My air fryer nachos recipe is easy and cooks up in just 4 minutes! It’s packed with flavor from the crispy tortilla chips, gooey melted cheese, and bountiful toppings!
If you are craving more air fryer appetizers, try my air fryer pickles, air fryer potato chips, air fryer okra, and air fryer buffalo cauliflower next.
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Nothing satisfies quite like a massive pile of cheesy nachos, and ever since I discovered how EASY it is to make them in the air fryer, I’ve been hooked.
Whether I’m hosting and need a quick appetizer or can’t be bothered to turn on the oven for dinner, having these nachos on deck has been a game-changer.
Why I love this recipe
- They’re fast. Because there’s no waiting around for the oven to preheat.
- Easy to customize. Like any good nacho recipe, you can take my base ingredients and customize them with your favorite toppings. I’ll be sure to give you tons of ideas later on.
- Minimal clean-up. Nachos are a notoriously messy business, but with this recipe, all you have to clean is the air fryer basket.
Key Ingredients
- Tortilla chips. Use regular tortilla chips, corn tortilla chips (to keep them gluten-free), or do what I do and use my air fryer tortilla chips.
- Black beans. For texture and a little fiber boost. You can also substitute the black beans for refried beans or pinto beans.
- Shredded cheese. I used a mix of shredded cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese, but any combination will do!
- Toppings. I went with grape tomatoes and pickled jalapeños, but feel free to get creative or steal one of my suggestions below.
How to make air fryer nachos
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the air fryer to 200C/400F and line the air fryer basket with aluminum foil.
Step 2- Layer. Place a single layer of corn chips in the basket, then top with black beans, cheese, tomatoes, and jalapeno.
Step 3- Air fry for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Layer the ingredients evenly. I find this allows the chips to remain crispy WHILE holding onto tons of toppings.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. While you can pile as many chips as you want in the basket, the more each chip gets equal access to the heat, the crispier they’ll get. If needed, air fry in batches.
- Preheat the air fryer because you want the nachos to get crispy as soon as the heat touches them.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover nachos can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Frequently asked questions
I find a hotter temperature for a shorter time works best, so I prefer 200C/400F.
I typically reheat nachos in the air fryer at a lower temperature to compensate for the pre-melted cheese. 2-3 minutes at 180C/350F is plenty.
More easy air fryer recipes to try
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Preheat the air fryer to 200C/400F.
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Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper. Place a layer of corn chips on top. Top with black beans, shredded cheese, grape tomatoes, then the jalapeños.
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Air fry for 4 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.
Recipe variations
- Add meat. Try pre-cooked and shredded chicken, ground beef, leftover taco meat, chorizo, ground turkey, or for something meat-free, try my sofritas.
- Pile on the toppings. Sour cream, salsa, guacamole, diced red onions, and black olives all make perfect toppings.
- Garnish. Top the nachos with fresh cilantro for a pop of color and flavor.
Serving: 1servingCalories: 264kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 8gFat: 15gSodium: 311mgPotassium: 227mgFiber: 4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 349IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 26g
