5 Best Ways to Reheat Nachos?

If there is one thing I hate more than a slow internet connection, it is soggy nachos. Let’s look at Best Ways to Reheat Nachos.

I am pretty sure you do too, right? But, given how delectable nachos are, you are bound to order in a lot more than you can eat. They make a good snack, can be eaten as a main course with a side of chili, or even work as a crunchy element in salads.

Not knowing the correct way to reheat your nachos will leave you with a batch of soggy corn chips. But, once you know the right way of reheating your nachos, you won’t regret buying bigger bags or batches of these crispy chips.

It doesn’t matter whether you have some leftover nachos with toppings or a half-eaten bag of stale chips on your kitchen counter; reheating them the right way will make them taste just like the fresh batch straight out of the oven.

Here, I will share some of the best ways to reheat nachos that will make you enjoy them any time of the day.

5 Best Ways to Reheat Nachos 

When it comes to reheating your leftover nachos, there are a few distinct ways of doing so. You can either use an oven, a skillet, a microwave, a broiler, or a toaster.

1. Reheating Nachos Using an Oven

If you have leftover nachos with toppings, using an oven is your best bet. The only caution is to remove the cold toppings, including lettuce, sour cream, and guacamole, from the top before putting the rest into the oven. It helps crisp up the nachos faster and leaves them with a crispy texture.

Steps to follow:

• Start by preheating the oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit or 107 degrees Celsius.
• If you have the leftover in a plastic container, get them out on a plate and get rid of the cold toppings before popping it into the oven.
• Tear a section of aluminum foil and cover the plate with it, ensuring to fold the sides in.
• In the convection mode, heat the nachos for 10-15 minutes, keeping the fan on low.
• Once it’s done, use your oven mitts to take the plate out and open the foil and let it cool down a bit for 5 minutes.
• If you are not patient enough and want to reheat them quicker, increase the oven temperature.

2. Reheating Nachos Using a Skillet

If you don’t have an oven at home and need to reheat the nachos quicker for yourself or the guests waiting outside in the living room, the skillet is a good alternative. Even for this, you need to remove the cold ingredients on the top of the nacho bowl.

Steps to follow:

• Take a deep bottom iron skillet for this process.
• Transfer the leftover nachos into the skillet and spread them out evenly.
• Using an aluminum foil, cover the skillet and tuck the ends around the side to resemble a lid.
• Put the skillet on a low to medium flame, waiting for 10 minutes before you remove the foil lid.
• The foil lid helps conduct the heat evenly and keeps the top of the nachos crispy, and prevents burning as well.
• Alternatively, you can put an aluminum foil on the skillet and put the nachos on top of the foil, and reheat it till the cheese melts on the top. It is a quicker method.

3. Reheating Nachos Using a Microwave

This method is likely the easiest and the one every student would prefer because of the accessibility. But, the results are quite disappointing because it leaves the nachos feeling soggy and stale.

Steps to follow:

• Start by transferring the leftover nachos to a microwave-safe bowl or plate.
• Since the end result with this leaves the nachos soggy, I would suggest adding more cheese to make it palatable.
• Put the plate in the oven and let it heat for 1 minute or till the cheese melts.
• You need to be vigilant when putting them into the oven to prevent overcooking or burning.
• Once done, bring the plate out and let it cool for some time before you dive into it.

4. Reheating Nachos Using a Broiler

Another unconventional method of reheating a leftover batch of nachos is by using a broiler. It doesn’t give satisfactory results, but if you have just this lying around in your house, you can opt for this method.

Steps to follow:

• Start by transferring the leftover nachos from the plastic container to a microwave-safe bowl or plate.
• Spread them out evenly to ensure faster heating.
• Put them inside the broiler and let the chips heat for a minute or two.
• Make sure you keep an eye out on the chips and remove them immediately if they start burning.
• Once done, keep it on the kitchen counter and let it cool down for some time and enjoy it with some fresh toppings.

5. Reheating Nachos Using a Toaster Oven

The last but definitely not the least for this reheating process is by using a toaster oven. This one is similar to the outcome you will get using an actual oven but accommodates a lesser quantity. So, if you are reheating them for yourself, using a toaster oven is ideal.

Steps to follow:

• Start by removing the lettuce, sour cream, and remaining cold toppings from the nachos.
• Take a baking sheet and line it with some aluminum foil, and spray it with some oil to crisp up the nachos more.
• Spread out the leftover nachos on the foil and leave it aside for 2 minutes.
• Preheat the toaster oven to 250-300 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Put the baking tray inside the oven and let it reheat for 10-15 minutes.
• If you don’t want to crisp them a lot, I’d suggest leaving them in for 5-10 minutes instead.
• Let the baking tray sit on the counter for 5 minutes to cool before you devour the nachos.

How Do You Prevent Nachos from Becoming Soggy?

Let’s be real; nobody likes soggy nachos. I mean, with all the creamy and flavorful topping, the last thing you want is to miss the crunch from these tortilla chips. But, there are a few ways you can prevent your nachos from becoming soggy or dry.

Here’s how.

1. Choose Cheddar

Nachos and cheese go hand in hand. Choosing overly processed cheeses might be useful for eating right away but not great when reheating them. Using a sharp and hard cheese like cheddar enhances the taste and flavor of the nachos and melts well when reheating the chips. Did you know that you could freeze ricotta cheese?

2. Pick the Right Variety of Chips

Striking that perfect balance between the thick and thin chips is key. You don’t want your nachos to be too thick, nor do you want them to be too thin. Get the ones that are thick enough to hold the toppings but not thin enough to become soggy after a few minutes.

If you tend to buy more nachos than you can eat, I’d suggest going for the corn nachos instead of the flour ones.

3. Pick Out a Healthy Variant

Nachos are available in several options, some are plain and some are flavored. If you like eating loaded nachos with many toppings, I’d suggest you get the plain and healthier nachos with low sodium content.

But, if you like to snack on nachos right out of the bag, get the flavored ones, as per your taste.

How to Make Your Own Nachos?

If you often find yourself eating nachos, making a batch of your own is not just healthier but costs a lot less too. It also allows you to spruce up the toppings of the chips as per your likings.

Here’s how you can make your batch:

• Start by buying some fresh corn tortillas and spread them out on a plate, and leave them out on the kitchen counter overnight. Make sure you cover it with a mesh basket to prevent contamination.
• The next day, cut the tortilla into small triangular pieces.
• You can then either deep fry these pieces in some canola oil or bake them in the oven for 10-20 minutes, depending on the temperature of your oven.
• If you are deep-frying them, I’d suggest lining the plates with some tissue paper to absorb the excess oil.

Do check one of my favorite nachos recipe.

Conclusion

Reheating leftover nachos is not as tough as it seems. It would help if you had the correct appliances or equipment, and it is smooth sailing from there. 

Ensure that you always remove the cold toppings before reheating the nachos, irrespective of what mode of reheating you are choosing. I’d suggest using an oven or toaster oven to get the same fresh taste and flavor, even in the leftovers.