Whether you’re looking for an easy weeknight dinner for your family or an appetizer for your Super Bowl party menu, these sheet pan nachos are a healthy crowd-pleaser! Make these ground turkey nachos your own with multiple toppings like pickled jalapenos and a heaping amount of ooey-gooey cheese.
Nachos are a fan favorite “quick” dinner at my house!
Most of the time, I’ll make a batch of turkey taco meat and have it in the refrigerator for my family to eat it however they like. Sometimes, they like to make Crockpot Taco Meat, throw it in a salad, or put together a plate of nachos. This works out great when we are eating at different times or we all want a different variation of a taco-inspired dinner.
However, when we all want nachos, I’ll make a big batch and bake it on a sheet pan. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but over the last few years, I’ve come to really depend on my sheet pans for some quick 1-pan meals.
And, nachos are no exception!
Frequently Asked Questions About Ground Turkey Nachos
I’ve found that a sheet pan is the perfect cooking vessel for baked nachos. It’s big enough to accommodate a large family, it’s super easy to throw together, and clean up is a cinch. I’ve always made nachos this way, especially when my girls have sleepovers with their friends.
I also love how versatile this meal is! You can make it basic with just some taco meat and cheese and then let everyone add their own condiments. Or, you can also section off the sheet pan and have two different styles to make everyone happy.
Before jumping into making some nachos, here are some questions I frequently get asked about these sheet pan nachos…
What toppings do you put on nachos?
After you have baked your nacho and the cheese has slightly cooled down, you can add on all of the fresh ingredients. For example, you can sprinkle on some diced onions, tomato, and cilantro to give these nachos a fresh flavor. I also love squirting some fresh lime juice over the top.
What kind of cheese is the best to put on nachos?
I love using a mix of shredded cheddar and pepper jack cheese. This gives the nachos a great flavor!
Do you bake or broil these sheet pan nachos?
For this recipe, you are going to want to bake, not broil the turkey nachos. Baking allows the cheese to melt evenly on top of the nachos. Plus, it only takes about 5-7 minutes for the cheese to melt. With broiling, you run the risk of the cheese burning.
Are these ground turkey nachos healthy?
One wouldn’t think that nachos could be healthy but I’ve learned some tips to cut calories and fat with this recipe and just how to make it all around healthier.
For example, instead of using ground beef, I like to use ground turkey to cut some of the fat and calories. I also add beans as another source of protein and fiber to this turkey nacho recipe.
Something I’ve been doing with the kids is trading out sour cream for plain Greek yogurt as a condiment. Of course, you can offer both just in case some guests prefer sour cream at a party.
Plus, be aware of the amount of cheese you use! A “fresh” flavor like pico de gallo can go a long way when it comes to adding flavor without tons of calories.
Healthy Sheet Pan Nachos With Ground Turkey
Now, it’s time to get snackin’! Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to make this meal for dinner:
- Ground turkey – awesome source for lean protein
- Olive oil – helps to maintain healthy cholesterol levels
- Black beans – contains fiber and helps support heart health
- Onions – full of antioxidants and decreases triglycerides
- Jalapenos – burns fat off to help with weight loss
- Cheese – great source of calcium
- Worcestershire sauce – contains vitamin b6
- Taco seasoning – you can make it yourself to reduce some of the sodium
You’ll also need tortilla chips to use as the base of these nachos.
How To Make Homemade Taco Seasoning
When I season my taco meat for quesadillas or tacos, I normally use the Southwest Taco Seasoning mix from Simply Organic. I recommend looking for these spice packets in the organic food section or the bulk spice section at your local grocery store. I’ve also ordered a couple of them when I put in an order through Thrive Market (you can grab a 25% off coupon right here).
For this recipe, I make my own homemade taco seasoning and it was super easy to throw together!
You will need one teaspoon of:
- Chipotle chili powder
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
You will also need 1/4 of cup chili powder and 2 tablespoons of ground cumin to add to the mix. Take all of the spices and add them to a 6-ounce mason jar. Cover tightly with a lid and shake it up.
How To Make Sheet Pan Nachos
Once you have preheated the oven to 350 degrees, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium or large frying pan.
Add the ground turkey to the pan and cook until it’s almost fully cooked through. If you decide to use beans, then cook the beans with the ground turkey. I find that cooking the beans in the nachos alone sometimes makes the beans dry out and it doesn’t taste as good.
After you’ve added the beans, add the Worcestershire sauce (my secret ingredient), taco seasoning, and 1/2 cup of water and let it simmer for a little bit.
While the turkey and beans are cooling down, layout half a bag of tortilla chips onto a sheet pan. When I make these turkey nachos, I like to use organic tortilla chips But you can also grab the thin-style tortilla chips because you can get more servings in a portion.
Spoon half of the taco mixture over the chips, making sure just about all of the chips are covered. Then, sprinkle half the cheese over the taco meat and add another layer of tortilla chips. Repeat this process by adding the rest of the taco meat and finish it off with the rest of the cheese.
Bake for 5 – 7 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted.
Once the sheet pan nachos have cooled down enough, you can add all the toppings you want!
For my family, I added some diced onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. I topped it off with some pickled jalapenos for a spicy kick but I normally wait till it’s on my plate to add them since everyone is not a fan of spicy food. Sometimes, I’ll add a side of guacamole and sour cream for some variety.
Make-Ahead Tips For Tasty Nachos With Ground Turkey
The best thing about this turkey nacho recipe, it’s completely possible to cook this entire meal from scratch in about 25 minutes.
But sometimes, we don’t even have 25 minutes!
So, if you want to avidly avoid a mess and cut your clean up time, then preparing the meat ahead of time is the way to go. When the meat is ready in your fridge, you can have these sheet pan nachos on the table within 15 minutes.
If you do make the meat ahead of time, warm up the meat in the microwave prior to putting the nachos together. If you use cold taco meat, then you run the risk of the cheese melting before the meat is heated through.
More Tex-Mex Recipes
Now that you have the ultimate recipe for some ground turkey sheet pan nachos, check out some of these healthy Tex-Mex recipes the next time you are in the mood for something more than chips and salsa:
- Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken Tacos
- Black Bean and Rice Burritos
- Grilled Chicken Quesadillas
- Dorito Taco Salad
- Turkey Taco Bowl
Make these sheet pan nachos for a quick and easy dinner meal in under 25 minutes! Share a picture and tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you decide to try it!
Sheet Pan Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
- 3 1/2 tablespoons home taco seasoning or 1 1-ounce packet taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 15 ounce can black beans
- 1 11 ounce bag tortilla chips
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack
- chopped onions
- pickled jalapeños
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium to large frying pan. Add ground turkey and cook until just about cooked through. Break up the ground turkey as it cooks.
- Stir in the black beans, Worcestershire sauce, taco seasoning, and 1/2 cup of water. Cook until turkey is cooked through. Taste for salt. If needed, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt at time until you get the desired flavor.
- Lay out half a bag of tortilla chips to a sheet pan.
- Spoon half the taco mixture over the chips, making sure just about all of the chips are covered. Sprinkle half the cheese over the taco meat.
- Add another layer of tortilla chips.
- Add the rest of the taco meat and finish with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake for 5 – 7 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
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