Nachos Loaded With Fresh Cilantro and Garden Veggies
Do you love a good plate of nachos loaded? They are so easy to make! Wait until you try these nachos loaded with fresh cilantro and veggies from the garden.
Loaded nachos is one of my favorite dishes to order at a restaurant. There’s something about the crispness of the tortillas mixed with cheese and other fresh toppings that gets me every time!
And I’ve never met a plate of nachos loaded that I didn’t like!
You can make nachos so many different ways, but I love nachos loaded up with fresh cilantro and veggies.
It just tastes better when you pile a bunch of fresh stuff on the nachos.
While there are many different ways to make nachos loaded, this recipe is super fresh using ingredients from the vegetable garden.
And if you don’t have a vegetable garden?
Stop by your local farmer’s market to pick up the freshest ingredients.
Wait until you try this recipe for loaded nachos!
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What Topping Do You Put on Nachos?
There are so many topping options to put on nachos. I never made nachos loaded the same way twice because it depends on what I have on hand and what’s available in my garden or local market.
Here are some topping ideas for making loaded nachos.
- Black Beans
- Shredded Cheese like Cheddar or Colby Jack
- Shredded Lettuce
- Fresh Salsa
- Chopped Tomatoes
- Chopped Jalapenos or Other Spicy Pepper
- Chopped Onions
- Fresh Cilantro
- Guacamole
- Pico de Gallo
- Black Olives
- Pickled Red Onions
- Shredded Chicken
- Cubed Steak
- Grilled Corn
Do You Put Cheese or Toppings on Nachos First?
It’s best to melt your cheese on nachos first by cooking it in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese melts, and then add your meat, beans, and fresh toppings.
How Do You Make Loaded Nachos Not Soggy?
The best way to make nachos loaded not soggy is to melt the cheese on the tortillas chips first.
That melted cheese will act like a barrier to the other toppings you add later to help maintain crispness.
How Are Nachos Traditionally Served?
Most restaurants serve loaded nachos as an appetizer but don’t you always feel full after eating them?
Since we love to order it as an appetizer, I make it now as a full meal. Whether I use leftover chili or shredded chicken and beans, it’s the perfect dish for a casual meal with family or friends.
Should Nachos Be Baked or Broiled?
While I think it’s a matter of preference, nachos get the most crisp and crunch after broiling.
That said, I always bake mine.
What Do You Eat With Loaded Nachos?
While I think it’s great as a standalone dinner, you can easily serve it as an appetizer or side dish too.
Here are side dish ideas for serving with nachos.
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Tortilla Soup
- Black Bean Soup
- Quesadillas
- Chili Con Carne
- Mexican or Spanish Rice
- Chili
- Avocado Salad
- Avocado Toast
Nachos Loaded with Fresh Cilantro
To me, nachos are incomplete without fresh cilantro. Even if you just add melted cheese to a plate of nachos, fresh cilantro brightens it up and adds additional flavor.
It is one of my favorite herbs to add to a plate of nachos. And while you can easily buy it from the market, it’s an easy herb to grow in the garden.
Once you understand how it grows that is.
Cilantro and I had a love-hate relationship for several years.
I love to eat it but, as a gardener, struggled to grow it. It would last a few weeks then peter out by early summer.
After several years, I finally figured out the secret to growing cilantro successfully.
Do you struggle with growing cilantro too?
The Secret to Growing Cilantro
It took a long time for me to realize that cilantro prefers cooler temps.
A few years ago I bought a cilantro plant in fall and it lasted until the first frost.
From that experience, I realized, it wasn’t me! Cilantro prefers cooler temps…kind of like lettuce. And if you grow them, particularly in spring, they can take part shade too.
I find it bolts quicker when planted in full sun in spring.
Since discovering this through several years of trial and error, I’m proud to say that cilantro and I are total besties now.
And I’ve got a great recipe to share with you guys to use it…a lot!
How to Make Nachos Loaded With Fresh Cilantro and Garden Veggies
If you are looking for a way to use fresh ingredients from the garden, look no further than these nachos loaded with fresh cilantro and garden vegetables.
The ingredients are not set in stone so you can swap in whatever you like or what’s in season when you harvest.
If you don’t have a veggie garden, all the ingredients can be easily picked up from your local farmer’s market.
But I do recommend going with the freshest ingredients where possible but it just tastes better.
In this recipe, I used fresh spinach instead of plain lettuce.
Why?
Because I love using shredded or chopped lettuce as a layer in my loaded nachos.
I realize spinach doesn’t seem like the first choice in lettuce to use, but it’s what I had growing in my garden.
Spinach packs a lot of nutrients, particularly iron, that many of us need more of.
So I’m using it.
Not only is it really delicious, but it is healthier for you too.
While I’m using spinach in this recipe, feel free to substitute for whatever type of lettuce you prefer.
Be creative, use what you love, and enjoy your garden veggies!
Ingredients Used in Nachos Loaded
- Cilantro
- 5 Roma Tomatoes
- 1 Large Red Onion
- 2 Limes
- Spinach (any lettuce will do – I happened to have it growing in my garden)
- Tortilla Chips
- 2 Cans of Black Beans (drained)
- Shredded Cheddar
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Sour Cream for Garnish
- Other Optional Ingredients: black olives, jalapenos, shredded chicken, ground beef or turkey, shrimp, etc.
How to Make Fresh Salsa for Nachos Loaded
- Seed and Dice the Roma Tomatoes.
- Dice the onion
- Chop cilantro.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Squeeze the juice of one lime.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Side Note – if I had a jalapeno on hand, I would chop and add that in to spice it up.
How to Make the Nachos Loaded
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. You could broil it if you prefer.
- Grab a baking sheet. I prefer to line mine with aluminum foil so I don’t have to clean it after.
- Spread a bag of tortilla chips on the baking sheet. It’s OK if they overlap.
- Chop lettuce (I used cut spinach from the garden)
- Heat two cans of black beans on the stove for 10 minutes over medium heat.
- Squeeze the juice of one lime and stir to mix, add salt and pepper to taste (I don’t use much).
- Top tortillas with black beans.
- Top with Shredded Cheddar.
- Bake for 5-7 minutes until cheese melts. Keep an eye on it and remove it from the oven when the cheese melts.
- Top with chopped lettuce.
- Top with Fresh Salsa
- Enjoy!
What Do You Think?
This dish is sooooo good!
It tastes so fresh and my whole family devours it every time I make it.
And the best part?
You can change the ingredients to whatever you want.
If you want to add chicken or ground beef, you totally can.
Use what you love to eat!
I love that I used both the spinach and cilantro growing in my garden.
Initially, I was planning to make a salad with the spinach when I thought to myself…why not use in the nachos?
If my tomatoes or jalapenos were ready for harvest, I would have used them too!
Want to learn how to dry herbs? Check out my friend Rachel’s blog called How to Dry Herbs.
Nachos Loaded with Fresh Cilantro and Garden Veggies
Equipment
- 1 Juicer
Ingredients
- 1 Bunch Cilantro, chopped
- 5 Roma Tomatoes, Chopped
- 1 Onion, Chopped
- 2 Limes
- 1 Bunch Spinach, Chopped Any Lettuce is OK
- 1 Large Bag Tortilla Chips
- 2 15 oz Black Beans, Canned and Drained
- 8 oz Shredded Cheddar
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Seed and Dice the Roma Tomatoes.
- Dice the onion
- Chop cilantro.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Squeeze the juice of one lime.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Grab a baking sheet. I prefer to line mine with aluminum foil so I don’t have to clean it after.
- Spread a bag of tortilla chips on the baking sheet. It’s OK if they overlap.
- Chop lettuce (I used cut spinach from the garden)
- Heat two cans of black beans on the stove for 10 minutes over medium heat.
- Squeeze the juice of one lime and stir to mix, add salt and pepper to taste (I don’t use much).
- Top tortilla chips with black beans.
- Top with Shredded Cheddar.
- Bake for 5-7 minutes until cheese melts. Keep an eye on it and remove it from the oven when the cheese melts.
- Top with chopped lettuce.
- Top with Fresh Salsa
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Want to Try More Easy and Delicious Recipes?
- Mexican Stuffed Peppers
- Easy Coconut Shrimp Tacos
- How to Make Sunday Sauce with Meatballs Like a Pro
- Easy Shrimp Boil Recipe Foil Packets
- Baked Shrimp Scampi
- Sausage and Spinach Soup
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