Name: 5 Minute Air Fryer Nachos
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 6-7 oz. tortilla chips ((about half a bag)); ¾ cup cooked black beans ((about 6 oz.)); 4 oz. can diced green chilis; 6 oz. freshly shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese ((about 1½ cups)); 2-3 small tomatoes, diced; 1 jalapeno thinly sliced; 1-2 scallions chopped; 1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro; sour cream for topping

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These Air Fryer Loaded Nachos are hands down, the quickest party appetizers I have on my blog thanks to the speediness of my air fryer. They're made with beans, shredded cheese, tomatoes, cilantro and jalapenos. Nachos ready in just 5 minutes thanks to our handy dandy air fryer!

Cheesy loaded air fryer nachos on a round cutting board with cheese, tomatoes, black beans, jalapenos and sour cream.

These air fryer nachos are made WITHOUT meat which is why they take just 5 minutes! I love serving them with my homemade queso cheese. They are better than any restaurant I know.

When entertaining at home, I have to admit that nachos are one of the best snacks or appetizers you can serve. Serve with my a batch of margaritas and everyone will love you.

The only thing I dislike about my air fryer is that I cannot make a large batch of these nachos. So I'll be saving this recipe for smaller get-together! 🙂 But if you're looking for a larger serving option, you need to try my Nacho Bar!

Ingredient Notes

Tortilla Chips: I recommend using corn tortilla chips that do not break easily! The thicker the better. Triangular are classic but round work too.

Cheese: The best nachos are ones where the cheese does not harden like a this queso. Otherwise, freshly shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack works best.

Beans: Black beans are the best for nachos. You can add refried beans instead if you want a heartier bite.

Ingredients on a table to make air fryer nachos. — Flour, milk and butter is to make your own nacho-type cheese sauce if you want.

How To Make Air Fryer Nachos

Making air fryer nachos is not much different than sheet pan nachos. The biggest difference is the size of the appliance. If you are looking to serve more than 4 people, I suggest either air frying in two batches, or LAYERING your nachos with ingredients between.

Place a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil in your air fryer basket. Make sure you give it "flaps" so you can pull out your nachos easily. This is crucial!
Add in your corn tortilla chips first in one layer. They will be overlapping which is okay.
If you want every tortilla chip covered, you will need to add the cheese, beans and meat one layer at a time. This will allow you to layer your nachos as high as possible without leaving out any "naked" chips.
Air fry for 5 minutes at 350 or until the cheese is fully melted.
Remove the nachos by pulling the parchment paper off carefully.
Then add your diced tomatoes, scallions, beans, chilies and whatever other ingredient you want that is cold last.
Top with sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole and enjoy!

step by step images of placing tortilla chips in air fryer topping with shredded cheddar cheese. — Layering your nachos is the key to the cheesiest nachos!

? My Layered Taco Dip and my Cold Spinach Dip are both popular party dips people go crazy over!

Substitutions

Nachos are extremely versatile and can be swapped out as you wish.

Here are some ingredient swaps if you do not like what I used here:

Cheddar Cheese- I used cheddar cheese since we always have it on hand but feel free to use any soft cheese that melts easily like Monterey Jack or Gouda. I would stay away from the bagged cheeses since the coating prevent it from melting well. Any Mexican cheese blends would be great.
Green Chilis- I use canned green chilis. They are not hot but they add delicious flavor in no time.
Black beans- These add a beautiful pop of color and lots of protein. If you are not a bean fan, you can add ground beef or leave them out altogether.
Jalapenos- Jalapenos are slightly hot compared to many peppers out there. They look fancy and allow people to pick them off if they prefer spicier bites. Leave them out or add thinly sliced green bell peppers instead.
Cilantro- I have to admit I am not a huge fan but when it comes to Mexican food, I have to say, it's hard to replace. But if you hate the stuff, use parsley instead!

You can add ground beef (or taco meat), shredded chicken, diced chicken, bacon, pulled pork, (like I use on my Crock Pot Pulled Pork Nachos), ground turkey or chicken, or even chorizo!

Loaded air fryer nachos on a plate. — Top with a dollop of sour cream!

? Air Fryer Tips

If your air fryer not have a "basket" like other air fryers. Instead it has a tray. Make sure you create a make-shift liner to form your nachos on before you preheat your air fryer. Then insert the entire thing at once.

If you do NOT have aluminum foil or do not wish to do this, you can simply assemble your nachos directly to your air fryer basket and allow the preheat option to melt the cheese and warm everything through. This will do the job.

Nachos air fried with cheese, tomatoes, jalapenos, beans and sour cream on a cutting board.

⏰ How Long Can I Reheat Nachos In The Air Fryer?

If you cheese gets cold or you want to pop some life back into soggy nachos, pop them back in the air fryer for another 2-3 minutes.

The time will depend on how piled they are. If you have a large pile, turn the temperature to 350 degrees F. If you have a few nachos, 375 degrees for a minute or 2 is all you need.

What is the best cheese to use on nachos?

If you are looking for easy, cheddar works perfectly. If you want to add more flavor, use a blend of Mexican cheeses like Monterey Jack, asadero, queso fresco or cotija cheese. If you want more of a queso cheese, you can use my white queso.

Can I make these ahead of time?

You can assemble your nachos up to an hour in advance and then pop them in the air fryer last minute. If you want to reheat them, you can do so the re-melt the cheese.

?Other Quick Air Fryer Appetizers To Try!

air fryer nachos with cheddar cheese, beans, tomatoes and sour cream on plate.

Aleka Shunk