The Original Nachos Recipe (2024)

As a 13 yo busboy/waiter at Horizon Country Club (in the desert hills east of El Paso) in 1974 "I was there" when nachos escaped Piedras Negras and started making their way north of the Rio Grande. We served exactly 12 per plate (artfully arranged) to "las damas que almuerzan." The only deviation to the recipe is that we cut thick triangles of asadero cheese for the jalapeños to sink into as the cheese melted. Colby was an emergency substitution. Chips were generic tostado quarters - dUritos.

I literally made nachos just like these two days ago and debated their origin with my friend, who thought densely layered nachos were 'original'. Rather creepy of the NYT to read my mind and run this piece to settle it once and for all!

This is exactly how my father who spent his teen years growing up in Brownsville used to make them.

Growing up my mother would drive from our ranch in Texas to Piedras Negras where we ate the original nacho at El Moderno with a Mexican co*ke. Great memories Delish

As a native from Piedras Negras, it's so great to see this recipe here! I enjoy cooking recipes from the NYT with my daughter (who wasn't born in Piedras) and now I can show her one from my hometown.While there are nacho purists, I'd say adding refried beans (ideally in lard) makes this recipe twice as good.

To keep your nachos hot longer, throw pan with just chips in the oven while you grate your cheese. After a few minutes, pull out and top as directed and pop back in the oven for the usual time. The chips can handle more heat than the cheese.

I do something similar with matzoh during Passover — Machos.

So often I see cooks quickly spread the cheese and simply throw a handful of jalapeños over it. This is one of those dishes where taking a couple extra minutes to carefully spread the cheese and jalapeños, one of two per chip, is amply rewarded.

So enjoyable to read the nacho memories of all these cooks! Adding my own: as married college students in Kingsville, TX in the early 60s, my husband and I made the nachos just like this recipe except with a slice of cheese rather than grated cheese. Later on we lived for a while in Eagle Pass, just across the border from Piedras Negras. He was originally from Laredo, TX. In my opinion the very best store-bought pickled jalapenos are the Mexican brands, like La Costena or Herdez.

Jalapenos seem to have lost their heat over the years, I could swear that the U.S. has been breeding them to be less spicy because in the 1960's & 70's they were a nice hot pepper.

These classic nachos are the best kind. Fresh corn chips, real cheese (not processed "cheese product"), and a slice of pickled jalapeno are perfect. So many restaurants serve what they call nachos, but they add ground beef (much too heavy), raw tomato (detracts from the corn, cheese, jalapeno flavor), raw onion, and even sour cream, which ruins the flavor and the crunchy crispness. Confession: when I want a complete protein, I first spread a bit of frijoles refritos on each chip. That's dinner!

I remember eating these in Yuma AZ in a restaurant/bar called Chretin’s in the mid 70’s, and loving them. I was so disappointed with the processed cheese sauce version we found when moving East. This recipe brings back wonderful memories!

Shocked to see the same nachos I made as a kid growing up in El Paso. Thank you!

I live in Texas and Nachos are a staple. Everyone keeps the ingredients in their pantry and refrigerator. Avoid Nachos made at a concession stand (i.e. Dallas Cowboy football game). However, do try nachos from local Texas Mexican Food establishments. aka "Tex Mex". A good snack for all types of weather!Be creative in your toppings. Kids like nachos without jalapeno peppers on them. Adults are the opposite. Mexican food ingredients are all good nacho toppings.

Santitas,Tostitos, Late July are my favorites.

We started eating thse in the mid 70's in central Texas, except we spread refried beans on first, the the cheese and loads of pickled Jalapenos... Still love them today.

These are the best! Thanks for the tip to add refried beans, made it even more delicious. Use Tostitos corn chips; they taste great and are sturdier than other brands.

My last meal will be nachos.

like the reader below, I first had nachos in Yuma Arizona at Chretins restaurant. the order was 12 nachos, individual round corn chips with cheddar Colby jack with 1 jalapeño slice in the middle. Rolled tacos and folded tacos were fried with a toothpick to hold together and burritos enchilada style. Spoiled for like...nothing has lived to this Mexican food.

This looks like a sheet pan of the nachos we’ve been making for 50 years. Ours have a schmear of Rosarita refried beand as the first layer. Rosarita is the best flavored and has visible beaniness. It’s a dealbreaker for me.

My mother made the same recipe in the 60’s and on. As an Air Force family, we lived on the East Coast & Europe. No one knew what they were! So great to see them today.

If you use sheet pans the nachos will quickly get cold once pulled from the oven. Bake and serve them on a pizza stone or oven-proof ceramic platter instead. They'll stay nice and hot -- and the cheese will stay melted -- much longer.

easy if you use Santitas, store bought shredded Mexican blend cheese and pickled peppers.Spread chips on platter, sprinkle cheese on top, and peppers, and microwave till cheese is melted--15-30 sec.Easy and satisfying

Is Cheddar a reasonable sub for those of us not in the US?

A longstanding taco shop in a small WNY town makes their nachos like this. They have been in business over 50 years as a drive through. When I am in town, I ALWAYS have to have the nachos and a couple of tacos. I have made these, but for some reason, they are always better from TACO JOES in Batavia NY. I plan to make these on Friday for my very sophisticated friends (lol) for our Bookclub luncheon.

This is how our favorite restaurant LaFiesta served Nachos in Cleveland. A trick, don’t use chips. Use whole corn tortillas top and melt then when they come out slice into quarters with a pizza cutter.

This is more challenging than it seems.

For years I made this sort of nacho, but used a round nacho chip manufactured by old El Paso. It was perfect. Tostada chips are too large, and triangles are so-so…but work in a pinch. Now triangle is all I can find. For kids and those that don’t like the heat, I always made a few with sliced olives. I use cheddar cheese.

Welcome back to dad’s nachos, from about 1972! Carefully arranged chips, one small neat cube of jack cheese on each chip, and a tidbit of mild canned diced green chile on each, then melted. Perfect. From back when portions were reasonable and the fashion for dumping everything on top of everything was still safely 30 years away.

Good article, even this late after its original publication. In Austin, Texas, try the Chili Parlor and make sure the server knows what you want. You'll get it and it'll be scrumptious.