Not Your Nachos: 5 Keys To Mouthwatering Nachos

Start with a solid chip. Thick chips, labelled "restaurant style," will hold up best to the massive amounts of cheese you're about to melt all over them.

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Bake in the oven. The key to melty, toasted nachos is to bake them instead of heating in the microwave. While sometimes a faster method, microwaving may result in soggy nachos.

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One layer of chips. Multiple layers leads to cheese-less chips, which is an obvious problem. Bake nachos on a sheet tray to maximize the cheese-to-chip ratio, and make sure that every last chip is covered in cheese before baking.

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Keep it simple. At the most basic level, nachos really just require chips and cheese. Add beans and sliced jalapenos, but really don't overdo it. Crumbled chorizo or other ground meat can be a nice touch, but there's no need if you don't have any on hand. For nachos that won't fall apart on you, put the beans down first, and then top with cheese, followed by the remaining toppings.

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Sides. Serve nachos with a few sides, such as sour cream, guacamole, and homemade salsa. You won't be sorry.

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Julie Ruggirello is the Recipe Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @TDMRecipeEditor.