Some links are affiliate links. That means I earn a small commission when you purchase these items after following my link, but your price doesn’t change. Using affiliate links keeps this website ad-free!
Jump to RecipeDisclaimer: Special Occasion Recipe Ahead! These nachos are insanely delicious, however if you are trying to lose weight one serving contains almost a whole day’s worth of carbs. They are also relatively high in fat and calories and low in protein (because the protein in pork rinds is incomplete, and therefore doesn’t count toward your daily protein goal). That doesn’t mean you can’t fit them into your weight loss goals. Save them for special occasions and make sure your other meal(s) contain mainly lean proteins and you can make it work with your macros. Please don’t eat them every day if you are trying to lose weight, because that would definitely make your weight loss journey more difficult.
I love nachos! I mean, who doesn’t? Whether they are expertly layered with meat and cheese at a restaurant or simply chips with a cheesy sauce for dipping from a concession stand, I used to gobble them up. My kids ask for nachos frequently, and I have had to explain to them several times that nachos are not a good choice for their lunchboxes. Unfortunately, traditional nachos are far from keto.
After doing without nachos for several years, I decided it was time to figure out a way to make them fit my keto lifestyle. This recipe is adapted from my family’s favorite traditional nacho recipe: “Ultimate Spicy Beef Nachos” from Cook’s Country Magazine Feb/March 2007. This recipe combines just the right amounts of chips, beans, and beef with cheese that is melty and well-distributed, but not greasy. It has always been delicious, however it was not low carb.
In order to ketofy this recipe, I needed to replace the tortilla chips, vegetable oil, brown sugar, refried beans, and canned chipotle in adobo. First, the easy swaps: pork rinds take the place of the chips, tallow takes the place of vegetable oil, and Lakanto golden takes the place of brown sugar.
Jump to RecipeI used half a batch of Maria Emmerich’s Keto Refried Beans (without the optional cheese or cilantro) in place of the canned refried beans. (Use the other half in tacos, burritos, or taco dip or freeze it for the next time you make nachos.) Please note that you need a food processor to make the “beans”. I have also used my blender, however I had to add some water to get them to blend, which meant that the final cooking step for the “beans” took longer. Also, since this recipe is already very flavorful, I did not add anything to it, unlike the canned beans which needed cheese and jalapeno added.
Canned chipotle in adobo contain sugar and vegetable oil, which I prefer to avoid. They were easy to replace with a little apple cider vinegar and chipotle powder, along with the tomato paste and sweetener that was already part of the recipe. If you don’t have chipotle powder, you can replace it with a mixture of chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Jump to RecipeI also swapped the water for Kettle & Fire Beef Bone Broth to add more beef flavor. However, I would not use “regular” canned beef broth, as it can taste a bit tinny, so if you don’t have any high quality bone broth I would recommend sticking with water or use chicken broth.
My family is relatively spice-averse, so I used Colby Jack cheese. Colby Jack melts smoothly without getting greasy like cheddar can. To up the spiciness factor, feel free to replace it with Pepper Jack cheese (my personal preference is Blazing Billy Jalapeno Cheese, because I tolerate goat dairy better than cow dairy). Other ways to increase the spiciness would be to use more chipotle powder, more jalapeños, or add a bit of cayenne to beef mixture.
I like to bake my nachos on Fiestaware serving platters. This recipe fills two platters, so I can do one with 8 oz Colby Jack and one with 8 oz Pepper Jack. Alternatively, you can use one 9×13 baking dish.
I think we all know the importance of evenly distributing the nacho ingredients throughout the serving dish so no one gets stuck with a bunch of plain pork rinds in their portion. To achieve this, we’re going to have two layers of each component. I find it difficult to spread the refried “beans” evenly by themselves, so I prefer to mix the “beans” into the beef mixture before spreading.
Jump to RecipeNotes:
- I strongly suggest wearing gloves when cutting raw jalapeños. The capcaisin that gives them their spicy flavor can also cause a burning sensation on your skin. And capcaisin is sneaky. It won’t burn right away, but it will work its way into your skin (it is oil soluble) and about half an hour later you will feel the burn. The burning sensation can last for hours (in my experience), so please avoid it by wearing gloves. In a pinch I’ve even used sandwich bags as makeshift gloves.
- I have included the ingredient list for the refried “beans” to make your prep easier, but you have to follow a link to get the directions. I want to make sure Maria gets all the website traffic she deserves for coming up with this irreplaceable part of my nacho recipe.
- These nachos are best served fresh. If you know they won’t all be eaten at once, it would be best to set aside some of the pork rinds and refrigerate some of the beef mixture, cheese, and jalapeno rings in separate containers, to be assembled, baked, and enjoyed later. If you find yourself with some leftovers after they have been baked, you can refrigerate them, then reheat in a 400°F oven until warmed. This result in slightly soggy pork rinds, but the nachos still taste good.
Ultimate Keto Beef Nachos
Equipment
- potato masher (optional)
Ingredients
Refried "Beans"
- 1 medium eggplant (peeled and cubed)
- 4 strips bacon (chopped)
- 1 cup yellow onion (chopped)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp jalapeno (seeded and minced)
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
Beef Mixture
- 2 tsp beef tallow
- ½ cup yellow onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Lakanto monkfruit sweetener – golden
- ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp chipotle powder (or to taste)
- ½ cup beef bone broth
- 2 tsp lime juice
Nacho Assembly
- 6 oz pork rinds
- 16 oz pepper jack cheese (or colby jack cheese)
- 1 jalapeno (seeded if desired and sliced into rings)
- desired nacho garnishes (not included in nutrition facts)
Instructions
Prep Work
- Place your cheese in the freezer for about 20 minutes. This will make it easier to shred, especially if you are shredding it in a food processor.
- While the cheese is freezing, prep your remaining ingredients. Slice/chop/mince/cube the jalapenos (don't forget to wear gloves when handling the jalapenos), onions, eggplant, garlic, and bacon (do the bacon last). Combine the spices for each part of the recipe into separate bowls. Gather all the pans and utensils you will need to make your work flow more smoothly.
- Shred the cheese and set it aside.
Refried "Beans"
- Prepare according to the directions linked in the notes. I know this is annoying. But Maria is the kitchen genius who came up with this recipe, and she deserves the website traffic associated with it. Thanks for understanding.
- Set aside half of the bean mixture to use in the nachos. The other half can be refrigerated or frozen for another use.
Beef Mixture
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400°F
- Heat tallow in large cast iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
- Cook onion until softened, about 4 minutes.
- Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt and cook until fragrant, about one minute.
- Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon and scraping pan bottom to prevent scorching, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. If desired, break meat up into even smaller pieces using a potato masher.
- Add tomato paste, Lakanto golden, apple cider vinegar, and chipotle powder and cook until tomato paste begins to darken, about 1 minute.
- Add bone broth, bring to a simmer, and cook over medium-low until mixture is nearly dry, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in half of the refried bean mixture and lime juice, then immediately transfer to a plate or bowl.
Nacho Assembly
- Spread half of the pork rinds onto serving platter(s) or baking dish.
- Crumble half of beef mixture over pork rinds.
- Top with half of the cheese, then half of the jalapeno slices.
- Repeat layers with remaining ingredients.
- Bake at 400°F until cheese is melted and just beginning to brown, about 12-14 minutes. Garnish with other nacho toppings, such as salsa, sour cream, chopped cilantro, or diced avocado as desired. (Garnishes are not included in nutrition facts.)