Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (2024)

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Grilled Nachos are fun to make over the campfire or on a grill. The recipe is adaptable for each camper to enjoy.

Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (1)

It is no secret, we love to eat! We especially love to eat while we camp. There is just something tastier about food cooked over the fire or in cast iron on the grill or campfire. Do you agree?

We came up with these campfire grill nachos that are so easy to make and quite tasty! We have since posted Grilled Walking Taco Nachos and Tater Tot Nachos that you should check out! They are even easier to make than these loaded nachos.

Other campfire grill recipes include our Campfire Pizza Bread and Chili Cheese Fries.

Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (2)

Campfire Nachos

They are certainly a favorite meal of ours, so we created camping nachos. One of the best things about this camping recipe is that it is easy to customize to accommodate various tastes or dietary restrictions.

Other favorite camping meals include Campfire Pizza Sandwiches, Easy Stir Fry, and Dutch Oven Salisbury Steak.

Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (3)

If you want to cut down on carbohydrates, substitute sweet potato for the chips. Check out Low Carb Camping Recipes.

Pick your favorite between flour or corn tortilla chips.

Leave out the taco meat if you are vegetarian. If a picky eater does not want peppers or tomatoes, a pan of their favorite toppings can be made separately. The options go on and on.

Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (4)

Do you want a foil pan dessert to go on the campfire after these grilled nachos are done? Try our S’mores Nachos or Grilled Peach Crisp. They are just as simple to make and the whole family will love them!

Grilled Nachos Recipe

The ingredients for this nacho recipe can be varied depending on what people like. Diana and I like sweet potato nachos, while the kids like to use corn tortilla chips.

Everyone can make what they want with this Camping Charcuterie Board recipe.

Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (5)

We also used onion, tomato, avocado, green chiles, black beans, taco meat made with ground turkey, and cheese.

We have also made Grilled Chicken Nachos by using a prepared rotisserie chicken instead of taco meat.

Other toppings could include jalapenos, pinto or refried beans, or different meats.

We cook ours over a campfire in a foil pan. We also make it at homein a cast-iron skillet.

Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (6)

Your cook time for this recipe will depend on how thick your nachos are and how hot the fire is. Please do not place these nachos over an open flame or your meal will burn.

If you are doing regular or sweet potato nachos, the cooking time will be a lot longer than the tortilla chips.

Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (7)

Please be careful not to burn yourself, as these are hot when they come off the grill. They cool off fairly quickly in a foil pan.

Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (8)

No need to dirty up any dishes. We even ate with our fingers, so there were not any utensils to wash. How awesome is that? A super tasty meal in a single pan that you eat by hand.

Need dessert after your nachos? Check out Dutch Oven Brownies, Dutch Oven Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake, or Campfire Cookies.

Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (9)

How delicious do these grill nachos look? We make these nachos on the grill and on most camping trips.

We will caution you that they are slow to cool off when cooked in cast iron. Take steps so you do not burn the nachos or yourself!

Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (10)

Grilled nachos are a favorite camping recipe of ours! Are there any ingredients that you would use that we did not mention?

Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (11)
More Camping Main DishesEasy Camping Desserts
Chicken Fried Rice
Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese
Chickpea Mushroom Hash
Frozen Pizza on the Campfire
Best Chocolate Cake
S’more Charcuterie Board
Dutch Oven Dump Cake
S’more Waffle Bowls
Dutch Oven Pumpkin Pie Cake
Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (12)

Yield: 4 servings

Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (13)

Everyone gets to customize their own nachos with this simple recipe made over the campfire or grill. Add your favorite ingredients!

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time25 minutes

Additional Time15 minutes

Total Time50 minutes

Ingredients

  • tortilla chips
  • ground meat
  • taco seasoning
  • beans of choice
  • cheese
  • tomatoes
  • onion
  • avocado
  • chilis or peppers

Instructions

  1. Prepare the taco meat or protein according to your favorite method.
  2. Chop up all of the toppings.
  3. Assemble the nachos by placing a layer of tortilla chips or sliced (sweet) potato in the bottom of your foil pan or cast-iron skillet.
  4. Add a layer of your desired toppings, including cheese.
  5. Repeat the layering of chips and toppings until the pan is filled.
  6. Add a thick layer of cheese on the top.
  7. Cover the pan with a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and crimp it around the edges.
  8. Place on a grate over a campfire or on a grill. Do not place it directly over an open flame or the bottom might burn.
  9. Cook each foil pan of nachos until the cheese is melted and toppings are cooked and tender. This will take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes give or take depending on the temperature of the fire/grill.
  10. Peel back the corner of the foil to check to see if the nachos are grilled to your liking.
  11. Pull the pan off the campfire and eat.

Notes

We love these nachos made with thinly sliced sweet potato instead of tortilla chips. How do you like your nachos? Please share a photo of yours on Pinterest or on our Facebook page.

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Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 528

Did you make this recipe?

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Campfire Grilled Nachos Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Are nachos better in oven or grill? ›

The cooking method

Drummond "nukes" the nachos in a microwave and the NYT grills them, but the best results, I find, come from baking, which heats the dish all the way through without making the base layer soft and chewy.

What is the secret to making good nachos? ›

The best nachos feature a mix of cooked and fresh ingredients, such as grilled shrimp and cilantro. Yet it's best to keep hot and cold separate throughout the preparation process, so fresh herbs and green onions don't wilt from heat, and guacamole and sour cream don't liquefy.

How to grill over a campfire? ›

When the flames die down, you should have white coals left. Be patient, as this could take up to 45 minutes, and you want the coals to be glowing. Add your grill: Place your grill on the rocks or logs above the coals, and you are ready to cook either directly on the grill or in cookware on top of the grill.

How do you layer nachos so they don't get soggy? ›

* Bring refrigerated toppings to room temperature before piling them onto the warm chips. * To prevent the chips from getting soggy, sprinkle grated or crumbled cheese on top and bake them in the oven for a few minutes. When melted, the cheese will act as a buffer between the chips and toppings.

What cheese is best for nachos? ›

A: While you can technically use any type of cheese for nachos, some cheeses work better than others. The best options include Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, and Queso Blanco.

Do you put salsa on nachos before cooking? ›

Method
  1. Tip tortilla chips on to a baking tray, pour over salsa and scatter over a few sliced spring onions.
  2. Grate over a good chunk of cheese (fontina is perfect, but cheddar will do). Add a pinch of crushed chilli flakes, then put under a hot grill for about 3 minutes to melt the cheese.

Do you put cheese on nachos first? ›

To make sure every chip is covered in cheese, lay down the cheese on the chips first. The cheese will serve as a blanket, protecting the chips from liquidy, sog-inducing toppings.

How many layers of chips for nachos? ›

As many as you like. I usually have one layer of chips, then cheese, more chips, meat of choice, choped tomatoes, onion, cliantro, salsa and sour cream.

How many layers should nachos be? ›

Start with a base of tortilla chips, cheese, salsa, jalapeño, and any warm fillings like meats and veggies. Once the cheese melts, remove from the oven, add another layer, and repeat. This extra step ensures your nachos are well-covered and evenly baked from top to bottom.

What is the best meat to grill on a campfire? ›

Grilling steaks and burgers, smoking brisket, and cooking beef kabobs over open fire are just a few of the classic ways to prepare beef outside. Whether you are in your backyard, tailgating, or at a campsite, nothing delivers on the anticipation of a meal cooked outdoors like Black Angus beef.

Can you cook with aluminum foil on a campfire? ›

Solid pieces of metal don't burn easily.

Aluminum foil doesn't catch on fire in an oven, on the grill or even in a campfire.

How do you season a campfire grill? ›

Before you start your fire, and while the grate is cold, coat both sides of the crosshatched part of the grate with high heat cooking oil. Canola or peanut oil work best. We prefer using a spray bottle to quicken the process. Wipe off excess oil with a paper towel.

How to get crispy nachos? ›

Limiting the number of ingredients baked with the chips is the key to crispiness. Top chips with no more than two or three toppings. Choose from items such as black beans, refried beans, chopped grilled chicken, seasoned ground beef (browned and drained), or chopped jalapenos.

When to put tomatoes on nachos? ›

To achieve this, put one layer of chips on a baking sheet, then cover with cheese and toppings. Repeat until you've used everything up so that every bite is the same from beginning to end. Sprinkle on fresh toppings like cilantro, scallions, tomatoes, and pickled jalapenos on after the nachos come out of the oven.

How do you keep cheese melted for nachos? ›

Melting Salts:

We've found that the secret to perfectly velvety-smooth nacho cheese sauce is a combination of keeping the cheese at low temperature while cooking, and the use of sodium citrate (derived from citric acid) and SHMP (sodium hexametaphosphate).

Why is a grill better than an oven? ›

A big benefit of grilling is that food cooks quicker and has that great flame grilled distinct flavour. You can achieve the right texture of the meat, as you are right with it over the grill.

Why do my nachos get soggy in the oven? ›

Monitor the Oven Temperature

Another common culprit of soggy nachos is baking them at too low of a temperature.

Is grilling faster than baking? ›

Baking is a longer cooking process than grilling, but it's a good option for thicker and larger food items.

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