Chorizo Nachos

Oh me, oh my, these were so good! If you can't find chorizo (and we're talking Mexican chorizo, not Spanish) in your area, substitute sausage but not before complaining to your grocery store!


Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: overnight* plus 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Mexican chorizo, casing removed
• 1 T garlic, chopped
• 1/4 t ground cumin
• 2 cups cooked pinto beans
• 1/2 t chili powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 1/2 cups pepper jack cheese, grated
• 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, grated
• 1 small white onion, sliced into thin rings
• 5 large jalapeños, chopped
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 T fresh lime juice
• fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish, if desired
• Tortilla chips (I used a mix of yellow and blue restaurant-style chips)

* I used dried pinto beans and let them soak overnight. You can skip this step if you use canned beans.

1. Preheat overn to 450 F.

2. Crumble the chorizo into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cumin and garlic and stir and cook until the sausage is browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and drain.

3. Add the pinto beans, chili powder, salt, and 1 cup of water (more or less, depending on how moist your beans are) to the pan and cook over medium heat until warmed through.

4. Smash the beans with a potato masher or the back of a spoon until chunky and smooth. Remove from heat.

5. Grease or spray a large baking dish.

6. Layer chips on bottom of dish. Top with 1/2 of the beans, then 1/2 of the sausage, cheeses, onions and jalapeños. Repeat with another layer.

7. Bake until cheese is melted, about 8 minutes

8. In a small bowl combine the sour cream and lime and a pinch of salt.

9. Serve topped with sour cream mixture.