Carnitas Nachos is a dish that follows after carnitas. While this recipe is toasted or oven-baked tortilla chips with carnitas & cheese. Topped off with pico de gallo, choice salsa, and dollops of sour cream and guacamole. There really are numerous ways you can top off these carnitas nachos for many different flavors. Add what you like. The main thing to keep in mind is that all the warm ingredients top the nachos to go into the oven at 400F for 5 minutes. Then additional cold toppings are layered on and served. Optionally garnished with parsley or cilantro and chili flakes for some heat.
Carnitas Nachos Ingredients
Tortilla Chips, Leftover Carnitas, Cheese (shredded or nacho cheese), Pico de Gallo (or exchange with diced onions & tomatoes in lime juice with cilantro or parsley), choice of sauce (red taco sauce, salsa, or specialty salsas like poblano salsa or verde salsa), andSour Cream. Optionally with Guacamole.
Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free tortilla chips. While salsas are typically gluten-free. Store-bought will sometimes contain gluten; always double-check.
Hot Nacho Ingredients
Nacho hot ingredients are ingredients that should be included when oven-baking or toasting the tortilla chips. This covers the tortilla chips, Leftover Carnitas, and shredded cheese, if adding.
The exception to this is Nacho Cheese Sauce, which is warmed and drizzled over the nachos after they come out of the oven but is still considered a hot ingredient.
How to Oven Bake Nachos
Preheat the oven to 400F with the rack in the middle position. Place the tortilla chips on a pan. Whether that is a small or medium pizza pan (not a screen) for a personal serving size or a baking sheet for 4 or more servings. Add all your hot toppings and transfer to the oven to bake for 5 minutes. Remove and add your cold toppings.
Cold Nacho Ingredients
Nacho cold ingredients are the toppings that go on top of the warm nachos, cold. This is your pico de gallo or salsa, red taco sauce, sour cream, and guacamole.
Pico de Gallo is also an exception; it can be included in the nacho when toasting or added after toasting.
Carnitas Nachos with Nacho Cheese Sauce
This is served with a homemade nacho cheese sauce that is a bit thinner than your typical nacho cheese. The flavor, however, is so incredible and works so well with carnitas nachos. You can also do this with store-bought nacho cheese.
Place the tortilla chips on a pan and top with Leftover Carnitas. Optionally with shredded cheese and place into the oven to toast for about 5 minutes. Then sprinkle over some Mexican relish (onion, lime juice, cilantro, or parsley). Add tomatoes or use Pico de Gallo instead. Drizzle the whole tray with that homemade nacho cheese sauce and top with sour cream.
Carnitas Nachos with Poblano Salsa
This one is made with tortilla chips, Leftover Carnitas, and shredded cheddar cheese oven-baked for 5 minutes. Then topped with poblano salsa, pico de gallo, and sour cream. With a garnishing of parsley & red chili flakes.
Carnitas Nachos with Salsa Verde
This one is made with tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, and Leftover Carnitas microwaved for 30 seconds. Then topped with verde salsa, pico de gallo, and sour cream. With a garnish of cilantro and chiles de arbol. Which adds such a nice heat.
Ingredients
- 1-2 Handful Tostitos - per serving
- 1 Handful Leftover Carnitas
- 1 Handful Cheddar Cheese - or drizzle the desired amount of warmed Nacho Cheese
- As Desired Salsa - or Homemade Salsa or Red Taco Sauce or Poblano Salsa, or Verde Salsa
- 1 Handful Pico de Gallo
- As Desired Sour Cream
- 1 Spoonful Guacamole
Instructions
- Hot Nachos: Preheat the oven to 400°F with the rack in the middle position. On a 10" to 12" pizza pan for personal serving or a baking sheet or larger pan for everyone to help themselves, add the tortilla chips and shredded cheese and top with carnitas. Place into the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted.
- Cold Nacho Toppings: Remove from the oven and top with salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, and optionally guacamole. Garnish with cilantro or parsley to serve.Add some heat with red chili flakes, crushed chilies de arbol, or fresh or pickled jalapeños or serrano peppers.
Notes
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