Taco Casa’s Super Nachos are a beloved Tex-Mex staple. Their hearty portion and mouthwatering blend of ingredients make them a customer favorite. But what exactly goes into this iconic dish? Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients that make up Taco Casa’s famous Super Nachos.
Tortilla Chips
The base of any good nachos is crunchy tortilla chips. Taco Casa starts with fresh, restaurant-style tortilla chips. These are made from corn, water, lime, and salt. The chips are thicker and sturdier than your average bagged tortilla chip. This allows them to stand up to all of the toppings without getting soggy.
Taco Casa fries their tortilla chips in-house to achieve maximum crunch. They fry them in small batches to ensure freshness. Once fried, the chips are lightly salted. Taco Casa uses extra thick tortilla chips in their Super Nachos to provide the perfect crunchy base.
Refried Beans
What would nachos be without beans? Refried beans are a key component in Taco Casa’s Super Nachos. They use slow-cooked pinto beans, mashed with onions, garlic, and Mexican spices.
The refried beans add protein and fiber to balance out the indulgence of the nachos. They also provide a creamy, smooth texture to complement the crunch of the tortilla chips. Taco Casa’s refried beans are made in-house from scratch using high-quality ingredients.
Cheese
No nacho is complete without melted cheese. Taco Casa uses a three cheese blend on their Super Nachos. This includes cheddar, Monterey jack, and queso quesadilla cheese. The combination provides tangy, creamy, and slightly salty flavors.
The cheese binds all of the ingredients together. When melted, it seeps down into the chips providing the quintessential nacho cheese experience. Taco Casa uses generous portions of cheese to ensure every bite is oozing with melted goodness.
Ground Beef
Hearty ground beef is key to making a fully-loaded plate of nachos. Taco Casa uses fresh, locally sourced ground beef. It is seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder.
The ground beef provides a boost of protein and adds a pleasant meaty texture. When scattered atop the nachos, it cooks in the heat of the other ingredients, absorbing their flavors. The seasoned ground beef mixes with the cheese and beans to create an iconic Tex-Mex taste.
Jalapeños
For spice-lovers, no nachos are complete without jalapeños. Taco Casa uses fresh, whole jalapeños on their Super Nachos. The jalapeños provide hits of heat and herbaceous flavor.
When baked in the hot cheese, the jalapeños become softened with a jammy texture. This makes them easier to eat while still packing punchy heat. The fresh jalapeños are sliced so customers can add as much or as little spice as they desire.
Pico de Gallo
Pico de gallo adds fresh tomato flavor and texture to balance the heavier ingredients. Taco Casa makes their pico de gallo in-house daily using ripe Roma tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
The pico de gallo provides a cool, fresh contrast to the hot melted cheese and meat. The lime juice and onion cut through the richness while the cilantro adds herbal notes. Pico de gallo adds a lighter touch to round out the decadence of the Super Nachos.
Guacamole
No Tex-Mex meal is complete without the creamy addition of guacamole. Taco Casa makes their guacamole fresh daily using Hass avocados, tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
The fresh guacamole adds another layer of cool creaminess to balance the textures of the nachos. It also provides a burst of freshness. Tableside guacamole is optional for an additional charge. Customers can opt to add it on for an extra avocado boost.
Sour Cream
Sour cream is the final crowning touch on Taco Casa’s Super Nachos. The cool tanginess helps cut through the richness of the cheese and meat. Sour cream contains traces of acid that help neutralize some of the saltiness as well.
A generous drizzle of sour cream over the top gives each bite a creamy, fatty mouthfeel. It adds moisture and binds the ingredients together. The sour cream rounds out the flavors for the ultimate nacho experience.
Conclusion
Taco Casa’s Super Nachos are a Tex-Mex masterpiece containing the perfect blend of ingredients. Crunchy tortilla chips provide the base while refried beans, three cheese blend, ground beef, jalapeños, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream cover them in flavor. Each component builds on the others to create an iconic nacho experience.
Next time you dig into Taco Casa’s Super Nachos, appreciate the care that goes into sourcing and preparing each ingredient. The balance of textures and flavors is what makes this indulgent dish so craveable. Now that you know exactly what goes into them, you can better enjoy every bite!
Nutrition Information
While Super Nachos are an indulgent treat, it’s still useful to know their nutrition information. Here is the breakdown of calories, macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals found in Taco Casa’s Super Nachos:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 1,112 |
| Total Fat | 60g |
| Saturated Fat | 24g |
| Trans Fat | 1g |
| Cholesterol | 115mg |
| Sodium | 2,255mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 88g |
| Dietary Fiber | 12g |
| Sugars | 5g |
| Protein | 44g |
| Vitamin C | 45% DV |
| Vitamin A | 20% DV |
| Calcium | 40% DV |
| Iron | 20% DV |
As you can see, while Super Nachos make for an indulgent meal, they do provide some nutritional value as well. The protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals help balance out some of the higher amounts of fat, sodium, and cholesterol.
When enjoying Super Nachos, be mindful of portion sizes. While one serving packs quite a punch, you can always box up leftovers to enjoy later. Pairing Super Nachos with sides like rice and beans can also help balance out the nutritional profile of your meal.
Overall, don’t be afraid to indulge in Taco Casa’s Super Nachos from time to time. Just be conscious of how often and how much you eat in one sitting. Nachos make for a great shareable meal at parties, games, or celebrations too!
Ingredients to Make at Home
While you can always visit Taco Casa to get your nacho fix, you can also recreate a version at home. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Super Nachos:
- Tortilla chips – opt for thick, sturdy chips that won’t get soggy
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend – use a combo of cheddar, Monterey jack, and queso quesadilla cheeses
- Refried beans – make yourself or use canned, drained and rinsed beans
- Ground beef – 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio works best
- Jalapeños – use sliced fresh or canned diced jalapeños
- Pico de gallo – make fresh or opt for jarred
- Guacamole – make your own or use store-bought
- Sour cream
- Taco seasoning – add to ground beef along with salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and paprika
With those simple ingredients on hand, you can create your own killer nacho platter. Adjust the amounts of each ingredient to suit your tastes. Add in any other toppings you enjoy too like olives, lettuce, salsa, black beans, etc.
Making your own Super Nachos is a great way to customize the flavors. You can also control the quality of ingredients when making them at home. Not to mention saving some money compared to ordering out!
Tips for Making Perfect Nachos
Creating picture-perfect nachos is an art. Here are some tips and tricks to nail homemade nachos:
Cook Chips Separately
Be sure to cook or bake your tortilla chips before assembling your nachos. This helps remove excess moisture so they stay crispy when loaded up.
Layer Thoughtfully
Build your nachos in layers starting with chips on bottom, then beans, beef, cheese, and toppings. This prevents soggy chips.
Bake at High Heat
Bake your nachos at 400°F-450°F to melt the cheese quickly without overcooking.
Let Sit Before Serving
When baked, let nachos sit 5 minutes before serving so cheese can set up.
Use Two Pans
Divide between two pans for quicker baking without a soggy center.
Go for Cheese Coverage
Be generous with shredded cheese so every bite gets oozing melted cheese.
Add Fresh Toppings Last
Keep fresh toppings like pico, guac, and sour cream on the side to add after baking.
Cut Jalapeños for Less Heat
Slice jalapeños into rings rather than leaving them whole for a milder spice level.
Recipe to Make Taco Casa Copycat Nachos
Try making this recipe for clone nachos with all the flavors of Taco Casa’s original. Adjust ingredient amounts to suit your preferences.
Ingredients:
- 1 bag restaurant-style tortilla chips
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 (16 oz) can refried beans
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 1/2 cup sliced jalapeños
- 1/2 cup pico de gallo
- Guacamole, sour cream, salsa for serving
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a large baking sheet or two smaller ones.
- Cook ground beef over medium heat with taco seasoning until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- Spread tortilla chips out evenly on baking sheet(s). Top with refried beans and ground beef.
- Sprinkle cheese blend evenly over chips, beef, and beans. Top with jalapeños.
- Bake 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted. Remove and let sit 5 minutes.
- Top with pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream. Serve immediately.
These copycat nachos are just as loaded and delicious as Taco Casa’s original. Adjust spice by adding more or fewer jalapeños. Swap in your other favorite toppings too.
For a vegetarian version, replace the ground beef with cooked black beans. For food safety, use two small baking sheets to allow faster baking time.
Now you can re-create Taco Casa’s famous Super Nachos anytime the craving strikes! Their balance of flavors and textures is easy to duplicate at home. Make them for game day, parties, or just a satisfying meatless dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Taco Casa’s Super Nachos gluten free?
No, Taco Casa’s Super Nachos are not gluten free. The flour tortilla chips contain gluten, so those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance should avoid them.
Do the Super Nachos come in different sizes?
Yes, Taco Casa offers the Super Nachos in both regular and large sizes. The regular size is one order of chips and toppings, while the large size has additional chips and about 1.5x the amount of toppings.
What type of cheese is used?
Taco Casa uses a proprietary three cheese blend with cheddar, Monterey Jack, and queso quesadilla cheeses. The combination provides great melting properties and signature Tex-Mex flavors.
Are refried beans or whole beans used?
Taco Casa uses smooth refried pinto beans rather than whole beans on their Super Nachos. The refried beans have an ultra creamy texture that pairs nicely with the other ingredients.
Can toppings be added or removed?
Yes, toppings can be customized when ordering Taco Casa’s Super Nachos. Feel free to ask for any ingredients to be added or removed to suit your tastes.
What type of tortilla chips are used?
Taco Casa uses extra thick, sturdy tortilla chips. They are made from stone ground corn and perfect for standing up to hefty toppings.
Is the beef grass-fed or angus?
Taco Casa uses regular ground beef, not grass-fed or angus. They season it in-house with their special spice blend.
Conclusion
Taco Casa’s Super Nachos are a beloved favorite thanks to their winning combo of ingredients. Crunchy tortilla chips form the base while melty cheese, spiced ground beef, refried beans, cool toppings, and creamy drizzles create an irresistible Tex-Mex creation. Each component builds on the others for perfect nacho flavor and texture.
Understanding exactly what goes into Taco Casa’s Super Nachos helps you appreciate the care put into sourcing and preparing each ingredient. You can also easily recreate the nachos at home with simple supermarket ingredients. Use thick tortilla chips and layer on the toppings for party-worthy nachos. Feel free to customize with your favorite add-ins too.
Next time nacho cravings hit, look no further than Taco Casa’s Super Nachos. Or better yet, DIY it at home for the comfort of gooey Tex-Mex deliciousness in every bite!