{"id":110948,"date":"2020-01-30T15:01:44","date_gmt":"2020-01-30T21:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/?p=110948"},"modified":"2026-02-23T10:26:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T16:26:20","slug":"how-to-level-up-your-sorry-excuse-for-nachos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/living\/food-drink\/how-to-level-up-your-sorry-excuse-for-nachos\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Level Up Your Sorry Excuse for Nachos"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Delicious<\/a><\/p>\n

Born and raised in Wisconsin, my wife was predestined to obsess over all things cheese and sour cream. It runs in her genes, as it does for most of those from the Midwest.<\/p>\n

While we were dating, we\u2019d often \u201cshare\u201d one of our favorite guilty pleasures on our favorite game days and outings: a spread of nachos, wings, and domestic light beers.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when I first uncovered my wife\u2019s poor nacho etiquette. You see, when nachos are constructed in the common, poorly-considered set-up in which all toppings sit atop a pile of chips (more on this later), my wife was the one to immediately take from the top \u2014 ensuring the majority of the cheese, sour cream, and all the other toppings were enjoyed by her and her alone. I was left to pillage an array of broken chips and green onions that cascaded down the pile.<\/p>\n

One puts up with such moves when dating; overreacting to someone’s nacho eating during the dating phase is likely a red flag, so I played it cool. But, shortly after saying our \u201cI do\u2019s\u201d \u2014 actually the next morning as we gathered to watch Sunday football \u2014 I made my move.<\/p>\n

I would never again \u201csplit\u201d a plate of nachos with her until she learned to share in the goodness. Some progress was made as we ventured south to Mexico to our actual honeymoon, solidifying our newly minted vows and nacho commitment.<\/p>\n

But all the blame is not to be placed on my wife.<\/p>\n

Much of the mire of this situation lies in the typically poor preparation of this dish. As I mentioned earlier, there\u2019s nothing more frustrating than a big pile of chips where the outer surface alone is covered with an array of paltry toppings. In this scenario, you get a few bites of glory, while the rest of the mess looks like the shattered shards of a tortilla chip window.<\/p>\n

There is a better way. A couple, actually.<\/p>\n

Take the restaurant Chili\u2019s, for example. While I do not often sing the praises of chain institutions, Chili\u2019s got one thing right when it came to their “perfect bite nachos” (as I call them). You see, each chip is slathered with refried beans, cheese, jalape\u00f1os, and other toppings to order, and served one-by-one for an even eating experience. There\u2019s no dredging your chip through inconsistent piles of toppings, nor any waste. Each bite is a perfect bite \u2014 with plenty of sour cream or guac on the side to allocate properly. For a type A guy like me, this is a winning scenario, and one you can readily replicate at home.<\/p>\n

That being said, there is just a \u201ccool\u201d factor to having a big ol’ pile of a gastronomic adventure placed before you, and if breaking from tradition isn’t your style, the classic “mountain of nachos” method is happily still salvageable — if<\/em> you approach it from another, better designed angle. <\/p>\n

Below, I lay out both methods of nacho construction, each of which has their respective merits.<\/p>\n

Keep in mind that making nachos is a “choose your own adventure” scenario \u2014 different toppings, from vegetarian to wild game to seafood, can all make their way into the mix. (Here are three nacho variations that especially stand out from the crowd.<\/a>) I\u2019ve laid out some basic templates, recipes, and techniques below — which you can then tweak and transform to make them your own. Have fun, and remember to share.<\/p>\n

Perfect Bite Nachos<\/h3>\n

\"Nachos<\/p>\n

This method takes a little more time and care than throwing chips on a baking sheet and then sprinkling toppings willy-nilly over the top, but in return you get a much more even distribution of said toppings, where every chip is just as tasty and desirable as every other.<\/p>\n

Ingredients<\/em> <\/p>\n