Black-Eyed Pea Nachos (Printer-friendly)

Crispy tortilla chips topped with black-eyed peas, melted cheese, and fresh southwestern garnish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Base

01 - Tortilla chips, 7 ounces

→ Toppings

02 - Black-eyed peas, 1 can (14 ounces), drained and rinsed
03 - Shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack, 7 ounces
04 - Sour cream, 3.5 ounces
05 - Fresh jalapeños, 1 to 2, thinly sliced
06 - Tomato, 1 medium, diced
07 - Spring onions, 2, thinly sliced
08 - Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
09 - Lime, 1, cut into wedges

→ Optional

10 - Avocado, 1, diced
11 - Hot sauce to taste

# Steps:

01 - Preheat your oven to 400°F.
02 - Spread tortilla chips evenly on a large baking sheet or ovenproof platter. Scatter the drained black-eyed peas evenly over the chips.
03 - Sprinkle the shredded cheese generously over the black-eyed peas and chips.
04 - Bake in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
05 - Remove from the oven and immediately top with dollops of sour cream, sliced jalapeños, diced tomato, and spring onions.
06 - Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve with lime wedges. Add avocado and hot sauce if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come together in 20 minutes flat, which means you can make them while people are still arriving instead of stressing beforehand.
  • Black-eyed peas add a hearty, unexpected twist that makes these feel more substantial than regular nachos.
  • Every bite has multiple textures and temperatures happening at once—that's the magic that keeps people reaching for more.
02 -
  • Drain and rinse your canned beans thoroughly—the starchy liquid will make everything taste flat and heavy if you skip this step.
  • Don't go rogue with the cheese amount; melted cheese that's too thick turns into rubber, while the right amount disappears into every crack and crevice of the chips.
03 -
  • Cut your fresh ingredients ahead of time so you can build the nachos quickly once the cheese comes out of the oven—speed is your friend here.
  • If you're serving these at a gathering, keep the hot components (chips and cheese) separate from the cold toppings until the last minute, then let people build their own so everyone gets it the way they like it.
Go Back