My air fryer nachos are the easiest way to get crispy chips loaded with melted cheese, seasoned beef, and all your favorite toppings—ready in minutes and perfect for an appetizer, game day snack or a quick family dinner.
Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Nachos
My air fryer nachos are everything nachos should be—crispy, cheesy, and piled high with flavor, but way faster and easier thanks to the air fryer. The layers of melty cheese, perfectly seasoned beef, and fresh toppings come together in minutes, and the cleanup is a breeze. It’s the kind of snack that feels like a treat but fits right into a busy day.
Easy to make several batches in such a short amount of time too!
Ingredients
- Tortilla chips: Choose chips that are restaurant quality for best results. They should be hefty enough to hold up under layers. Feel free to use homemade tortilla chips or your favorite corn tortilla chips.
- Red onion
- Tomato
- Black beans
- Tex Mex cheese – I prefer freshly grated cheese as it melts smoother and creamier because it doesn’t have the additives in pre-shredded cheese that block even melting.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Air Fryer Nachos (Step-by-Step)
- Prep And Preheat: Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the basket with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Assemble: Create 2 even layers of chips, cheese, and any of your favorite toppings.
- Cook: Air-fry for 4-5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Serve: Garnish with green onions, fresh cilantro, and sliced jalapeños. Enjoy!
Best Cheese for Air Fryer Nachos
Choose a shredded cheese that melts easily in the air fryer and has a Tex Mex taste. I prefer the flavor of cheeses like Colby Jack, Monterrey Jack, cheddar cheese, or a Mexican blend for my nachos.
How to Layer Nachos for the Air Fryer
The key to keeping your nachos crispy in the air fryer is all about layering. Start with a single, even layer of chips at the bottom, then add your toppings in moderation—don’t overload when you repeat the process. The more ingredients you pile on without proper layering, the soggier your nachos will become.
Tips
- Monitor the Cook Time: Air fryers cook quickly, so check your nachos after a few minutes to make sure the cheese is melted and the chips are crispy. You don’t want them to burn!
- Cook Then Cover: For fresh ingredients like sour cream, guacamole, or salsa, wait until your nachos are cooked and out of the fryer before adding them to avoid sogginess.
Variations
- 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.
- Make With Meat: Make your nachos a complete meal by piling on more protein. Try adding cooked ground beef or ground turkey, shredded chicken or pork, bacon bits, steak bites, or even some chili or leftover taco meat from last night!
- Tasty Toppings: Top your nachos with some salsa, sour cream, guacamole, diced avocado, pico de gallo, jalapenos, black olives, or even a sprinkle of taco seasoning.
For oven baked options, check out my Bundt Pan Nachos and Sheet Pan Nachos.
How Long to Cook Nachos in the Air Fryer?
To cook nachos in the air fryer, preheat to 370°F and assemble your layers of chips, cheese, and toppings. Air-fry for 4-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Keep in mind that cooking time may vary slightly depending on how much the air fryer cools down during assembly, so it’s always a good idea to check on them a minute or two early to ensure they’re perfectly crispy.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Store any leftover nachos in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. They will become soggy the longer they sit.
- To Reheat: Place the nachos back in the basket and air fry them at 320 degrees for 2-3 minutes until they’ve warmed through.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
If you tried this Air Fryer Nachos Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!!!
Air Fryer Nachos
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.restaurant style chips, ¼ cup red onion, ¾ cup tomato, 3 cups Tex Mex cheese, ½ cup black beans
- Top with any garnishes and enjoy!green onions, chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeños
Jenn’s Notes
- 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.
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.