Nachos w/ Fennel Quinoa & Rattlesnake Cheddar

These Rattlesnake Cheddar Nachos consist of fennel and tomato quinoa with jalapeños, fennel, lemon juice, and rattlesnake cheddar cheese.

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Latin American, Mexican

Servings 2 servings

Cook Quinoa w/ Tomatoes, Jalapeños, & Fennel. This takes about an hour and requires a rice cooker or stove. You can also easily create a different flavor profile or utilize the produce that you have on hand. I almost always keep a batch of rice or quinoa in the fridge for exactly this purpose.
I also topped this with Potluck Avocado Dip w/ Greek Yogurt & Sunflower Seeds. This is entirely optional. You can easily substitute sour cream or omit it entirely for a more vegan recipe. Although this avocado dip is my new favorite thing and I highly recommend giving it a try. It's kind of a mix between hummus and guacamole. And is absolutely delicious!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Meanwhile, lay out tortilla chips across a baking sheet.
Cover until you can't see the baking sheet any longer. They should be touching, but not overlapping too much. You really just want to be able to add toppings to every chip without it getting too much on the baking sheet!
Exactly how much chips you use is largely a matter of personal preference as well. I've never sat there carefully measuring chips! Roughly two handfuls usually equates to about a serving. I tend to cook far more than I actually need, though. So, as always, adjust to personal preference!
Spread toppings evenly across the tortilla chips.
This acts largely like refried beans would in a typical nacho recipe. You can either spread across each of the chips or just drop little dollops across the chips.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the chips begin to toast.

Once the nachos are done cooking, remove from the oven and top with avocado dip, hot sauce, and a dash of salt and pepper.
Serve immediately. Once the nachos begin to cool down, the tortilla chips will absorb too much moisture and soften. Once this happens, there isn't a lot that you can do to crisp them up again!

For a more in-depth article on nachos, check out my article on The Fundamentals of Making Nachos. I make suggestions on settling the microwave vs. oven debate and give suggestions on serving size, topping order, and potential reheating tips and tricks.