Sweet And Savory Sloppy Joe Nachos Recipe

There's no need to sell anyone on nachos — the cheesy dish is a top comfort food favorite with its combination of crispy, melty, and saucy flavors. The Takeout recipe developer Kate Shungu elevates nachos one step further by combining them with another much-loved comfort food in this recipe for sweet and savory sloppy Joe nachos. Sloppy Joes are a childhood classic, beloved by kids because they're flavorful, filling, and fun to eat, and popular with parents because they're easy to put together with relatively cheap ingredients. Shungu's recipe calls for a velvety homemade cheese sauce and ground beef perfectly seasoned with several sweet and savory flavor bombs, like chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup. 

These nachos are perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a hearty game-day snack, and Shungu says, "These sloppy Joe nachos are a taste of childhood nostalgia!" Like the dishes that inspired it, this multilayered feast is quick and easy to make, and the elements come together perfectly. Shungu describes, "The sweet and tangy ground beef pairs perfectly with the creamy cheese sauce and salty chips." These loaded cheese and beef nachos are pretty filling, so if you're serving them as a main dish you don't need much else.

For this recipe, you'll need ground beef, yellow onion (finely diced), apple cider vinegar, salt, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and chili powder. For the cheesy sauce, get butter, all-purpose flour, milk, and shredded cheddar cheese. Finally, pick up a bag of tortilla chips and thinly slice a couple of jalapeños for a garnish.

Place the ground beef and half of the diced onion in a large skillet over medium heat.

Cook, breaking up the beef as it cooks, until the beef is cooked through and the onion is soft, about 5–7 minutes.

Add the vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and chili powder. Stir to combine, and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Add the flour and stir to combine. Let cook for 1 minute while stirring occasionally.

Whisk in the milk and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 2 minutes, or until thickened slightly.

Whisk in the shredded cheese until smooth.

Pour the tortilla chips onto a large platter.

Top the tortilla chips with the meat mixture.

Pour the cheese sauce over the top.

Top the cheese sauce with the sliced jalapeños and remaining yellow onion, and serve right away.

These sloppy Joe nachos feature the perfect mashup of two popular comfort foods, so we don't want to veer too far off course with the recipe. That said, Shungu has a few ideas for swaps that will keep the essence of these nachos intact. For example, she suggests using ground turkey meat instead of beef, whether for flavor or nutrition reasons. 

Meanwhile, cheese is a key player here, and one that can be modified depending on your preference. Shungu recommends using pepper Jack to add some spice, but sub in your cheese of choice. Also, she has no qualms about opting for a shortcut, "Get a little help from a store-bought nacho cheese sauce instead of homemade." That way, you'll be able to dig into these sweet and savory sloppy Joe nachos that much quicker. Alternatively, if you prefer your cheese shredded and melted on top, that's an easy switch. Skip the sauce and bake or broil the loaded nachos in the oven until the cheese melts.

To enhance the flavor profile even more Shungu suggests, "If you like spice, add some cayenne pepper to the cheese sauce for a little kick." You could also opt for chili powder or red pepper flakes, and you could add some extra spice to the beef by using chipotle puree, powder, or red pepper flakes. Other add-ons or garnishes like olives, chopped peppers, diced tomatoes, or onions could also add some brightness and flavor.

If you're sticking to the recipe with no shortcuts, Shungu has a few tips to ensure your cheesy sauce comes out smooth and pourable. There's nothing worse than a lumpy or split sauce. For starters, she recommends shredding the cheese yourself instead of buying it pre-shredded. Yes, this is an extra step, but it's worth it. Pre-shredded packaged cheese contains cellulose to keep it from clumping together in the bag. It also makes it melt unevenly, which is the last thing you want when you're looking for a smooth melted cheese sauce.

Although it might seem like a good idea to prep the sauce ahead of time, Shungu recommends holding off until right before you plan to serve the nachos. This is to prevent it from separating in the interim, which would once again ruin your chances of producing a silky smooth cheese sauce. Finally, Shungu suggests that you use whole milk for an extra creamy result.