Pioneer Woman Cheesesteak Nachos with Chipotle Beans

Pioneer Woman cheesesteak nachos with chipotle beans take 45 minutes and shaved steak, caramelized onions and pepperoncini to make a loaded, cheesy snack. It's an easy game day appetizer for Super Bowl parties, tailgates or Cinco de Mayo, and it's a hearty crowd-pleaser that feeds eight to ten people.

Cook the steak in small batches over high heat, because crowding the skillet steams the meat instead of crisping it. Skip that and the nachos end up with gray, chewy beef instead of browned edges.

Spicy chipotle beans go in as their own layer, so you get smoky heat between the steak and the creamy cheese. A homemade sauce of half-and-half, processed cheese and cheddar stays smooth and pourable, unlike jarred nacho cheese that sets up fast.

Pioneer Woman Cheesesteak Nachos with Chipotle Beans

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: AppetizerCuisine: American, Tex MexDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

620

kcal

Crispy chips are layered three times with beef, sweet onions, smoky beans and tangy pepperoncini. A silky cheese sauce goes over everything, so every chip stays coated without getting soggy right away.

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. olive oil
  

• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
  

• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
  

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  

• 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  

• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons sauce
  

• Juice of 1 lime
  

• 1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
  

• 1 1/2 c. half-and-half
  

• 1 lb. processed cheese (such as Velveeta), cubed
  

• 1 c. shredded mild cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
  

• Pinch of cayenne pepper
  

• 1 lb. shaved steak
  

• 1 13-ounce bag tortilla chips
  

• 1/2 c. sliced pepperoncini, drained
  

Directions

• Caramelize the onions: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the 2 sliced onions with salt and pepper. Cook for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring now and then, until tender and golden, then move them to a covered bowl and keep the skillet.
• Simmer the chipotle beans: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook the 2 minced garlic cloves for about 30 seconds until just golden. Stir in the pinto beans, chopped chipotle and 2 tablespoons adobo sauce. Then add the lime juice, cilantro and 1/2 cup water and simmer about 6 minutes until thickened.
• Make the cheese sauce: Warm the half-and-half in a second saucepan over medium-low heat until just simmering. Whisk in the processed cheese a few cubes at a time until melted. Then whisk in the cheddar for about 1 minute until the sauce is smooth and coats a spoon, and finish with the pinch of cayenne.
• Crisp the steak: Heat the last tablespoon of olive oil in the reserved skillet over high heat. Add the shaved steak a few pieces at a time, letting them curl before adding more. Then season with salt and pepper and cook about 3 minutes until crispy at the edges and no longer pink.
• Chop the steak: Chop the cooked steak roughly right in the pan with a metal spatula or tongs. That keeps the pieces small enough that every chip gets some beef.
• Build the nachos: Spread a third of the tortilla chips on a platter and top with a third each of the beans, steak, onions, pepperoncini and cheese sauce. Build two more layers the same way, then finish with the last of the cheese sauce on the very top.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use ribeye instead of shaved steak?

Yes, slice a ribeye as thin as you can against the grain, and freezing it for 20 minutes first makes that much easier. Thin slices cook in the same 3 minutes, so the rest of the recipe stays the same.

Can I make the components ahead of time?

The onions, beans and cheese sauce can all be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge. Reheat each one gently, loosening the sauce with a splash of half-and-half, and cook the steak fresh so it stays crisp.

What can I use in place of processed cheese?

A sauce made from more cheddar will taste good, but it can turn grainy without the stabilizers in processed cheese. If you skip it, add a little cornstarch to the half-and-half first, so the sauce stays smooth.

How do I keep the chips from getting soggy?

Assemble right before serving and put the platter on the table right away. Layering the toppings, as the recipe does, also keeps the chips on the bottom from sitting under sauce for long.

How spicy are these nachos?

They have a medium kick, mostly from the chipotle in adobo. For less heat, use half the chipotle and skip the cayenne, since the adobo sauce still brings smoky flavor.