Don’t run away! I know this looks like a salad. Let me reassure you that you’re looking at a big ol’ honkin’ plate of Loaded Turkey Nachos.
That’s right: there’s meat under there. (That’s what he said.)
Tartlets, you don’t even know how difficult it was choosing my book-inspired recipe for Party of Two.
This rom-com doubles down on the food talk; cakes abound, as do burgers and fries, take-out food, pizza and beer. There’s even a drink served in a pineapple that makes an appearance!
In the end, I went with Loaded Turkey Nachos since Olivia and Max share a plate of nachos several times in the story.
And, well, I’ve made a lot of cakes already. And burgers.
Nachos are something new for me. At least, when it comes to book-inspired recipes.
Mr Tart and I started making nachos at home a few years ago, and we quickly discovered that homemade Loaded Turkey Nachos are way better than anything we can find at a restaurant or bar.
You wanna know the key to making excellent nachos?
IT’S LAYERING.
A lot of places dump all the toppings onto a mile-high pile of tortilla chips.
Which is fine – if you want to eat only the first half of the dish, then stare forlornly at a plate of naked chips in front of you.
Yeah, no one wants that.
You have to layer the chips, meat, and cheese a few times to maximize flavor, crunch, and melty goodness in every bite, right down to the very last nacho.
Although I love me some beef, I’ve started using ground turkey meat when I make nachos. Makes me feel less guilty about smothering everything with cheese later on. And, I promise you, once you get the taco seasoning on there, you won’t even know it’s not beef.
Plus, you see all those toppings? All that greenery? Between the ground turkey and the abundance of plants on this dish, Loaded Turkey Nachos are practically a health food.
Which is helpful to think about when you’re shoving fistful after fistful of chips into your mouth.
Meaty, crunchy, salty, zippy, melty….these are all words I would use to describe Turkey Loaded Nachos. They are just so GOOD.
So much flavor comes from homemade seasoning and V8 juice (trust me) cooked into the turkey taco meat, and the lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado, along with a quick squeeze of lime juice, add a crisp, fresh quality to the dish.
Obviously, everyone has their nacho topping preferences. This recipe covers the basics of what you find in a typical nacho platter, and you can build your own version from there. Feel free to remove some toppings and swap in others.
Or, you could make this dish exactly as I’ve written it.
Because Loaded Turkey Nachos are awesome. THE END.
Blogger’s Note: These photos were taken using the Beechwood surface from Replica Surfaces. I’m a Replica Surfaces Ambassador! Visit http://replicasurfaces.com/awellreadtart (affiliate link) to learn about this favorite brand of mine.
Loaded Turkey Nachos
Ingredients
LOADED TURKEY NACHO INGREDIENTS
- 11 oz corn tortilla chips (any color)
- 1 lb turkey taco meat (see below)
TURKEY TACO MEAT INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb lean ground turkey meat
- 1-2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2/3 cup low-sodium V8 juice
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
LOADED TURKEY NACHO TOPPING INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 cup freshly grated colby jack cheese
- 1 cup low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges/slices
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
PREP INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Mix all your taco seasoning spices (chili powder, cumin, onion powder, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper) together and set aside.
- Prep all your topping ingredients and set aside.
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat 1-2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil in a large pan. Add the ground turkey meat and mash it around with a spatula so it covers the pan.
- Let turkey meat cook, stirring regularly while breaking it up into crumbles, for about 10 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink.
- Stir the homemade taco seasoning into the ground turkey until combined, then stir in the V8 juice.
- Let mixture cook and thicken, another 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
BAKING INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large, heatproof casserole dish, create the first layer of your Loaded Turkey Nachos: spread a thin layer of tortilla chips on the bottom of the dish, then scatter around some grated cheese, a few spoonfuls of turkey taco meat, and a spoonful of beans. Build your second (and third, if you’re really hungry!) layer the same way.
- Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake for 5-6 minutes at 350F, or until cheese is melty and top chips are slightly crispy.
- Remove Loaded Turkey Nachos from oven and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Just before serving, sprinkle the top of Loaded Turkey Nachos with the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Grate extra cheese over nachos if desired (um, YES.) Serve while still hot.
