Healthy Nachos

Healthy nachos made with ground beef, chicken, or turkey, loads of veggies, and mixed with your favorite salsa.

Everyone’s trying to eat healthier but it’s the snacking that has to stop, right?

I don’t know about you, but I’m a comfort-food, snacking lover. I want all the food and I want to enjoy it on my terms. I’m often low-carb or Keto (which is a surprisingly wonderful way to eat for someone like me), and treats like Keto fried chicken or keto chocolate chip cookies definitely help my food sanity. Also, healthy nachos!

You may be one of those people who are in the midst of creating healthier eating habits. I don’t happen to be right now but I do try to eat healthy as often as possible. But, I’m a snacker. And snacking, as you know, is inherently unhealthy.

Which is part of the reason I’m so excited to bring you my version of nachos! Healthy Nachos…it’s possible!

Can Nachos be healthy?

Absolutely! By eliminating or reducing unhealthy ingredients and increasing or adding things like more veggies (such as fresh corn and peppers), you can transform fat-laden nachos into a delicious, healthy version.

How to Make Healthy Nachos

For my healthy nachos, I took out most of the ingredients considered to be unhealthy or high calorie: cheese and sour cream being the biggest offenders. I kept a small amount of cheese (about an eighth of what I normally put on my nachos) and ditched the sour cream altogether.

I kept the ground beef but ground turkey or chicken are delicious, too.

I balance that out by adding loads of vegetables. Fresh corn off the cob, chopped poblano peppers, chopped red bells, and thinly sliced serrano peppers. Fresh tomatoes! Black beans! Chopped cilantro, too. The fresh corn is especially delicious but its the combination of all of these additions that makes such a difference.

And then I pile on some fresh salsa, either homemade or from a jar (usually the Herdez brand but there are many good ones available).

Adding so many vegetables to my healthy nachos is what makes them both scrumptious and comfort food I don’t feel bad about indulging in. I really pile them on and I actually like these healthy nachos better than the ones loaded up with cheese.

Of course, load up with cheese if you like, too! If you’re keto or low-carb, you can easily keep the cheese in to increase your fat macros.

What can I use instead of tortilla chips to make healthy nachos?

I do serve these nachos with tortilla chips, although we eat keto so I’ll make my own using low-carb tortillas. If you haven’t tried Belgian endive, that’s my secret weapon for healthy snacking with any kind of dip. They long white leaves are scoopable and have a nice crunch to them!

Healthy nachos can also be served over rice, or use cauliflower rice for low-carb or keto. I have a fantastic recipe here for Buffalo Ranch Roasted Cauliflower Nachos from my fourth book, Weeknight Keto, and it’s SO good!!

Other healthy alternatives to tortilla chips include tofu chips, sweet potato chips, kale chips, carrot chips and zucchini chips. Another healthy alternative to nacho chips is to slice bell peppers into tortillas triangles.

Tips for making Healthy Nachos

I’ve covered most of this already, but here’s a bulleted list with some new ideas, too. Use any or all of these tips to make your perfect version of healthy nachos!

• Use ground chicken or turkey in place of beef.
• Mix your favorite salsa into the lean ground beef, turkey or chicken for an easy flavor boost.
• Use low-sodium black beans to keep sodium levels in check.
• If you shred your own cheese and choose one with a stronger flavor, such as sharp cheddar, you’ll get more flavor for less. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that blocks of cheese don’t.
• Make your own tortilla chips with store-bought tortillas by brushing both sides with oil then cutting them into triangles. Put them on a sheet pan and sprinkle with salt. Bake them in a 350F oven for 12-15 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking. Use low-carb tortillas for the keto diet. Or just pick up some baked tortilla chips instead of the traditional fried version at the store.
• Skip the tortillas entirely and serve over roasted cauliflower or cauliflower rice. This makes a fantastic dinner with great leftovers.
• Increase those veggies and get creative! Fresh corn, chopped red bells or poblano peppers, avocado (I guess that’s a fruit, but hey, they’re good for you), sliced serranos or jalapeños – these are all great additions.

Continue to Content

Healthy Nachos

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Love nachos but still want to eat your heart-healthy veggies? Here's a perfect balance! To reduce the carbs even further, omit the black beans and fresh corn.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef, chicken, or turkey
• 1 15 oz jar of your favorite salsa
• 1/4 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 poblano pepper, chopped
• 2 ears fresh corn, kernels removed
• 1 serrano pepper, sliced
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 avocado, sliced or chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Tortilla chips (see recommended products below for some healthier yet still tasty alternatives) or Belgian endive, for scooping

Instructions

1. Cook the ground beef, turkey or chicken in a medium cast iron pan until no pink remains. Drain off any fat. Stir in 3/4 cup of the salsa. Season with salt to taste.
2. Top with the remaining ingredients. Serve with tortilla chips or Belgian endive for scooping. (Alternatively, you can place tortilla chips on a platter and top with the other ingredients.)

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 349Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 672mgCarbohydrates: 21gNet Carbohydrates: 14gFiber: 7gSugar: 4gProtein: 28g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

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Kristy Bernardo

Kristy Bernardo is the recipe creator behind The Wicked Noodle. She's a five-time cookbook author, has taught cooking classes to both kids and adults, and has been creating recipes for nationwide brands since 2009. She learned most of her cooking skills from her mom and grandmother, then honed those skills at boot camp at the Culinary Institute of America.

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