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Savor the creamiest Southern Pimento Cheese Nachos, smothered in tangy pimento cheese and topped with sweet gem peppers and spicy chorizo sausage! Whether you want to make a lot or just a little, this fun variation on traditional cheese nachos is easily scaled.
Craving more Tex-Mex recipes? Try my Shaved Beef Fajitas, Perfect Margarita Cocktail, and my Chicken Enchiladas with Cheese Chipotle Sauce!
Quick Look: Pimento Cheese Nachos Recipe
- ⏲️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- ⏲️ Cook Time: 13 minutes
- ⏲️ Total Time: 30 minutes
- 👨👩👧👦 Servings: 6 people
- 🌽 Cuisine & Heritage: A tasty combination of Tex-Mex and Southern.
- 🍽️ Calories: 674 calories per serving (more nutritional info in recipe card)
- 🥦 Dietary Info: Gluten Free (if made with gluten-free tortilla chips)
- 🟢 Difficulty: Easy
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Roasting, Sautéing, and Broiling
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Crunchy tortilla chips topped with creamy pimento cheese and a hint of spice from the hearty chorizo and jalapeños.
- 🔑 Top Tip: Make and serve these nachos in a cast iron skillet that can go from the oven to the table all while looking great.
- 🍷 Drink Pairings: Wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio are a good match, while lager or pale ale are good beer options. Of course, a classic margarita always is lovely!
- ❄️ Storage: These nachos taste best fresh, but can keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do not freeze.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Mouthwatering Texture: The combination of crunchy chips, creamy cheese, tender peppers, and crumbles of chorizo provides a satisfying texture experience.
- Unique Flavors: The tangy, creamy pimento cheese offers a flavor experience unlike any other nacho recipe!
- Easily Customizable: This recipe accommodates different tastes and dietary preferences with options to add or substitute various toppings.
Featured Comment
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Pimento cheese and nachos is such an unexpected yet delightful combination of flavors! Melted pimento cheese is so much better than that fake nacho cheese any day. Combining it with jalapeños and chorizo makes this a winner in my book!”
– Emma
Table of Contents
- Quick Look: Pimento Cheese Nachos Recipe
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tex-Mex Meets Southern
- Fixins for Nacho Nirvana
- Substitutions and Variations
- Wrangle These Nachos in 6 Easy Steps
- Recipe FAQs
- What to Serve Before Everyone Elbows In
- Expert Tips
- Other Cheesy Appetizer Recipes You’ll Love
- Southern Pimento Cheese Nachos Recipe
Tex-Mex Meets Southern
In the heart of the South, where pimento cheese reigns supreme, I’ve decided to share my go-to nacho recipe that combines the creamiest of all Southern cheeses, Pimento Cheese, with crunchy tortilla chips and sweet caramelized peppers. Oh, and the ‘heat’ in this savory Southern snack comes from chorizo sausage and jalapeño peppers!
You’ll need 2 cups pimento cheese for this recipe. Whether store-bought or homemade, it’s melted on the stove into a tangy, warm pimento cheese sauce. If you want to make it from scratch, you’ll need aged cheddar cheese shredded from a large block, a brick of softened cream cheese, a jar of pimentos, and mayonnaise. I have a fantastic recipe for Piquant White Cheddar Pimento Cheese courtesy of my Georgia-born neighbor, who has made this pleasantly sharp version of pimento cheese her entire life!
Fixins for Nacho Nirvana
Curious what ingredients you’ll need to make these mouthwatering pimento cheese nachos from scratch? Let me tell you about the key ingredients that you’ll need, and you’ll be ready to start cooking in no time.
- Tortilla Chips: Use sturdy, crunchy chips that can hold up to the weight of all the cheesy goodness.
- Pimiento Cheese: The ‘soul of the South,’ this tangy cheese spread dotted with sweet pimentos is prized for its rich, creamy texture.
- Gem Peppers: A low-heat, sweet, and slightly smoky vegetable, these peppers add a pop of color and flavor. Use a mixture of fresh sliced peppers and a handful of small dice.
- Fresh or Pickled Jalapeños: Adds a spicy kick that complements the pimento cheese perfectly. I use a combination of both!
- Chorizo Sausage: Spicy and savory, this sausage takes the nachos to the next level. Remove the sausage from its casing and crumble it as it cooks or slice it like I did in the photos for seriously extra-crispy chorizo bites!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap out the chorizo for spiced black-eyed peas or gaucho beans for a meatless option.
- Experiment with unique tortilla chips like blue corn or rice chips.
- If you like more heat, substitute hot peppers for the gem peppers.
- Large dice of white onion may be substituted for the scallions’ white and light green parts.
Wrangle These Nachos in 6 Easy Steps
Scroll down for the full printable recipe or stick around for the step-by-step breakdown with photos to walk you through every delicious detail.
1
Roast
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss 1 medium sliced jalapeño, 3–5 diced gem peppers, and the white/light green parts of 2–3 sliced green onions with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Spread on the baking sheet and roast for 10–12 minutes, stirring halfway.
2
Render
Crisp the 12 oz chorizo in a skillet over medium heat. You can remove the casing and break it into crumbles, or slice it into rounds for chip-like bites with a crunchy edge. Drain on paper toweling.
3
Melt
Switch oven to broil. In a nonstick skillet over low heat, melt 2 cups pimento cheese, stirring often until smooth and creamy.
4
Layer
Spread tortilla chips (from a 10 oz bag) over the platter/skillet. Top with 1/3 of the roasted peppers, 1/3 of the chorizo, and 1/3 of the cheese sauce. Repeat twice, ending with cheese.
5
Broil
Place under the broiler for 3–5 minutes, until the cheese bubbles and the top chips are lightly browned. Cool 2 minutes.
6
Pile On!
Top with 3/4 cup sour cream, green onion, and cilantro. Serve with pico or salsa—and pile on these nachos while the cheese is still bubblin’ hot!
Recipe FAQs
Pimento cheese is made using aged cheddar, cream cheese, sweet pimentos, and mayonnaise.
Yes, pimento cheese is great with lightly salted tortilla chips. It’s also great with crackers like captains’ wafers.
Yes, pimento cheese will melt very well! For best results, use good quality pimento cheese that’s made with freshly grated, not pre-shredded, cheese, and melt it gently in a saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat. Be sure to stir it occasionally as it melts, and avoid overheating it, as it may split.
Storage: If you find yourself with leftover nachos, line a container with foil and spread the remaining nachos in a single layer in the container. Close the lid and refrigerate up to 3 days.
To reheat, remove the foil with the nachos and place directly on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
What to Serve Before Everyone Elbows In
Serve these amazing pimento cheese nachos with loads of sour cream and green tomato salsa in individual bowls or pop beneath the broiler on an oven-safe serving platter and load the chips up with caramelized onions, black olives, black beans, and a healthy drizzle of a sharp bite BBQ sauce or hot honey!
These pimento cheese nachos are perfect for game day parties, summer BBQs, outdoor movie nights, potlucks, or casual gatherings with friends. Round it out with my tender shaved beef fajitas, fresh corn and tomato salad, or these easy cheesy Tennessee onions.
Expert Tips
- Melt pimento cheese over low heat, stirring constantly to ensure the cheese does not begin to separate.
- Layer the tortilla chips and the toppings in 3 distinct layers, ensuring even chips on the bottom have toppings.
- Instead of grabbing a large serving platter, grab a large skillet. The entire dish can be assembled, broiled, and served from a skillet, and it does an excellent job of keeping the nachos hot. Slip a sleeve over the handle so folks won’t be burned.
Other Cheesy Appetizer Recipes You’ll Love
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Southern Pimento Cheese Nachos
Equipment
- leather skillet handle sleeve
Ingredients
For the Pimento Cheese Nachos
- 3-5 gem peppers, diced
- 1 medium jalapeño, sliced
- 2-3 green onions, slices, white and light green parts separated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 oz chorizo sausage, crumbled or sliced thin
- 2 cups pimento cheese, such as my Piquant White Cheddar Pimento Cheese or store-bought
- 10 oz tortilla chips
- ¾ cup sour cream, whisked until smooth and almost pourable
Optional Garnishes for Serving
- pickled jalapeño slices
- pico de gallo
- green tomato salsa, or salsa verde
- cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack so it's in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with foil.
- Add sweet peppers, jalapeño, and white and light green scallion parts to a small bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Spread in a single layer onto the lined baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway through.1 medium jalapeño, 3-5 gem peppers, 2-3 green onions, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- While peppers are roasting, render the chorizo in a skillet over medium heat. Do not render out all of the fat, rather just enough to crisp it. Turn out onto paper towels to drain. Select an oven-safe platter or cast iron skillet and set aside.12 oz chorizo sausage
- Set the oven to broil. Heat pimento cheese in a large, non-stick skillet on the stove. Do this over low heat and stirring frequently to avoid the cheese separating naturally. Aim for smooth cheese sauce with few lumps.2 cups pimento cheese
- Add a layer of chips to the skillet or platter. Generously add ⅓ of the roasted peppers and onions followed by ⅓ of the chorizo and ⅓ of the melted cheese. Repeat twice more beginning with chips and ending with the cheese sauce.10 oz tortilla chips
- Place the skillet under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the top of the cheese is bubbling and the top layer of chips begins to brown lightly.
- Remove from beneath the broiler and cool for 2 minutes. Top with sour cream and the reserved green onions. Garnish with fresh cilantro and offer pickled jalapeños, pico de gallo, or salsa on the side. Pile on!¾ cup sour cream, pico de gallo, green tomato salsa, cilantro leaves, 2-3 green onions
Notes
- Melt pimento cheese over low heat, stirring constantly to ensure the cheese does not begin to separate.
- Layer the tortilla chips and the toppings in 3 distinct layers, ensuring that even the chips on the bottom have toppings.
- Instead of grabbing a large serving platter, grab a large skillet. The entire dish can be assembled, broiled, and served from a skillet, and it does an excellent job of keeping the nachos hot. Slip a sleeve over the handle so folks won’t be burned.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Pimento cheese and nachos is such an unexpected yet delightful combination of flavors! Melted pimento cheese is so much better than that fake nacho cheese any day. Combining it with jalapeños and chorizo makes this a winner in my book!