Stacked Nachos

Our spin on this game day classic ensures that there is always the right amount of cheese, meat and flavor in each bite. We used ground beef in this recipe but you could also use ground turkey or meatless crumbles. This recipe makes four stacks.

PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes

Ingredients
For the tortillas:
12 6-inch corn tortillas (street taco size)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (more if needed)

For the ground beef:
1 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons vegetable or olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small yellow or white onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup beef broth

To assemble:
6-8 ounces cheddar or jack cheese, shredded
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, pitted and chopped
1 small can sliced black olives (optional)
1/2 cup lettuce, shredded
Sliced jalapeños or canned sliced jalapeños
Freshly chopped cilantro

Directions
Make the tortillas: Heat oil to medium in a large, heavy skillet. Fry tortillas, two at a time for 4-5 minutes, flipping with kitchen tongs once in the middle of cooking. Tortillas should be slightly browned and crispy. Set aside to drain in individual layers on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Once all tortillas are cooked, discard oil.

Make the ground beef filling: In the same skillet, heat vegetable or olive oil to medium-high. Add ground beef and onions; break up ground beef into smaller pieces with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook for 7 minutes, until meat is nearly cooked through and onions are softened. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for two minutes more. Add tomato paste and beef broth and let reduce until sauce has thickened, about 4-5 more minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.

While meat is cooling, preheat your oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Please one tortilla on the baking sheet and top with a heaping tablespoon of the ground beef mixture and a small handful of cheese. Repeat twice more so the stack consists of 3 tortillas and ground beef and cheese in layers. Continue until you have made four stacks and the tortillas, beef and cheese have been used up.

Carefully transfer the baking sheet to your oven and bake for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, transfer each stack to a serving plate and top with tomato, olives, jalapeños, lettuce and cilantro. Serve immediately.