I don’t know about you but by the time Friday night rolls around I want simple food; easy to prepare, flavorful and quick. I don’t know if I’ve ever met anyone who does not (a) like Mexican food, or (b) does not find Nachos the food embodiment of relaxation and fun. It’s a communal dish and one easy to change up based on what’s in season, what’s on hand or for one’s mood.
Or in my case, based on how much leftover Easter ham they have.
Would you ever think to put ham on Nachos? Me either, but now I’m wondering why the heck not! Ham (and pork in general) interleaves perfectly with south-of-the-border flavors. In my quest to creatively weave ham into unexpected dishes this idea came to mind with smashing results.
Nachos are such a simple dish I think they get shortchanged. I certainly am guilty of turning on the broiler, tossing chips on a baking sheet, slopping refried beans out of the can and grated cheese on top to have a dish in about 5 minutes. They are fine but with some simple tricks they can be so much better!
One Nachos pet peeve of mine is that everyone eats the top layer of all the ‘good stuff’ leaving an exposed, naked abundance of uninteresting semi-soft chips underneath. Yawn. By simply layering part of the ingredients with the chips, every bite has something going on and no one gets stuck with just chips.
I also love fresh, simple ingredients and feel they really do elevate the flavor of the Nachos. For this recipe I planned to use some salsa but in addition wanted a more organic chile ‘bite’ so decided to roast some Jalapenos to chop and add. When roasting chiles their flavor deepens, they become much more earthy, full and smoky. By removing the seeds and inner membrane the source of their main heat is taken away but also the roasting brings some natural heat out. If you are on the fence about chilies or unsure which to pick, as a rule of thumb Jalapenos tend to be considered more mild, Serrano’s to be hot and Anaheim’s almost without heat all together but still have a chile flavor. You can choose your preferred heat with your selection or mix and match.
I think you’ll agree this is a perfect Friday Night dish! You can make your own black beans from scratch or use rinsed, canned black beans (I always choose organic). If you don’t have several pounds of ham at home as do I, ask your local deli counter to slice some for you about ¼-1/2 inch thick (you want a real bite, not thinly sliced ham). The mix of the three cheeses (Smoked Gouda, Mild Cheddar and Pepper Jack) blend together not only making a cheesy topping but to compliment all the other flavors pulling the Nachos together. Just a simple twist can make Nachos a completely different dish but still easy, quick and fun!
Recipe
Cheesy Ham and Black Bean Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 large bag of Tortilla Chips
- 4 Jalapeno chilies* , each approximately 3 inches long
- 2 cups Ham , cubed into ¼-1/2 inch cubes
- 1 ½ cups or 15 ounce can Black Beans , cooked and drained
- 8 ounces Salsa (I used 505 Southwestern Chipotle Honey Roasted Green Chile salsa)
- 1 cup Smoked Gouda cheese , grated
- 1 cup Mild Cheddar cheese , grated
- 1 cup Pepper Jack cheese , grated
- ¼-1/3 cup Cilantro , chopped
- Garnish: 8 ounces of Sour Cream (note: sour cream also mutes the spicy heat too!)
Instructions
- Turn on the oven broiler. On a baking sheet place the jalapeno chilies. Place the baking sheet underneath the broiler element in oven. Check frequently for blackening. Once the chile has blackened on one side rotate it until all sides are fully blackened (note: the skin will be difficult to remove if it has not blackened first).
- Remove the chilies from the oven and place into a zip plastic bag. Seal and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle with your hands.
- Peel off the blackened outer skin of the chile. Remove the stem, seeds and inner membrane (attaches the seeds to the inside of the chile). Chop and set aside. Note: the oils from chilies can be very painful if they come in contact with areas such as the eyes or nose. When working with chilies practice frequent hand washing or consider wearing latex-type gloves.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl add the three cups of cheese and stir to fully combine. Set aside.
- Prepare a baking sheet with a layer to tortilla chips to cover the pan.
- Sprinkle 1/3 of the chopped ham and cheese over the first layer of chips. Add a second layer of chips, completely covering the first. Layer on the remaining ham, black beans, roasted chopped jalapeno chilies, salsa topping with the remaining cheese.
- Place in the heated oven until the cheese fully melts (usually less than 5 minutes). Remove; top with chopped cilantro and sour cream (or allow individuals to serve that on the side if desired). Eat immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
A note about 505 Southwestern All Natural Salsa: Originating from New Mexico (hence the ‘505’ which is the area code for Northern New Mexico), 505 produces a full range of salsas that are all natural and gluten free. I just recently had the chance to sample some of their line and especially loved the salsa I used in this recipe, the Medium All Natural {Red} Salsa and a new product, ‘Fiesta Sauce’ that I’d eat out of the jar, shamelessly, given the chance. It’s a thick, chunky sauce full of tomatillos, tomatoes, roasted corn, beans and more. I used it in a quesadilla but it has many delectable options including pouring it over chicken in a crock pot. In my view 505 had perfected the blend of chilies and other wholesome ingredients culminating in exciting, balanced salsas that don’t blow your head off with gratuitous heat.
Disclosure: I was provided samples of 505 Southwestern Salsa. I was not compensated for this post but loved the quality and devotion to ‘all natural’ 505 Southwestern abides by. Their salsa was too good not to share! All experiences and opinions are my own.
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
I would eat this for dinner. Every week. I swear.
john@kitchenriffs says
I’ve made tons of nachos in my time, but never used ham. And I can’t figure out why not – you’re right, it’s a natural (pork anything and Mexican works). Really nice recipe – thanks.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I need these black bean nachos in my life too, Toni. Can’t get enough of smoked Gouda!!
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
Oh my, these nachos have to appear in my kitchen! Pinned!
Toni Dash says
Believe me Anna you’ll be glad when they do! I loved the depth of flavor with the ham and fresh roasted Jalapenos. They just were kicked up a notch! Please ‘report back’ if you make them!
Happy Valley Chow says
I NEED THIS IN MY TUMMY!! UGGHHH that looks delicious…
Happy Blogging!
Jennifer-The Adventuresome Kitchen says
Did you roast a whole pig?!? WOW- these Nachos look fabulous! Add some pineapple, and they become cuban nachos! My girls will be all over this recipe- they loooove nachos, and complain we don’t have them nearly enough!