The Best Nacho Recipe Ever

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread out the tortilla chips on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer. Then sprinkle with the Monterey Jack cheese.

In a small bowl, mix the refried beans with garlic powder and onion powder. Then spoon the refried beans onto the chips.

Wash and dry the produce. Using a small serrated paring knife, halve your cherry tomatoes. Dice the scallions, separating the whites from the greens. Discard the whites or set them aside for later use.

In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink.

While beef is cooking, mix taco seasoning according to package instructions. Drain off the fat and return to the stovetop. Add the taco seasoning mixture and simmer until the sauce thickens about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare your homemade nacho cheese sauce. (See recipe below for directions.)

Spoon the nacho cheese sauce over the tortilla chips. Place the nachos into the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the shredded cheese is fully melted.

Remove from the oven and top with the taco-seasoned ground beef, sour cream, diced tomatoes, sliced olives, and green onions. Serve with other desired toppings if you wish, such as fresh avocado, hot sauce, salsa, lime, guacamole, or sliced jalapeños. Devour immediately!

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the butter. Allow the butter to melt, and then add the flour. Using a whisk, whisk the butter and flour together to create a roux. Continue to cook until a bubbly reaction occurs.

Slowly whisk the milk into the butter and flour mixture. Continue to cook, constantly whisking, allowing the milk to come to simmer. Once the mixture thickens, turn the heat down to low and add the cheese, followed by the salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Stir the shredded cheese until it transforms into a melty cheese sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of milk and stir until it loosens to your desired consistency. Remove sauce from heat.