Carnitas nachos make any gathering a fiesta.
Ready-made seasoned pork carnitas are layered into crunchy tortilla chips, topped with shredded Mexican cheese, and finished with a generous layer of nachos toppings.
Holly’s Nacho Highlights
- Flavor: Carnitas nachos are a fun twist on regular nachos.
- Difficulty: Everything is ready-made! Just layer, bake, and serve.
- Budget tip: Stretch the recipe by adding a can of black beans or corn to the carnitas before using.
- Serving suggestions: Make a DIY nacho bar and set out bowls of toppings for everyone.
Crave-Worthy Ingredients
Pork Carnitas: Carnitas are shredded, seasoned pork, and should be easy to find, either frozen at the supermarket or the meat counter of your local Mexican market. You can also make your own in the slow cooker and freeze the rest.
Tortilla Chips: Choose sturdy tortilla chips that hold up well under the toppings. Fritos ‘Scoops’ make for easy scooping as well.
Cheese: Pre-shredded Mexican blend consists of Monterey Jack, cheddar, Asadero, and Queso quesadilla cheeses. A sprinkle of crumbled cotija adds extra tangy flavor to carnitas nachos.
Hot and Hearty Twists
Carnitas toppings are the same as any toppings for nachos.
Sauces: Homemade salsa, sour cream, guacamole
Veggies: Diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, green onions, diced avocados, sliced black olives
Spicy: Jalapenos, serranos, hot sauce, or chipotle in adobo
How to Make Carnitas Nachos
- Spread half the tortilla chips in a prepared pan.
- Layer cheese, carnitas, chips, and cheese, with carnitas on top (full recipe below).
- Bake until cheese is melted.
Add desired toppings and serve.
Next-Level Carnitas Nachos
- Overlap the chips to keep the cheese from melting onto the pan.
- For the best results, shred the carnitas even further to make sure each chip is loaded with meat, cheese, and toppings.
- Don’t forget to warm the carnitas before using them so the dish bakes quickly. This also helps the cheese melt faster.
Next-Day Nachos
- Keep leftover carnitas nachos in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Top leftovers with fresh chips and a sprinkle of cheese, and pop them under the broiler (or in the air fryer) for a few minutes.
More Mexican Dishes…
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Carnitas Nachos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (11 ounce bag) corn tortilla chips
- 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 8 ounces prepared carnitas shredded and warmed
- toppings as desired sour cream, salsa, guacamole, jalapenos, diced tomatoes, cilantro, olives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (for easy cleanup).
- Spread half of the tortilla chips on the baking sheet. Top with half of the cheese and prepared carnitas. Follow with a second layer of tortilla chips, cheese and carnitas.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Add desired toppings and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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