfer them to a serving plate if needed. Top with the remaining cheese, meat, and beans.
Sprinkle the diced tomatoes, sour cream, green onions, and optional avocado on top. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips:
- Line the air fryer with parchment paper for easy cleanup and removal. This key step makes your life easier! It keeps cleanup under 5 minutes and makes it easier to make a second batch of nachos.
- Layer the toppings for the best bite. I like to alternate beef and cheese so every chip gets a good amount of each.
- Top the nachos with your favorite toppings. We love avocado, green onions, sour cream, and diced tomatoes. You can also use hot sauce, salsa, guacamole, more cheese, jalapeño, cilantro, or freshly shredded iceberg lettuce.
- Keep an eye on the air fryer cook time. Air fryers vary in power, so check every couple of minutes to make sure your chips don’t burn!
- Don’t skip adding the water to the taco meat. This helps moisten it so it stays nicely ground and never dries out.
Storage
Store any leftover air fryer nachos in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes, until warmed through, or pop them in the oven. I recommend avoiding the microwave, since it can make the chips soggier.
It’s not recommended to freeze nachos, as freezing can change their texture when they thaw. But if you want to make the toppings ahead of time and then air-fry them immediately before serving, it’s a great way to prepare these for a party!
FAQs
The nachos take only 5 to 10 minutes to cook in the air fryer, it’s the fastest method that also keeps the chips nice and crispy.
Both methods work well. The air fryer is faster than the oven and actually crisps the chips. It’s also nice to make for a smaller serving. But if you want to serve a crowd, oftentimes the oven is more efficient.
Of course! Use ground turkey, chicken or even chorizo. You can also omit the beef too if you please.
More easy ground beef recipes
Air Fryer Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ½ cups thick-cut tortilla chips
- 1 cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar and Colby Jack cheese blend
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
- Diced avocado optional
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Drain excess grease if needed, then stir in the taco seasoning and water.
- Simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened and well coated. Let some of the sauce of the seasoning remain so the meat stays hydrated during air frying. Remove from heat.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
- Line your air fryer for easy removal.
- Place a layer of tortilla chips in the air fryer basket, making sure they are spread out spaced.
- Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese, then add about a half portion of the seasoned beef and black beans.
- Repeat with a second layer of chips, cheese, beef, and beans, keeping a little extra shredded cheese, beef, and beans for topping.
- Air fry for 4–6 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Carefully remove the nachos and transfer to a serving plate if needed. Top with the remaining cheese, meat and beans. Sprinkle the diced tomatoes, sour cream, green onions, and optional avocado. Serve immediately.
Share your thoughts! If you make this please leave a review letting me know how it was!
Notes
– Store any leftover air fryer nachos in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
– Reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes until warmed through, or you can pop them into the oven. I recommend avoiding the microwave, since it can make the chips soggier.
– It’s not recommended to freeze nachos, as this can change the texture once they thaw. But if you want to make the toppings ahead of time and then air-fry them right before serving, it’s a great way to prep these for a party!
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
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