Do you ever have those days where you have absolutely no desire to cook yet you want a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth meal? This inevitably happens to me on Mondays. The weekends are usually full of fun outings with the kids, visiting with friends, worshipping at church, and eating Sunday night family dinners. All is well and relaxed in the world on Sunday night and then, BAM! Monday morning is upon me and I have to get back into the routine.
I homeschool my children so I typically have a little more time to prepare dinner throughout the day, but Mondays are our Co-op days. The kids get to go to different classes with other kids and get a break from listening to my voice all day. But since we are out all day, I don’t have time to make a fancy meal. In fact, I usually start scratching my head at 5 o’clock and search through the freezer for a frozen pizza.
Enter, Loaded Black Bean Nachos! It’s the savory, cheesy treat that no man (or kid!) can resist! Loaded black bean nachos are the perfect solution to a long day of school or work! You can have them ready in less than 20 minutes and your kids will deem you the best cook ever. You can even make simple trades that will cut some calories along the way.
First, turn the oven on to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with foil. Put a layer of chips on the foil and sprinkle with cheese and a can of unsalted, drained black beans. When the oven is fully heated, pop the chips in just long enough so that the cheese melts.
Take them out and add fresh tomatoes, diced avocado, and salsa. I think that homemade salsa is the way to go, but any jar of your favorite brand will do. If you want a quick recipe you can whip up in a food processor, check out my Homemade Cilantro-Lime Salsa and Restaurant Style Guacamole.
Add another layer of cheese so that all the delicious toppings will melt together. If you want to reduce calories and fat, consider using a reduced-fat cheese. But really, these are nachos we are talking about here! At this point, I’m already committed. Pop them in the oven for a few more minutes, but just until the cheese melts.
Now sprinkle on some fresh chopped cilantro and a few dollops of sour cream.
And there you have it! Super delicious, loaded black bean nachos that will have the family around the table in no time! Seriously, this is one of the few dinners where I don’t have to call in the kids.
These are so delicious that my husband even asks me to make them for a late night snack. I also make them when my kids have friends over or I am hosting a ladies night out. How can you go wrong with nachos?!?! For other 20 minute meal ideas, check out my Recipe Index or my Half-Calorie Chicken Enchiladas, Spicy Shrimp Stir-fry, or French Onion Roast Beef Sandwiches. Happy cooking y’all!
Loaded Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 bag tortilla chips
- 1 can unsalted black beans drained
- 6-8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 chopped tomato
- 1 diced avocado or guacamole
- 1/2 bunch cilantro minced
- 1 cup salsa or hot sauce
- 3/4 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees
- Layer cookie sheet with foil, chips, 3 oz cheese, and beans
- Heat until cheese melts, remove
- Layer on tomatoes, avocado, salsa, and remaining cheese
- Heat in oven just until melted
- Remove and top with cilantro and sour cream
- Serve while warm