Easy Nachos

Three ingredients, three minutes, done. These are the nachos you make when real melty cheese-sauce nachos feel like too much work and a bag of tortilla chips is begging for a job to do. Processed cheese slices are the unsung hero; they melt smoothly into that creamy, gloppy texture that fresh shredded cheese just doesn’t achieve in a dry oven.

Shredded cheddar tends to separate under oven heat and go oily, leaving you with greasy chips and stringy chunks. Processed cheese food or American cheese slices contain emulsifiers that keep the fat and protein bound together as they melt, which is exactly why they are the standard at stadium concession stands.

Arrange the chips in a single layer, not piled high. Stacked chips mean the top gets cheesy while the bottom stays naked and cold. Spread them across the baking sheet and make sure every chip has a piece of cheese within reach.

Three to four minutes at 350°F (175°C) is all it takes. Longer and the chips start to scorch around the edges. Pull them the second the cheese has gone glossy and pourable.

Pour salsa over the hot chips immediately and garnish however you want: jalapeños, sour cream, black olives, guacamole, or a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

Kitchen Tips

• Cut cheese slices in quarters or strips so each chip gets a portion.
• Line the baking sheet with foil for zero cleanup.
• Eat immediately; nachos go from perfect to sad in about 5 minutes.
• Warm the salsa briefly if you don’t like cold salsa on hot chips.