Nachos in the morning? Absolutely! These breakfast nachos are loaded with eggs, bacon, sausage, melty cheese, and all of your favorite creamy and zesty toppings.  Perfect for brunch, breakfast for dinner, or feeding hungry crowds!

Overhead view of two plates and one skillet full of breakfast nachos.

This is nacho average Tex Mex dish. With all of those cheesy, crunchy, colorful, and flavorful toppings, make sure to provide extra napkins just in queso! (No more, promise).

About this recipe

You’ve heard of loaded nachos before right? Well, these breakfast nachos take it up a another level. When people talk about “all the things” they MUST be referring to these phenomenally crunchy, cheesy, ultimate stacked, loaded with all the things, nachos! This is the kind of dish you see on TV and wonder how you can get your hands on something like that. This, right here, is it!

Having nachos for dinner is amazing, but having nachos for breakfast or brunch is a little extra special and so much fun! Crispy crunchy tortilla chips, covered in bacon, eggs, sausage, black beans, and all of your favorite toppings like sour cream, salsa, cheese, jalapeno, avocado, tomato, you name it, it’s got it! Layered and stacked in a way so that every bite has a bit of everything.

Making a big shareable tray for a family brunch, Mexican night, or a game day party is such a quick and easy way to feed a hungry crowd. It’s a complete meal on its own, so there’s no need to even think about what else you need to make along with it. Plus it’s completely customizable to how you like your nachos, vegetarian or otherwise. Not only are the ingredients flexible but so are the amounts!

Want to really win at a Cinco de Mayo brunch? Try pairing these with a Bloody Maria cocktail, a Tex-Mex twist on a classic Bloody Mary. If you really want to go all out, try breakfast tacos and breakfast crunchwraps.

Nachos in a cast iron skillet with toppings surrounding the pan.

What you need

This is an extremely flexible recipe, so have fun and adapt it to your taste. Vegetarian, extra meat, more toppings, less toppings… there are so many options here!

  • Tortilla Chips  – Round or triangle it doesn’t matter, they all taste great!
  • Eggs – This recipe calls for 6 eggs, scrambled.
  • Bacon – Your choice of regular, turkey, thick or thin, any will do. It should be cooked and crumbled.
  • Sausage – Change it up and use Mexican chorizo for added smoky flavor. Or add ham for a meat-lover’s version of nachos.
  • Black Beans – Whole beans of your choice. Black beans or pinto are classic. Canned beans should be rinsed and drained. If you prefer refried beans, you could dollop those on instead.
  • Salsa – A chunky kind is best, it holds its own without getting too soggy.
  • Cheese – Colby Jack is a great choice but cheddar or pepper Jack are great choices for this recipe too.
  • Toppings – As many or as few as you’d like! Some of our favorites are: sour cream, tomato, cilantro, green onion, avocado, and jalapeño (if you don’t like it spicy, don’t use them, or for a mild approach, take out the seeds).

Tip! Add a bit of milk to your sour cream to make it spreadable, or to drizzle across the pan of nachos.

Overhead view of ingredients needed for recipe.

How to make it

Place the chips in the bottom of the pan and layer the scrambled eggs over the chips. Next layer the bacon and sausage over the eggs, followed by the beans and tomatoes. Top with cheese.

Four steps showing layering of nachos.

Place the pan in a preheated oven for 10 minutes until the cheese is nice and melted.

Cheese melted on a pan of nachos.

Remove from the oven and layer with additional optional garnishes of cilantro, jalapeno, avocado and onion. 

Place the salsa in the middle and drizzle sour cream over the top. Serve immediately.

Close up view of garnished nachos.

FAQs

What is the difference between chilaquiles and nachos?

Chilaquiles and nachos may look like a similar plate of chips and goodness and are both two of Mexico’s finest creations, but there is a difference. Nachos are crispy tortilla chips used as a vessel to carry all of those amazing toppings. Forks are optional, and nachos are typically served as an appetizer or snack, or in this case, breakfast!

Chilaquiles is a plate of warm corn tortilla chips that are soft and topped with queso fresco and either a red or tomatillo sauce. It almost has the texture of an enchilada and for this reason, it’s eaten with a fork.

How do you keep nachos from getting soggy?

At a certain point, all nachos get soggy after having sat around for a while. Baking the nachos first to crisp them up nicely, and top with the remaining toppings can help. This will allow the residual heat from the nachos, eggs, and bacon to melt the cheese.

You could also try baking the nachos with the cheese first, allowing the cheese to act as a barrier, and then top with remaining toppings and maybe extra cheese on top and bake once more.

And last, avoid overloading with sauces. Having bowls of extra salsa, guacamole, and sour cream for people to add to their own makes for a much easier time keeping the chips crispy.

Is it better to bake or broil nachos?

Overall it’s better to bake, so everything gets cooked nice and evenly, and whatever veggies you happen to on there are nice and soft. It’s not to say that you can’t finish it off in the broiler to get a nice browning on your cheese, and possibly an even crispier chip. The only thing is you’ll need to keep an eye out for burning. It can happen quickly!

What type of cheese is best for nachos?

Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, American cheese, and queso fresco are all great choices. Creating a sauce of any of these is also a nice idea.

Chip with toppings being held in a hand.

How to make these nachos your own

  • Instead of shredded cheese, make your own cheese sauce to pour over top.
  • Sprinkling a little taco seasoning on the cooked sausage will give it a signature smoky flavor.
  • This recipe works with different proteins. Ground beef, shredded chicken, or diced chicken can be used in place of the sausage.
  • Completely omit any meat for a vegetarian tray of nachos.
  • Add some diced bell pepper for added color and crunch.
  • If scrambled eggs aren’t your thing, place a couple of fried eggs on top instead.
  • Substitute black beans for refried beans.

Storage Suggestions

These don’t store very well because the chips tend to get soggy after a while.  If you think you might make more than you need, and will have leftovers, serve everything separately and let people build their nachos. A loaded nachos bar is never a bad idea!

Nachos being scooped out of a cast iron pan.

More savory breakfast recipes

Overhead view of plates of nachos and a skillet.

Get the Recipe: Breakfast Nachos

Nachos in the morning? Absolutely! These breakfast nachos are loaded with eggs, bacon, sausage, melty cheese, and all of your favorite creamy and zesty toppings.  Perfect for brunch, breakfast for dinner, or feeding hungry crowds!
5 from 1 rating

Ingredients

  • 1 bag tortilla chips (11 ounces)
  • 6 eggs, scrambled and cooked
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
  • 1 pound ground sausage, cooked
  • 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 2 cups grated Colby jack cheese
  • ½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, sliced
  • 1 green onion, sliced
  • ½ cup chunky salsa
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • ½ cup sour cream

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Place the chips in the bottom of the pan; layer the eggs over the chips.
  • Next layer the bacon and sausage over the eggs. Add the beans and tomatoes. Top with cheese.
  • Place the pan in the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese is nice and melted.
  • Remove and layer with cilantro, jalapeno, avocado and onion.
  • Place the salsa in the middle and drizzle sour cream over the top.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Storage: These don’t store very well; the chips get soggy. If you think you might have leftovers, serve everything separate and let people build their nachos.
  • Ingredient Notes:
    • Eggs: Scramble the eggs but don’t overcook them, as they will continue to cook in the oven and can dry out.
    • Bacon: Regular or turkey will work.
    • Sausage: For a spicier nacho, try using chorizo instead.
    • Cheese: If desired, try using cheddar or pepper jack instead of colby jack.
    • Toppings: Use whatever you’d like, or omit some if desired.
      • Jalapeno – if you don’t like hot don’t use them, or remove the seeds and ribs for a more mild version.
      • Sour Cream – Mix with a little milk to help it spread/drizzle nicely.
Calories: 651kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 45g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 17g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 203mg, Sodium: 901mg, Potassium: 627mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 985IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 350mg, Iron: 3mg