Recipes for homemade nachos: 6 decadent inspirations, cooking tips and tricks

For a little leek like me, homemade nachos are a bit like homemade tacos. You can put whatever you want in them; no judgment 😉! Well, of course, there are a few musts when it comes to baked nachos recipes. Whether it’s to feed your football crew as they tackle your Super Bowl recipes, to make a movie night all about cheese sauce (even if you love popcorn and healthy savoury snack recipes), or if you want to share perfectly melted cheese over corn chips appetizers among friends with a nice beer, homemade nachos are pretty darn delicious.

In this article, I'll take you on a culinary journey into the world of decadent homemade nachos and corn chips topped with melted cheese through my 6 favourite recipes. I’ll also offer a few tips and tricks for cooking excellent traditional nacho recipes. Preheat the oven immediately because you might crave nachos soon 😀.

My 6 favourite homemade nachos recipes

1. My #1 crush: Three‑cheese nacho

Recipe in French

As a BIG cheese fan, you’ll understand my favourite homemade nacho recipe includes loads of it. And not the yellow cheesy sauce with oversalted corn chips you find in many stadiums kind. I’m talking about the real stuff: mozzarella, Monterey Jack or old cheddar cheese. This homemade nacho cheese recipe has 3 different kinds: cheddar, mozzarella and Provolone. For me, it’s perfect! You can also choose your favourite cheeses, which will be equally tasty. Most importantly, ensure your cheese mixture is melted correctly and extends full‑length every time you take a chip.

Fish ceviche + corn chips = the sea at the service of homemade nachos

Recipe in French

Even if I’m a cheese freak, I can (sometimes) do without it. For this recipe, there is no need for melted cheese. Let's treat ourselves to a bit of freshness and white fish with our Peruvian ceviche and grilled leeks salsa. It’s a recipe straight out of my Travel diary recipes cookbook, and it’s best served with corn chips or homemade pita chips — perfect as an alternative to melted cheese!

Sour cream: the soothing ingredient for spicy homemade nachos

Recipe in French

Depending on the ingredients in your homemade nachos, they may be mild or very spicy. If you have a low tolerance for spiciness, like I do, you’ll love sour cream! As we say at home: “A spoonful of sour cream will soothe your pie hole!”.

I once “screwed up” by using a little too much hot sauce in this recipe for spicy nachos (recipe in French only). I can tell you that sour cream saved my life 😂.

Popcorn chicken: my treat for decadent chicken nachos

Recipe in French

Roast chicken on homemade nachos is delicious (recipe in French)! But why not take it one step further and replace the roast chicken with popcorn chicken? The best part about making these chicken nachos at home is that this popcorn chicken recipe (recipe in French) can be made in the oven instead of the deep fryer!

Duck: for chic homemade nachos with great taste

Baked nacho chips can be a straightforward recipe with corn chips and melted cheese on top or chips with cheese sauce. But they can also be a more elaborate dish, like this duck confit and leeks spring nacho recipe from Complètement poireau. In this delightful dish, Italian tomatoes, red onions, leeks and colourful peppers blend masterfully with duck confit, sour cream and cheddar cheese!

Supreme homemade nachos: stuffed nachos with my signature twist

Recipe in French

In the kitchen, I often tell myself that most recipes I find online are only there for inspiration. And I confess that I don’t always follow recipes to a T 😲. Exploring, testing, adjusting, or even combining recipes to satisfy my taste is part of the fun of cooking at home!

For my supreme homemade nachos recipe, I recommend making it for stuffed nachos (recipe in French) and adding the vegetables and condiments you fancy most. Peppers, peas, olives, tomatoes, hot peppers, leeks, onions, corn… the choice is yours! I then add cubes of maple‑caramelized tofu (recipe in French) before topping everything with melted cheese. Don’t like tofu? You can replace it with tempeh! Complètement poireau has written an excellent article with 10 tempeh recipes.

Are you more of a meat enthusiast? Add the maple sauce from the tofu recipe to cook your favourite ground meat or pieces of pork, chicken, or beef. It'll be a guaranteed hit.

Tips and tricks for good home‑cooked nacho recipes

Recipe for homemade Tostitos

There’s nothing like making your own Tostitos for exceptional homemade baked nacho chips. To do so, I suggest you use store‑bought tortillas or pita bread. Cut them into wedges and bake them on a parchment‑lined baking pan at 350°F (180°C) for 12 to 15 minutes. You can make your own plain Tostitos, per our homemade leek guacamole and tortilla chips recipe, or season them to your taste, inspired by Ricardo’s recipe for nacho pita chips.

Cheese sauce recipe for dipping homemade nachos

Recipe in French

There are several cheese sauce recipes for homemade nacho dips to add even more flavour. What’s more, this kind of cheesy sauce is ideal for eating over pasta! Among the great recipes found on the net, I particularly like Ricardo’s nacho cheese sauce for its vivid colour and the 5 ingredients three‑cheese sauce ready in 15 minutes for its blend of 3 cheeses 🧀 🤤.

A world of proteins to discover as a garnish

When it comes to protein, anything can taste great with nachos! Choose from chicken, pork, beef, veal, turkey, tofu, lentils, black beans, Roman beans, or anything else — go for what you enjoy and let your imagination (and what you have in the fridge or pantry) inspire you 😉!

Home cooking, nachos and more!

I love homemade nachos so much that I could talk about them for days. You can create so many great recipes with what's lying around in the pantry — you can even create homemade spice blends!

If you love to cook as much as I do and love to nosh, I invite you to follow my blog posts. I’ll share all my culinary inspiration and best recipes with you 🙂.

See you soon!

— Serge