Whether you're hosting game night or a game day gathering, a Build-You-Own Nacho Bar is perfect for a crowd. With easy recipes for homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce (Queso) and the World's Best Guacamole (for real!) you will definitely win the nacho game every time.
One of my favorite bar foods is loaded nachos. There's nothing quite as satisfying as crispy tortilla chips topped with gooey cheese, spicy taco meat, beans, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, etc etc etc etc... You get the picture. I've eaten a lot of nachos in bars, and I always like seeing how different places put their own unique spin on a popular favorite.
When I'm gathering friends in my home, I love to feed them! It's fun coming up with different menu ideas for game nights and such to keep things interesting. A relatively easy but super satisfying option for your next get-together is a build-your-own nacho bar.
It's a bit more playful than a build-your-own taco bar (which is also awesome by the way), and it's perfect for football watching, or anything watching really.
Build-Your-Own Nacho Bar Ingredients
Tortilla chips
Taco Meat (double the recipe if serving a larger crowd)
Guajillo-Braised Beef Short Ribs
Shot-and-a-Beer Shredded Chicken
Achiote Grilled Chicken
Canned black beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed OR canned refried beans
Canned black olives, drained and sliced
Pickled jalapenos (homemade is best!)
Salsa (homemade is best!)
Sour cream or Mexican crema
Nacho Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)
World's Best Guacamole (recipe follows)
Sliced scallions and/or fresh cilantro
All toppings (except guacamole) can be made ahead of time. Meats can even be frozen and later reheated.
Set all the nacho bar fixings into bowls. Make sure your cheese sauce is heated, and in a vessel that can keep it hot such as a small slow cooker or fondue pot (worst case scenario, leave it on low heat on your stove-top and stir it periodically). You can also keep the meat hot in the same way.
Expert tips
Almost every component can be prepared in advance and either reheated or set out at room temperature. There are lots of options for meat toppings that are great on nachos. I've listed a few above, but opted for a simple, straightforward taco beef for my nacho bar.
Nearly all of the toppings can be store-bought, but I do encourage you to make a few of the fixings yourself, as homemade really does taste better. For example, my homemade pickled jalapenos are THE BEST.
My refrigerator is always fully stocked with jars, and everyone who has tried them has flipped out over them. I actually won't eat a store-bought pickled jalapeno anymore. I don't like them very much. Mine are exponentially better, and very easy to make.
I also suggest making guacamole from scratch. You can easily use store-bought guac, but why would you when it's so simple to make yourself? You might laugh at my proclamation that my guacamole is the world's best since it seems like an outrageous statement, and the recipe only contains five ingredients (including the salt), but trust me on this.
I will put my guacamole up against anyone's. Much like the jalapenos, I have had countless people swoon after tasting my guac. The key is the generous amount of garlic, and the ground coriander.
Yes, I've made guacamole before with other ingredients, like fresh cilantro, fresh jalepeno, red onion, and chopped tomato, and although there's nothing wrong with those ingredients, I don't think you need them to create an out-of-this-world guacamole. Try my recipe and tell me what you think!
Last but certainly not least, let's discuss the nacho cheese sauce or queso. Call it whatever you want, but for a build-your-own nacho bar it's a key component! You also want to make sure you keep it hot otherwise it's just a block of soft cheese in a bowl 🙂
Making a gooey and delicious cheese sauce is incredibly easy. You don't need to make a roux and a bechamel sauce like you normally would for macaroni and cheese. I've seen other nacho cheese sauce recipes that start that way, and it's not necessary.
Try the recipe below instead. It's as easy as grating cheese, tossing the cheese with cornstarch, then combining with canned evaporated milk and hot sauce. Heat and stir. Easy peasy.
I use a combination of sharp cheddar cheese and American cheese. You could replace the American with more cheddar, or try some Jack cheese, but I love the way American cheese melts and tastes (I'm talking about Land 'o Lakes, not Kraft!).
This cheddar-forward sauce is definitely an improvement on a tub of melted Velveeta and Rotel, so adding a little processed cheese for texture is fine in my book. You may want something like this mini dipper or a small fondue pot to keep your cheese sauce warm.
Other recipes you may like
- Prickly Pear Margaritas
- Tamarind Margaritas
- Hibiscus Margarita (Margarita de Jamaica)
- Duck Carnitas Nachos
- Buffalo Chicken Nachos
- Grilled Fish Tacos
- Margarita Cupcakes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also follow me on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Nacho Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar grated
- 4 ounces American cheese preferably Land ‘o Lakes, grated or chopped if pre-sliced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce such as Frank’s Red Hot
Instructions
- Toss the grated cheeses and cornstarch together in a medium saucepan, and add the evaporated milk and hot sauce.
- Heat over medium-low heat, stirring regularly until the cheese melts. Continue to stir until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken.
- Remove from the heat, transfer to a small slow cooker or fondue pot to keep warm. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute more cheddar or Monterey Jack for the American cheese, if you prefer.
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
World’s Best Guacamole
Ingredients
- 4 ripe Haas avocados
- Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced or crushed garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or as needed
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
Instructions
- Halve avocados and carefully remove the pits. Add the pits to a medium mixing bowl (the pits will keep the avocados from oxidizing). Using a sharp knife, slice the avocado flesh (still in the skin) diagonally into ¼-inch slices, then slice again in the opposite direction to create cubes. Repeat for the remaining avocado halves. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh and add flesh to the mixing bowl.
- Add the lime juice, crushed garlic, salt, and ground coriander, and mix well. You want some of the avocado to mash up as you mix, but retain some of the cubes for a hybrid smooth/chunky guacamole. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
Sarah says
Started with 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp flour for roux, then added evaporated milk and then the cheese that I added a little cornstarch to. Was good! The Frank's takes the flavor from bland to great!
Mary Kabakian says
What a fun idea for parties!
Camille says
I love both of these recipes SO much. They are both the perfect football foods. I've tried so many different recipes for guacamole, but this one is my absolute favorite!! And the homemade cheese sauce just can't be beat!