Baked Upside Down Nachos

If asked to critique a meal, my kids have basically two categories: "make-again-dinner" or the "meatloaf/cabbage roll" category ( 2 things all 3 of them will not eat!)

These Baked Upside Down Nachos scored a make-again-dinner rating and they are definitely going to be added to the repertoire.

They are quick to prepare ahead, can be customized to your tastes and ingredients, and can be doubled to feed whatever size crowd you are feeding.  It can also be easily made vegetarian by substituting some Veggie Ground Round for the beef or by adding in some diced cooked sweet potatoes and/or more beans.  You could also replace the ground beef with ground chicken or turkey or with some left over roast chicken, shredded pork or grilled steak.

I sauteed 4 cloves of chopped garlic, a large chopped onion, and 1 lb of lean ground beef in a skillet until the beef was browned, draining any fat from the pan, although there was very little.

I stirred in a chopped sweet yellow pepper, a 19 oz can of drained black beans, 1 can of petite cut diced tomatoes, and half a cup of salsa.


I seasoned with a teaspoon each: sea salt, ground cumin and oregano and a generous sprinkle of chili peppers.

Pour the mixture in a casserole dish (I used a 9 x13 glass pan) and top with crushed tortilla chips ( I used about 2 or 3 cups of  spicy jalapeno tortilla chips for an extra kick!) top with the shredded cheese of your choice and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until the filling is warmed through and the cheese is nice and bubbly.

Serve with shredded lettuce, fresh cut tomatoes and green onions, olives, hot peppers, sour cream or Greek yogurt and slices of avocado, and let everyone dress their plate of nachos with toppings.

You can prepare the meat mixture ahead and refrigerate until ready to bake adding the crushed tortilla and cheese just before putting the nachos in the oven.

The filling (minus the crushed tortilla chips) could also be used to top corn tostadas or hard or soft shelled tacos along with your fresh fixings. A great meal idea for a crowd. For some more recipes and inspiration for your next taco night check out this fun step-by-step guide over at Bon Appetit.

Head on over to lifehacker to learn how to make your own  taco bowls using corn tortillas and an upside down muffin tin!