Black Bean Nachos with Salsa Verde
These Black Bean Nachos with Salsa Verde are fresh and vibrant. This easy south-of-the-border appetizer will be the first thing to disappear at your next big gathering!
Ingredients
- For the black beans:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ large red onion finely diced
- 2 medium cloves garlic finely minced
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup black beans rinsed and well drained
- For the Salsa Verde:
- 8 ounces tomatillos* husks removed and washed well
- 1 medium clove garlic
- ½-2 jalapenos**
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ½ cup cilantro
- ½ teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ medium white onion roughly chopped
- For the nachos:
- 1 11- ounce package tortilla chips
- 12 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend or cheese of your choice
- 2 medium plum or Roma tomatoes seeds removed and diced in small pieces
- 1 medium avocado cored, peeled and diced small
- fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
- fresh lime wedges
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium size sauté pan. Add the diced red onion and sauce for 3-4 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder and salt. Cook for another minute, stirring frequently. Add the black beans and stir well. Remove from heat and set aside.
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To make the Salsa Verde, combine tomatillos, garlic, jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, honey and salt in a blender container. Pulse on and off until large pieces are broken down, but mixture is still a bit chunky. Add onion and pulse a few more times.
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Arrange half of the tortilla chips on a rimmed baking sheet or large oven-safe platter. Top with half of the shredded cheese. Add a second layer of chips and cover chips with the remaining cheese, leaving a small border around the edge free of cheese.
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Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and gooey. Top with the small dollops of salsa verde, reserved black beans, diced tomato, diced avocado and cilantro leaves. Serve with lime wedges and extra salsa verde.
Recipe Notes
* Tomatillos look like green tomatoes. They have bright, citrusy flavor and are a key ingredient in Mexican and Central-American cuisines. You'll find them near the tomatoes in the produce section of larger grocery stores and also Hispanic markets. They have a papery husk covering the fruit which should be removed before eating. I find it's easy to remove the husk under warm running water. The water will also remove a sticky coating on the tomatillos which is actually, a natural insect repellent.
Serve 6-8
** Jalapeños vary tremendously in heat levels. For the Salsa Verde, I recommend starting with a half, then tasting before adding the onion. You can always add more but it's hard to take heat away.
Recipe inspired by Bon Appétit