Nachos are the perfect campfire finger food and inspire infinite variations. Making them in a cast iron pan means that the bottom and edges of your chips take on that perfect crispy char. Pile on your favorite cheese blend — especially after a day of hiking and backpacking! Want it to be the main meal? Add your favorite protein, such as pre-cooked ground beef, seasoned taco meat or shredded chicken.

Serves 4 as an appetizer.

Equipment: 

• Cast iron skillet
• Aluminum foil

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 8 oz. bag of tortilla chips
• 2 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
• ½ cup sliced black olives (optional)
• ½ cup sliced green onions (optional)
• ½ cup diced tomatoes
• 2 jalapeños, sliced and seeds removed
• Additional toppings of your choice, such as 1 can drained black beans, ½ cup diced red peppers, ½ cup diced red onions, 1 large cubed avocado.
• Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
• Salsa, sour cream and guacamole, for serving

Steps:

1. Lightly oil the bottom of the skillet, to prevent nachos from sticking. Evenly layer bottom of skillet with 1/3 of tortilla chips. 
2. Add 1/3 of cheese, ½ of olives, ½ of green onions, and ½ of tomatoes on top of the chips. 
3. Make another layer with another 1/3 of tortilla chips and 1/3 of cheese. 
4. Make the top layer with the remaining chips, cheese, olives, onions, and tomatoes. Add jalapeño and other toppings of your choice. 
5. Cover skillet with lid or loosely with aluminum foil. 
6. Place on fire or grill on medium heat and cook until cheese has melted, about 10 to 15 minutes. 
7. Garnish with cilantro.

Variation: Make ‘em meaty! Load up your nachos with pre-cooked ground beef, seasoned taco meat, or shredded chicken and beans right before adding final toppings. Cook for 10-15 minutes until all ingredients are warmed through.  

Photo by: TheCrimsonMonkey