Air Fryer Nachos are my favorite party appetizer and afternoon snack that can be prepared in 5 minutes with minimal cleanup. Tortilla chips are loaded with layers of cheese, veggies, or any other toppings, then quickly cooked until crispy and crunchy.
Quick And Easy Air Fryer Nachos
Our easy Air Fryer Nachos recipe is a fast way to create cheesy, crunchy nachos that always cook crispy without requiring any added oil.
Simply create two even layers of chips all loaded with toppings of your choice, sprinkle them with shredded cheese, and bake until bubbly and golden brown.
Air fryer appetizers are some of my favorite snacks to serve, not only because you can fill your basket with fresh ingredients and flavors, but also because it creates crispy finger food without deep frying.
Pile on the protein to convert a side to a complete family-friendly meal, vary the veggies, ditch the dairy, or smother them in sauce, these air fryer loaded nachos can easily be customized to include any of your favorite ingredients.
Why We Love Air Fryer Loaded Nachos
- Quick and easy to make in less than 10 minutes.
- Uses a handful of simple ingredients that you can customize with your favorites.
- Air fryer recipes require no oil so they’re a bit healthier than their deep-fried counterparts.
- Perfect for game day gatherings, tailgates, or snacks during football season.
Air Fryer Nachos Ingredients
- Tortilla chips
- Red onion
- Tomato
- Black beans
- Tex Mex cheese
- Green onions
- Cilantro
- Jalapeños
Substitutions and Additions
- Choose Your Chip: I prefer to prepare my air-fried nachos with restaurant-style tortilla chips, but you can also use homemade tortilla chips or your favorite corn tortilla chips.
- Change The Cheese: Make sure to choose a cheese that melts easily and has a Tex Mex taste. I prefer cheeses like Colby Jack, Monterrey Jack, cheddar, or a Mexican blend for my nachos.
- Vary The Veggies: You can use a variety of vegetables in this forgiving recipe. Try some tomatoes, green scallions, green chilies, jalapeño peppers, red onions, corn, refried beans, black beans, and pinto beans or a mixture of many.
- Make With Meat: You can make your nachos a complete meal by preparing it with protein. Try adding cooked ground beef or ground turkey, shredded chicken or pork, bacon bits, steak bites, or even some chili!
- Tasty Toppings: Top your nachos with some salsa, sour cream, guacamole, diced avocado, pico de gallo, or even a sprinkle of taco seasoning.
Recommended Tools
- Air fryer
- Liner or parchment paper
See Full Recipe Card Below
Jump to RecipeHow to Make Air Fryer Nachos
- Prepare Your Appliance: Preheat your air fryer to 370 degrees Fahrenheit, then place a liner or parchment paper in the basket.
Pro Tip: To speed up the process you can pre-fit your parchment paper to the air fryer basket and set it aside during preheating. - Assemble: Create 2 even layers of chips, cheese, and toppings.
- Bake: Bake for 4-5 minutes.
Pro Tip: The time may vary depending on how much your air fryer cools down while you prep the nachos. - Serve: Top with any garnishes, serve, and enjoy!
Tips For Making The Best Air Fryer Nachos
- This recipe is very flexible regarding the amount of ingredients suggested. You can add more or less based on preference.
- The key to keeping your nachos crispy is layering. The more ingredients you add, the more moist and soggy they will become.
- Choose chips that are restaurant quality for best results. They should be hefty enough to hold up under layers.
How to Store Air Fryer Nachos
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. They will become soggy the longer they sit.
- To Reheat: To reheat, place the nachos back in the air fryer to crisp up for a couple of minutes until heated.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
Other Easy nacho Recipes
- Sheet Pan Nachos
- Campfire Nachos
- The BEST Totchos – Tater Tot Nachos Recipe
- Caramel Apple Nachos {Loaded With Caramel and Marshmallow}
- Bundt Pan Nachos
Air Fryer Nachos
Serves — 3
Air Fryer Nachos are cheesy, crispy, and full of fresh toppings. Easy to make in minutes, this crowd pleasing appetizer is a favorite and perfect for serving during football season.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Ingredients
- restaurant style chips divided
- ¼ cup red onion diced, divided
- ¾ cup tomato diced, divided
- ½ cup black beans divided
- 3 cups Tex Mex cheese shredded, divided
Garnish:
- green onions
- chopped cilantro
- sliced jalapeños
Instructions
- Preheat Air Fryer to 370F, then place a liner or parchment paper carefully in the basket. Note: to speed up the process you can pre-fit your parchment paper to the air fryer basket and set it aside during preheating.
- Create 2 even layers of chips, and toppings. Add 1 cup of cheese to the first layer, and 2 cups to the second layer. Bake for 4-5 minutes. Note: the time may vary depending on how much your air fryer cools down while you prep the nachos.
- Top with any garnishes and enjoy!
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. They will become soggy the longer they sit.
- To Reheat: To reheat, place the nachos back in the air fryer to crisp up for a couple of minutes until heated.
- This recipe is very flexible regarding the amount of ingredients suggested. You can add more or less based on preference.
- The key to keeping your nachos crispy is layering. The more ingredients you add, the more moist and soggy they will become.
- Choose chips that are restaurant quality for best results. They should be hefty enough to hold up under layers.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 683mg | Potassium: 305mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1050IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 753mg | Iron: 1mg
5
Among of my favorite party snacks to offer are those prepared in an air fryer, both because they are so easy to prepare and because they taste great.