Nachos Supreme Recipe (Taco Bell Copycat)
This Nachos Supreme Recipe is a Taco Bell copycat of their famous nachos that are a fan favorite. With less than 10 ingredients, you can easily make these ground beef nachos right at home. I even give you instructions for how to make the cheese sauce from scratch!
We are big fans of Taco Bell at our house, it’s always a special treat to have it for a tailgate or a party. I always loved their Nachos Supreme, but they took it off the menu a few years ago. But not to fear, I tested and perfected this Copycat Taco Bell Nachos Supreme recipe and have served it over and over.
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If I’m making these nachos for a party, I love to set them up like a bar so everyone can build their own plate. The classic Taco Bell version has ground beef, refried beans, cheese sauce, sour cream, tomatoes, and green onions. Serve alongside my Creamy Jalapeno Dip or Queso Chicken and Rice for the best party menu.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- A crowd-pleaser as an appetizer or main course. Serve this at any party or even for a weeknight meal, it will be gone in seconds.
- Better than Taco Bell and made at home! Since you can no longer order these nachos on the menu, now you can easily make them in your own kitchen – and they only take 15 minutes to prep too.
- Customize the nachos to your liking. Make a nachos bar and everyone will be happy!
Laura Ashley’s Tip: The key to making the ground beef mixture tender and almost sauce-like just like Taco Bell is by adding water!
Ingredients
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below
- Ground beef: Protein for the classic nachos supreme.
- Packet taco seasoning: Seasons the beef perfectly, use your favorite brand.
- Restaurant-style tortillas chips: We like them on the thinner side for these nachos.
- Refried Beans: Adds texture, protein, and that classic flavor we love with nachos.
- Nacho cheese: You can easily buy jarred if you are in a pinch for time. I also give my homemade cheese sauce recipe below to make it from scratch.
- Sour cream: Creamy and tangy in every bite.
- Diced tomatoes: Fresh tomato flavor to compliment the rich beef and creamy cheese.
- Green onions: Adds pop of light and fresh onion flavor plus nice color.
Tools You’ll Need
How to Make Taco Bell Nachos Supreme
- Cook and crumble the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease.
- Add taco seasoning and water. Simmer for 5 minutes until thick and saucy. Keep warm.
- Warm refried beans in a small saucepan or microwave until smooth and spreadable.
- Arrange tortilla chips in an even layer on a large plate or shallow bowl. Spoon small amounts of warm refried beans over the chips. Add seasoned ground beef evenly across the top.
- Drizzle warm nacho cheese sauce over the beef and beans.
- Add a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle with diced tomatoes. Finish with green onions.
Expert Tips
- Cook the ground beef on the stovetop and drain of excess fat. This helps your nachos not be greasy before you serve them.
- If your cheese sauce is too thick, simply thin with a tablespoon at a time of warm milk until the desired consistency.
- Swap the ground beef for another protein. You could use ground chicken, turkey, even pulled pork or pulled beef leftover from a weeknight dinner.
- Homemade taco seasoning. A packet of taco seasoning works great, but if you prefer a homemade version, simply mix together these ingredients and adjust to your preference: 1 tbsp chili powder, ½ tbsp ground cumin, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper.
- If you prefer a homemade nacho cheese sauce, you’ll need 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole milk, 1½ cups shredded American cheese or Velveeta, ¼ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp paprika, ⅛ tsp chili powder, Pinch of cayenne pepper, and 1–2 tbsp pickled jalapeño juice.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute until smooth. Slowly whisk in milk. Cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened (2–3 minutes). Reduce heat to low. Add cheese a handful at a time, whisking until fully melted and smooth. Stir in salt, paprika, chili powder, cayenne, and jalapeño juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Variations
There are so many options when it comes to topping these nachos, here are some other things I love:
- Cilantro
- Pickled jalapenos
- Fire roasted corn
- Hot sauce
- Black beans as a substitute for refried
- Olives
- Serve with lime wedges
Storage
These nachos supreme are best enjoyed right away to make sure the beef, cheese, and beans stay hot and the chips crisp.
If you do have leftovers, try and store them in separate containers then reheat and build the nachos again before enjoying.
For a party, make the meat mixture and transfer to a slow cooker on warm heat. Alongside chips and toppings, your guests will be so happy! You can also make the meat ahead of time and reheat in the slow cooker. Add a splash of water if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, they took it off the menu in 2020. But you can make this easy version right at home.
Seasoned tortilla chips, ground beef or another protein, refried beans, cheese sauce, sour cream, and diced tomatoes. 
Of course! Cook the beef mixture ahead of time on the stove and make the cheese sauce. Just reheat and assemble when guests arrive.
More Easy Mexican-Inspired Recipes
Nachos Supreme Taco Bell Copycat
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 ounce packet taco seasoning
- 2/3 cup water
- 26-32 restaurant-style tortillas chips
- 1/2-1/3 cup refried beans
- 1 1/2 cups nacho cheese or queso cheese dip jarred or homemade
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons green onions
Instructions
- Cook and crumble the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease.
- Add taco seasoning and water. Simmer for 5 minutes until thick and saucy. Keep warm.
- Warm refried beans in a small saucepan or microwave until smooth and spreadable.
- Arrange tortilla chips in an even layer on a large plate or shallow bowl. Spoon small amounts of warm refried beans over the chips. Add seasoned ground beef evenly across the top.
- Drizzle warm nacho cheese sauce over the beef and beans.
- Add a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle with diced tomatoes. Finish with green onions.
Video
Notes
Expert Tips
- Cook the ground beef on the stovetop and drain of excess fat. This helps your nachos not be greasy before you serve them.
- If your cheese sauce is too thick, simply thin with a tablespoon at a time of warm milk until the desired consistency.
- Swap the ground beef for another protein. You could use ground chicken, turkey, even pulled pork or pulled beef leftover from a weeknight dinner.
- Homemade taco seasoning. A packet of taco seasoning works great, but if you prefer a homemade version, simply mix together these ingredients and adjust to your preference: 1 tbsp chili powder, ½ tbsp ground cumin, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper.
Homemade Nacho Cheese.
- If you prefer a homemade nacho cheese sauce, you’ll need 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole milk, 1½ cups shredded American cheese or Velveeta, ¼ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp paprika, ⅛ tsp chili powder, Pinch of cayenne pepper, and 1–2 tbsp pickled jalapeño juice.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute until smooth. Slowly whisk in milk. Cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened (2–3 minutes). Reduce heat to low. Add cheese a handful at a time, whisking until fully melted and smooth. Stir in salt, paprika, chili powder, cayenne, and jalapeño juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Nutrition
About Laura
Taught by some of the best, cooking and entertaining has always been my favorite hobby. Food is my love language! The conception of Dinner in 321 came from my family talks that sharing our dinners would help others learn new skills, tasty recipes, and make cooking fun! Read more…
