The Trick To Reheating Leftover Nachos Without Making A Soggy Mess

It's easy to have leftovers when making your favorite Mexican dishes — and while reheating leftover nachos seems relatively easy, there's an art to ensuring the chips don't get soggy and limp. In this case, heating up the dish in the oven is recommended to keep the chips firm for enjoying on subsequent days. Microwaves might be convenient, but they're notorious for leaving all types of food soggy. This is because moisture can't escape the device, which means it will linger on food while it's being heated up.

To heat nacho chips in the oven, take a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper to avoid sticking. You can also use aluminum foil in a pinch. Next, take your nacho chips and spread them out evenly over the baking sheet. Place the sheet into the oven and heat at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about five minutes or so. Once thoroughly heated, the chips will be firm and perfectly crunchy, which means they're primed and ready for toppings.

When going for crispy and crunchy leftover nachos, it's best to remove certain ingredients before reheating the chips. For instance, lettuce, peppers, and other veggies will transfer moisture to the chips while heating them up, so you should take off any toppings that are typically served cold on nachos. However, when it comes to ingredients like beef and cheese, you can place them in the oven along with your chips.

When it comes to cheese, sprinkle it over the nacho chips so they attain gooey, cheesy perfection. As for the beef, there is a possibility that it will also distribute juices and moisture onto the chips. As a result, you may want to separate the beef and chips on the baking sheet. You can also nuke the beef in the microwave for a few minutes, which ensures your chips will remain extra crispy. Once all the hot ingredients have been warmed up, combine them with your veggie toppings and dig in.

Among other air fryer hacks is reheating nachos. Air fryers are a convenient kitchen device known for creating crispy food, so they're a good option when it comes to heating up leftover nachos. Start by setting the fryer to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, then remove the vegetable toppings from the nachos and set them aside. Disperse the chips in the basket of the air fryer, making sure to evenly distribute them. If you're reheating quite a few chips, you may want to place them into the air fryer in batches.

Once the chips are in the basket, feel free to sprinkle some cheese over them. You can also add toppings like ground beef at this point, but you may want to place aluminum foil in the basket to prevent grease from spilling out. Leave the chips and toppings in the air fryer for approximately three to four minutes, then remove. Food warms up quickly within the air fryer, so it's best to monitor your nachos as they cook to avoid burning them.