Spice Up Summer Cookouts With The Perfect DIY Nacho Bar

If I had to choose between summer cookouts and holiday get-togethers, I'd go with summer cookouts every time. As much as I love the holiday season, there is nothing better for my soul than sunny skies, cold drinks, friends and family, my Amazon summer music playlist, and a grill full of food. And, while I even enjoy the party prep, I have to admit that it's sometimes a lot of work to cook up the multiple dishes that fuel a classic summer cookout. This is why I absolutely love the idea of ditching the macaroni salad, fruit kabobs, and spicy coleslaw, and instead creating a DIY nacho bar.

With nachos, most of the ingredients are uncooked, meaning you spend less time at the stove and more time sipping your beer-based spritz cocktail (trust us, it works) by the pool. Aside from cooking up some taco-seasoned ground beef and melting cheese for nachos (keep cheese sauce warm in a fondue pot for serving), most of your prep work is going to involve opening up packages of toppings and condiments. 

Separate all of your toppings into bowls, set out a big platter of tortilla chips (make things extra interesting by offering Doritos and Fritos, too), and let your guests create personalized nachos. This can serve as the entrée at your party, or can be offered to your guests as something to munch on while waiting for the burgers and hot dogs or frankfurters to be done.

For an exceptional DIY nacho spread, offer a variety of cheeses including melted queso (amp up the flavor with smoked paprika), shredded Monterey jack, cheddar, or Oaxacan cheese, which all melt beautifully, and some crumbly Mexican queso fresco or cotija. Spread out multiple toppings, like sliced black olives, pickled jalapeños, pico de gallo, salsas, guacamole, green onion, canned beans, shredded lettuce, sour cream, and hot sauces — come to think of it, this is actually an excellent opportunity to clean out some jars from your fridge. 

Sour cream is always welcome, but Mexican crema is also a great option. Less tangy and more pourable than sour cream, crema also tames the heat of things like chiles and hot sauce.

As mentioned above, it's a great idea to offer precooked, seasoned ground beef as a nacho topping, but why not use what's coming off your grill or smoker, too? Pulled pork makes an incredible option for nachos, especially when you drizzle on some barbecue sauce, some quick-pickled red onions, and a bit of creamy coleslaw. Chopped brisket, sliced steak, shredded beer can chicken, or even sliced Italian sausages are fantastic piled on top of crunchy tortilla chips and layered with cheeses and toppings. Grilled onions and peppers on nachos will give tasty fajita vibes. Or chunks of grilled burger patties plus cheese, mustard, ketchup, chopped pickles, and diced onion make for unexpected cheeseburger nachos which are sure to be a hit.