Best Carnitas Nachos Recipe- Game Day Food Ideas

Football season is almost upon us and if you know me or have been following along with the blog for a bit, you probably know I’m a big football fan. As much as I love going to football games, watching them at home with a killer spread of favorite tailgate foods while you cheer on your favorite team from the comfort of the reclining couch, might be the best way to watch a game in my opinion. 😉 

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Living in a college town has given me a new appreciation for the idea of tailgating. Game Day is SO fun and hanging out in the parking lot of the stadium, chatting with fellow tailgaters and eating all kinds of delicious recipes, finger foods and sweet treats is a great way to spend the day. Some of these fans might just be more serious about their tailgate set up than the game. I’ve been amazed at the full on BBQs and gourmet meals I’ve seen.  Whether you are looking for tailgate food ideas or watch party recipes, these easy and delicious carnitas nachos are a crowd favorite and great addition to your next game day. 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THESE AMAZING CARNITAS NACHOS

There are a couple of secret ingredients in these nachos. The carnitas is of course key, and I’ll be the first to admit that I love buying pre-made carnitas meat. You can of course make your own in a slow cooker a day or two before you make these nachos, but the pre-made stuff that I get at the grocery store is SO flavorful and makes these nachos even easier…so just know you can use that as a great short cut. 

Here are the ingredients I use for my nachos-

Good Tortilla Chips

Black Beans (drained)

Red Onion

Black Olives

Pico de Gallo

Cilantro

Sour Cream

Cheesy Dip

Shredded Sharp Cheddar

Carnitas

Tomatoes

Green Onions

Sliced Jalapenos

HOW TO MAKE THIS SIMPLE NACHO RECIPE

I like my nachos to be full of stuff. Nothing drives me crazy more than when you order nachos to have them piled high with beautiful ingredients, only to eat the top layer and then be left with a plate full of tortilla chips. The secret to getting these nachos to be a pile of good stuff all the way through, is to layer them. Start building your nachos on a sheet pan. Spread out a good layer of tortilla chips. 

Cook up your carnitas and get it nice and crispy. 

Next, secret number two, is to add a mix of a nacho cheese sauce and good shredded cheddar cheese – something that’s a really melty cheese and will coat your chips. The combination of both cheeses makes these nachos extra delicious. I use a small can of nacho cheese sauce made by Pace …kind of like a Que Beuno. You can find it by all the Mexican food items at the grocery store. Use half of the can and half of your shredded cheese on this layer.

Top the chips and cheese with half of your cooked carnitas meat spread evenly over the chips and then add some black beans. 

After you complete this layer, build another layer on top. Repeat with another layer of chips, then a layer of cheeses, then the rest of your meat and black beans.

Now it’s time to pop these nachos in the oven for 10 minutes or so at 350 degrees to melt the cheese. You can broil them a little on the top too if you like. I’m sure these would be great in the air fryer too. 

As soon as your nachos come out of the oven, top them with your tomatoes, sliced olives, red onion, pico, green onions, sliced jalapenos, dollops of sour cream and cilantro. I like to add some lime slices for those that like to add a little lime juice on top too. 

NACHO VARIATIONS

These nachos are such an easy appetizer or the perfect side dish for all your other tailgate foods. The best part about them is they are completely customizable. You can add or subtract ingredients on my list for things that you might like better. If you want them to be more of a main dish, up the amount of meat you add to them. Here are some other options:

Chicken

Pulled Pork

Seasoned Ground Beef

Carne Asada

Fresh Avocado

Corn

Refried Beans

Pickled Onions

Grilled Bell Peppers and Onions

Guacamole

Hot Sauce

If you don’t want to top the nachos yourself in case your guests have other preferences, another fun way to build these is to just add the chips and cheese and cook those up in the oven, and then create a nacho toppings bar of sorts where guests can build their own plates of nachos just how they like them. Make sure to have sturdy paper plates on hand because these nachos are heavy when topped with all this goodness! Bowls might not even be a bad idea if you are doing a nacho bar type idea. However you decide to serve them, these nachos will be the perfect addition to your tailgate spread. 

These carnitas nachos are so hearty and delicious, you can really use them as a main course for your tailgate party. Just have others bring other snacky foods like sweet treats and side dishes and you will have more than enough food. These are also SO good without the meat if you don’t want to add the carnitas. If you’d rather use refried beans for a vegetarian option that will help make them hearty without the meat. No matter the final score, these delicious nachos will keep everyone happy. Be sure to save this recipe so it’s easy to find for your next  football tailgate or Super Bowl party. 

Looking for more great recipes? Check out some of our other best recipes:

Incredible Classic Potato Salad Recipe

Easy and Delicious Roasted Vegetables

Ultimate Seven Layer Dip Recipe

Incredible Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Amazing Bacon Stuffed Jalapenos

Fudgy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Enjoy!

Tammy