How To Reheat Nachos – Ultimate Guide

Nachos are my number one go-to snack. I mean, who wouldn’t enjoy a large bowl of nachos during game night, or even late at night during a good horror movie in front of the television?

I know I would. And Nachos aren’t even a snack anymore, they are pretty much a whole full meal where you can enjoy it with any toppings you like, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, nacho cheese, minced beef or even chopped chicken with ranch. The variety of toppings are endless.

I highly doubt that any leftover nachos will remain after any sitting no matter their amount.

However, on the rare occasion that some nachos do remain for any number of mysterious reasons, then I have the best ways where you can turn the remaining soggy nachos into brand new crispy and fresh ones.

What are nachos exactly?

Nachos are the delicious and crispy tortilla chips that originated from northern Mexico in the 1940s and are usually topped with a different variety of things, the simplest of which are the cheese and jalapeno chilies, where it goes into the microwave so that the cheese melts and becomes more enjoyable.

Jalapenos give an extra desirable spice and flavor when some fine slices are added on top of the cheese. But of course, you can dial the spice back by adding bell peppers instead. As for the cheese, then I highly recommend the Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mozzarella.

These are the best types of cheese that can easily melt in the microwave and give you this amazing cheese pull.

Nachos VS. Nacho (Tortilla) Chips?

There isn’t much difference between the two terms, except that the nacho chips are the plain form of the nachos. The ones that doesn’t have any toppings. While Nachos are the Tex-Mex version that has all the different kinds of toppings from cheese to meat.

Why would nachos need reheating?

You simply can’t enjoy a good bowl of nachos if it’s not warm enough. I mean, you are killing all the fun with a hardened cheese on top of cold nacho chips. But don’t worry, I got all the best ways where you can successfully reheat your nachos.

Remember, It is not advisable to reheat any nachos with meat-based toppings, it’s better to discard the toppings to avoid the risk of food poisoning.

What’s the reason behind the sogginess of the nachos after reheating?

Whether you make your own nachos or buy ready-made ones, the exposure of the nacho chips to air will increase the risk of them getting soggy.

But the problem mostly relies on their exposure to water, and that’s mainly because of any topping you are going to add whether it’s salsa, guacamole or even cheese. They all add certain moisture to the nachos.

How can we reheat our nachos without risking them from becoming soggy?

I would suggest keeping the toppings to a minimum. What I mean is, you don’t need to over-add a large amount of sauces on top as it will definitely make your nachos soggy. If for instance, the sauce bottle dropped some extra sauce, we won’t throw some good nachos, will we?

No, of course not. All we have to do is just try to scrape off all the extra toppings and add some freshly grated cheese and thin slices of jalapenos and reheat it in the oven or over direct heat inside of a skillet or griddle.

How To Reheat Nachos In The Oven?

Before we get into it, bear in your mind that it’s important to remove any extra toppings and any leftover sauce.

Now, you will need to spread your nachos on a non-stick baking sheet and transfer the baking sheet to a preheated oven at 300°F. Bake them for 5-7 minutes. Watch them carefully so that they wouldn’t burn. Once the nachos are warm and the cheese is melted on top, you can enjoy them.

How to reheat nachos in the microwave?

It can get tricky reheating nachos with certain toppings, like sour cream for example in the microwave, as it stays soggy no matter what. And since it’s much easier to reheat them in the microwave than in the oven, you can overcome this problem by covering your nachos with grated cheese.

Transfer them in the microwave till all the cheese melts and you are left with one big casserole filled with crispy nachos topped with cheese.

How to Reheat Nachos in a Broiler?

It’s not the best method for reheating your nachos as there is a chance that the top of the nachos will burn using the broiler.

However, it’s an easy and effortless method, so if you are in hurry and can watch the heating of nachos like a hawk, go for the broiler method. Just spread your nachos on a baking sheet, put the baking sheet under the broiler for 1-3 minutes.

Try to observe it intently during this time. Let them cool and enjoy!

How To Reheat Nachos In An Air Fryer?

This is one of the best ways if not the best way to heat nachos. It requires a fresh layer of tortilla chips under and above the layer you want to reheat in the air fryer tray.

Spray your tray with oil. Align the layers of tortilla chips and place the tray in the preheated air fryer at 350°F after grating some fresh cheese on top. Air fry it for 4 minutes or until the melting of the cheese.

How To Reheat Nachos In A Toaster Oven?

Toaster ovens are the new economical way of reheating your nachos. It’s a much smaller oven so that you won’t need to preheat your big conventional oven, just this small one and it’s actually pretty efficient when it comes to nachos.

Just heat your nachos at 225°F for 15 minutes after covering them with aluminum foil and you will have yourself some mean crispy nachos.

How To Reheat Nachos In A Skillet?

Heating your nachos isn’t exactly the most ideal way for reheating them. However, it’s definitely the easiest way with the least effort to do the job. All you need to do is to spread your nachos evenly on top of the skillet, cover the skillet with aluminum foil tightly, then with the lid of the skillet.

Transfer the skillet on medium-high heat flame and leave it for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. Leave the skillet to cool after the 5 minutes and that’s it. You will have yourself some nice, warm nachos.

How can I store any leftover nachos?

The most important piece of information you need to know is that when it comes to storing leftover nachos, they need to be wrapped tightly in an air-tight container so that they don’t pick up any of the surrounding smells, especially when they are stored in the fridge.

How to store nachos in the fridge?

1. Start by removing any toppings that can’t be reheated. Sour cream, jalapenos, lettuce, or tomatoes.
2. You will need to also remove the toppings that can be reheated.
3. Try to deconstruct your nachos and store them in the container in three separate piles so that there is no overlapping.

How to fix soggy nachos?

Reheat your soggy Nachos at an oven temperature of 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes after covering them with aluminum foil. They should return to their crunchy fresh state.

Can you reheat nachos the next day?

Yes, you can easily do so at an oven temperature of 300°F. However, I wouldn’t recommend reheating Nachos that contain beans and chunks of meat as these fillings require more heat than the Nachos to warm up, resulting in a burnt Nachos or a cold from the inside Nachos.

What should I do with any leftover nachos that I won’t reheat?

I have some fun dish ideas where you can use any leftover and soggy nachos. For example, the enchilada-inspired dish, where you will layer your leftover nachos with black beans, sour cream, and salsa with a sprinkle of freshly grated cheese. Pop them in the oven for the cheese to melt and voila.

Or you can top the nachos with spicy tomato sauce and fried eggs to make yourself nacho chilaquiles.

Or you can just spread your nacho crumbles in a vegetable or chicken soup for a more crazy, yet delicious idea!

5 mistakes to avoid when making nachos

1. Buying the wrong type of chips:

I always like to stay in the middle when it comes to buying tortilla chips. I like to make myself a nice plate of the delicious Tex-Mix Nachos, meaning that I tend to go for chips that aren’t too thin like the restaurant-type ones which wouldn’t withstand all the amazing toppings, or too thick and sturdy so that they would be too hard on the roof of your mouth.

2. Buying the wrong kind of cheese

Cheese is one of the main and most essential toppings when it comes to Nachos. Believe it or not, you won’t need the fancy cheese types such as gruyere and feta as they have a large percentage of oil in them. They tend to harden when melted.

Best cheese tips:

• Best keep it simple and stick with the soft types of cheese like Cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack. Another useful tip is to avoid shredding them except when you actually are using it in a recipe so that they don’t dry out!
• The types of cheeses mentioned above are also suitable as they don’t clump because of the starch and cellulose powder they are coated in.
• Making your own cheese sauce is also a great idea when it comes to Nachos’ toppings. Think about it. You will get to control the consistency of the sauce without making it too thin or too thick and at the same time you can add any flavor you would like. Pepper puree is a good addition to the cheese sauce.
• American cheese and queso-fresco cheese are also a good options if you like them.

3- Skimping on toppings

Sure, chips and cheese are what define Nachos. However, the real deal lies in the variety of toppings you add to the Nachos that really gives the nachos their unique and different taste every single time.

Top tip for you to follow:

• Meat and chili beans are a must add as they give the Nachos a deep and flavorful kick.
• Cilantro, guacamole, onions, and scallions are a good seasoning to the Nachos. Also, charred salted avocados make a good side dish.
• Fresh chopped, curly-leaf parsley is better than Flat-leaf parsley as a topping as flat-leafed parsley wilts by heat.
• Slices of pickled onion or pickled jalapenos or a dash of lime juice adds a little acidic taste mixed with a spicy flavor which mixes really well with the creamy flavor of the melted cheese.
• Adding the fresh sauce just before serving is highly recommended to prevent the Nachos from becoming too soggy before eating it. Drizzle the sauce with a slotted spoon to drain the excess moisture of the sauce.

4- Not layering evenly – how do you assemble nachos?

Assembling the layers of Nachos really makes a huge difference when it comes to adding toppings. You don’t want to just scramble everything together.

Assembly tips:

Start by lining the baking tray with parchment paper before you add anything so that it will be easier for you to later transfer the Nachos to the serving plate.

Follow these steps:

1. Place a thin layer of tortilla chips on the baking tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle a thin layer of cheese on the nachos. Make sure they are covering each bit of the nachos.
2. Place the tray in a preheated oven at 300 °F. Wait for the cheese to completely melt.
3. Take the baking tray out of the oven, then scatter your toppings, meat, beans, and any veggies. Try to do it in layers and add whichever toppings you prefer. Place the tray back in the oven.
4. Take the tray out of the oven and scatter fresh cilantro, scallions, tomatoes, and pickled jalapenos before serving. Enjoy!

Extra tip:

You don’t have to strategically align the layers of toppings if you already have a readymade (or even homemade) cheese sauce. You can add it at the beginning or before serving!

Another tip is adding a layer of cheese and beans in the bottom before the actual tortilla chips so that you get to still have some of the toppings in the bottom to dip your chips in. They are just like a hidden treasure to surprise your guests with!

5- Smothering it with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole

Sour cream, salsa and guacamole are amazing sauces that are usually added to the Nachos. However, I am not a big fan of them as they tend to turn my delicious Nachos into a soggy mess!

Follow this tip:

Better serve sauces like sour cream, salsa, and guacamole as side dishes instead of serving them as a topping on the Nachos.