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Camping Grilled Nachos

Campfire nachos made with loaded tortilla chips layered in an aluminum pan and grilled over medium heat until the cheese is melted and bubbly. This outdoor cooking nachos recipe is an easy camping meal with beef, black beans, salsa, jalapeño, and bright lime wedges.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Nachos base and toppings
  • 1 tortilla chips Use a large bag of tortilla chips.
  • 3 cup Mexican cheese blend Shredded, for melting.
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drained.
  • 1 lb ground beef Cooked and seasoned (pre-cooked before assembly).
  • 1 cup salsa For topping after grilling.
  • 1 cup sour cream For topping after grilling.
  • 1 jalapeño Sliced.
  • 0.25 cup cilantro Chopped.
  • 1 lime wedges Serve on the side.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Assemble the aluminum-pan nachos
  1. Line a large disposable aluminum pan with half the tortilla chips to form an even base.
  2. Layer the first half with half the cheese, black beans, and cooked ground beef.
  3. Repeat the layers with the remaining tortilla chips, the rest of the cheese, the rest of the black beans, and the remaining ground beef.
Grill over the campfire
  1. Place the aluminum pan on the grill grate over medium campfire heat.
  2. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly, with visible bubbling across the top.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove the pan from the heat once bubbling slows.
  2. Top immediately with salsa, sour cream, jalapeños, and cilantro for bright, fresh contrast.
  3. Serve right away with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the nachos.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the pan on medium campfire heat so the cheese melts without burning the chips. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days, but note chips soften as it sits; reheat in a skillet or on the grill until warmed through. Freezing isn’t recommended for the best texture. For a dietary swap, use shredded cheese plus seasoned black beans and skip the ground beef to make a vegetarian version.