carolina pinto bean nachos
Who the hell would I be if I didn’t acknowledge Superbowl Sunday with a big plate of nachos?
I tested this recipe about a year and a half ago under miserable lighting conditions, and for real people, they looked like utter shit. I never shared a nacho recipe before since I don’t find many occasions to make them – we try not to overload ourselves with tortilla chips around here since such a habit is incredibly dangerous. We have issues with crunchy carbs. Too much temptation.
HOWEVER, Sunday is the big game, and whether you’re hosting a crowd or just two in total, nachos are perfectly justifiable.
The inspiration for these arrived via a minor league ballpark at which I used to intern. I really don’t know how universal Carolina nachos are, but at this venue, they were a godsend. The formula involved barbecued pulled pork, a cheddar cheese sauce, and cole slaw atop a massive pile of chips. Though I altered the aesthetic a touch to accommodate my lack of pork consumption, the sentiment remains intact. Truly, the slaw finisher is the most crucial facet. I’ve never seen slaw on nachos otherwise, but I love the addition.
Couple the slaw with a spicy avocado ranch, and boy oh boy, we have a victor here, folks.
Lil Bean
Homemade barbecue sauce coats filling pinto beans as the base of this recipe. The sauce is simple, slightly sweet and slightly smoky, and makes a great base for all sorts of barbecue sauce renditions.
In a big skillet, saute onion until soft, then add garlic. Stir in the tomato paste, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and a bit of chili powder. Mix it up until fairly uniform, then add in the pinto beans, toss them around, and simmer around 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
I am all about layering nachos, so we’re tackling two levels of awesome on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Start with half a bag of chips, then half of the pinto beans, and finish with half of the cheese. Chips, pinto beans, cheese. Pop the tray in an oven preheated to 425 for 10-15 minutes until melty and bubbly.
S’lawyered
Again, the pinnacle of Carolina nachos is the slaw topping. I rerouted from the basic mayonnaise-infused gloppy mass of cabbage onto an exit containing a creamy, herby, limey avocado ranch. Healthier, tastier, and no mayonnaise. The latter is quite important to my tastebuds.
In a food processor, whip together avocado, whole milk Greek yogurt, milk, lime juice, fresh cilantro, chives, a deseeded jalapeno, garlic cloves, onion powder, and a bit of salt and pepper. If the ranch is a bit too thick for your liking, mix in a touch more milk. I prefer mine a bit thicker since it sticks to the slaw better.
Toss a few big spoonfuls of ranch into the slaw. Once the nachos come out of the oven, pile the slaw on the chips while they’re hot.
Garnishes? I love a lot of fresh flavor, so I added more chopped cilantro, jalapeno slices, and diced green onions.
To serve alongside the nachos, I’d mix up a few Blushing Grapefruit Ginger Margaritas and, of course, a big batch of guacamole because I cannot do chips of any kind sans a bowl of guac.
Keep an eye out for a Superbowl recipe roundup this weekend!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
carolina pinto bean nachos
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 bag corn tortilla chips
- 2 cups slaw greens
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp buttermilk, or milk of choice
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/3 cup cilantro
- 2 tbsp chives
- 1 jalapeno, deveined and seeds removed
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp onion powder
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- sliced green onions and extra jalapenos, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium. Saute the onion until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic for one minute. Swirl in the pan the tomato paste, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and chili powder until reasonably combined. Drop in the pinto beans. Simmer 10 minutes until thickened.
- Add a layer of tortilla chips onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle half the pinto beans, then half the cheese. Pile a second layer of chips, then beans, and finally the remaining cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese melts and bubbles.
- Meanwhile, make the slaw. In a food processor, combine the avocado, yogurt, milk, lime juice, cilantro, chives, jalapeno, garlic, onion powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whip until smooth. If desired, add milk 1 additional tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency. I like mine pretty thick, so 4 tablespoons total did the trick for me.
- Scoop 2-4 tablespoons of the ranch into the slaw mix. Toss to combine, until the greens are creamy. Reserve the remaining ranch to serve alongside the nachos.
- Top the nachos with the slaw, as well as additional jalapeno slices and green onions, as desired.
