32 Next-Level Nacho Recipes That Are All About the Toppings

Whether you’re hosting a Game Day party or just looking for a good, old-fashioned plate of comfort food, nachos always hit the spot. They’re crunchy, cheesy and the perfect blank canvas for all your favorite toppings (like homemade salsa or guac!)—what’s not to love about that? Best of all, they’re infinitely customizable; you can dress them up for breakfast or dessert (or make them the centerpiece of your table with a giant, 6-foot spread) just as easily as you can whip up a simpler version. Whatever you decide you’re going to need Rachael’s quick and easy take on this crowd-pleasing dish. Topped with fresh pico de gallo, beef, beans and a creamy pepper Jack cheese sauce, they truly live up to their name; they’re super!

Keep it simple and top tortilla chips with rotisserie chicken (doused in a tangy Buffalo-style sauce, of course), celery and blue cheese for a quick and flavorful snack or app.

Good things take time — and Ree’s Cowboy Nachos are no exception. Plan ahead: the beef brisket needs to marinate for at least 24 hours before you cook it.

Chili Dog Nachos combine all the bold flavors of a classic ballpark chili dog—zesty beef chili, sliced hot dogs and melty cheese—piled high over crispy tortilla chips for the ultimate game-day snack. Rachael Ray’s recipe brings serious fun to your next party spread.

Never thought about adding chocolate to your plate of nachos? You should! Spiced Mexican chocolate is the perfect complement to the savory flavors in the mole sauce for these cheese- and cilantro-topped chips.

Fresh homemade salsa and barbecue chicken nuggets bring bright and summery flavors to these crowd-friendly nachos any time of year. The salsa can be made earlier in the day and refrigerated; add the avocado just before serving.

Bell Pepper Keto Nachos swap out tortilla chips for crisp, roasted bell pepper slices, loaded with seasoned beef, melty cheese and fresh toppings for a low-carb twist on a Tex-Mex favorite. Perfect for keto-friendly snacking without sacrificing flavor.

This is everything you love about nachos, made hearty enough for dinner. We discovered that standing the chips upright in the egg mixture gets them crispy on top and adds body to the bake below. This is ridiculously delicious, and difficult to stop eating.

Trisha’s take on nachos includes all of the key ingredients you’d expect to find in a crowd-pleasing pile of fully loaded chips — but she upgrades the cheese with the addition of scallions and pimentos for even more flavor.

Ina effortlessly upgrades nachos by topping them with an easy-to-make crab salad. Using fresh jumbo lump crabmeat here is key — it has a delicate sweetness that’s hard to replicate.

Sometimes you’ve got to adopt a go-big-or-go-home mentality when it comes to nachos. That’s exactly what Ree has done here by replacing shredded chicken or seasoned ground meat with a much heartier option: sliced flank steak.

An easy way to add extra flavor to your pan of nachos? Ree makes shredded chicken in a kicked-up tomato sauce (which includes taco seasoning and hot sauce) to top her chips.

These chef-worthy nachos have all the flavor components of the traditional version. The ragu is meaty and savory, the cheese is rich and subtly sweet and a topping of pickled onions adds just a bit of tang to round everything out.

This lightened-up recipe has everything you could want in a platter of nachos: the crunchiness of homemade tortilla chips, spiciness from saucy adobo-tinged pinto beans and creaminess from roasted sweet potatoes and avocado, all topped with a fresh salsa.

Use up your Thanksgiving leftovers in a surprising way — by making these hearty nachos.

Trisha brings the classic flavor of sweet-and-smoky baked beans to nachos with this bacon- and barbecue sauce-topped version.

How do you get away with serving nachos at your next dinner party? Top individual chips with citrus-marinated shrimp! They’ll have all the salty crunch you’re craving, but with an elegant finish that’s perfect for entertaining guests.

You only need a handful of ingredients to make these super flavorful, sweet and spicy nachos. Not planning to fire up the grill? You can cook the pork tenderloin on an indoor grill pan or in the oven, instead.

Our favorite snack is now welcome at the breakfast table. These easy nachos come together quickly while you make the eggs and are easy to double for entertaining.

Homemade pita chips are the perfect base for this Greek-inspired take on nachos. Just be sure to set a time while your pita triangles are in the oven — it’s easy to get distracted and let them burn!

These clever foil packets are quick to put together and cook up perfectly for a summer barbecue. And since they are personal-size, your crowd can eat them with our suggested toppings or their favorites.

These seasonally inspired nachos will make you rethink your go-to snack. The sweetness of the apple pico de gallo bring just the right amount of balance to savory sausage and browned Brussels sprouts.

Making your own tortilla chips and refried beans really takes a traditional plate of nachos to the next level.

A simple way to upgrade your nachos? Try a different chip! In this version, we use subtly sweet plantain chips to balance out the spicy, chile-infused chicken.

We love these tiny, two-bite nacho cups. They crisp, crunchy and topped with melted cheese — but packed with the flavor of citrus, herbs, peanut and jalapenos.

Molly makes her pulled pork nachos in a cast-iron skillet. This makes them easy for sharing. Just be sure to let everyone know the pan is hot.

Who ever said that nachos had to be savory? This version boasts cinnamon-sugar chips, a drizzle of sweet sauce and a topping of fresh strawberries — and is every bit as scoopable and snackable as the original.

Everyone knows the best part of a Cubano sandwich is the pickles — an ingredient that Sunny celebrates (with a tasty pickled topping) in this pork-topped plate.

If you can't decide between serving nachos or cheeseburgers at your next party, then don't! Homemade chips each topped with all the bacony, cheesy, meaty flavors of a great burger are the marriage of the century — you'll definitely say "I do."

We’ll admit: this pizza-inspired snack may not look like nachos at first glance, but it features everything you love about the traditional recipe: a good crispy crunch, lots of flavor and (of course) gooey, melted cheese holding it all together!

These nachos earn may their name because of Sunny’s 5-star nacho meat (a blend of Mexican chorizo and beef) but we’re sure you’ll give them a 5-star rating once you taste them!