How To Reheat Nachos [5 Best Ways]

Nachos are an amazing food for many reasons, but one of the top ones is because they are so versatile. You can make them in so many different ways.

It’s also a great food to serve because people can add whatever they want or leave off any toppings that they don’t want.

The only bad part about nachos is that it can be hard to make the correct amount. Depending on what other foods you’re serving, you might find that people eat more or less nachos than you originally made.

Then, you are probably wondering how you will be able to reheat the nachos to eat them again the next day or even later the same day.

Unfortunately, many people throw nachos away after the meal because they assume they will get soggy or be inedible if you reheat them. Nachos need to be reheated a certain way to make sure they keep the crispy texture we love so much. You can even reheat nachos with the toppings already on them!

5 Best Ways to Reheat Nachos

Reheating Nachos In the Oven

There are several different ways you can reheat nachos. Reheating in the oven is one of the best ways to reheat nachos if you already have all the toppings on them. It will ensure that they remain crisp without losing that crunch that is loved by nacho eaters.

Even though you can reheat the nachos in the oven with some of the toppings, it’s recommended that you still scoop off cold toppings such as sour cream and salsa.  Lettuce will also need to be scooped off so that it doesn’t turn brown or wilt. Reheating the nachos in the oven will also ensure that the cheese melts perfectly.

Here are the steps to follow when it comes to reheating the nachos in the oven:

1. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Put the nachos in an oven-safe plate or dish.
3. Cover the nachos in aluminum foil.
4. Turn the fan on low in the convection oven.
5. Cook for about 10 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for 5 more to help them get crispy. If you like your nachos very crispy, you might want to cook them for about 10 minutes after removing the foil (so 20 minutes total).
6. Take the nachos out of the oven and let them sit on the counter for a few minutes to cool down.

You can increase the temperature up to 325 degrees Fahrenheit if you want to speed the reheating process – this can cut around 5 minutes off of your time!

Note that you can leave toppings that are ideally heated on your nachos (like leftover brisket) during the cooking process.  It’s just the cold toppings that we want to make sure we take off.

Reheating Nachos In the Skillet

Reheating the nachos in a skillet is not as effective a method as the oven and tends to cause a little more clean up. However, it works in a pinch and can be a faster method to cook your nachos if you don’t feel like waiting for the oven to heat up.

If you want to give the skillet method a try, make sure to follow these tips to ensure you get great nachos that aren’t soggy or too crispy:

1. Make sure to use a skillet big enough to spread out all the leftover nachos.
2. Spread the nachos evenly in the skillet.
3. Tear a piece of foil big enough to cover the top of the skillet. Cover all the nachos with the piece of foil.
4. Secure the lid of the skillet on top of the foil.
5. Reheat the nachos for about 5 minutes. Make sure to cook them until the cheese is completely melted.
6. Medium-high heat will speed up the cooking process, but the medium will be better because the nachos shouldn’t burn as easily.
7. Check the nachos every minute to make sure they are not being burned.
8. Remove the nachos from the skillet.
9. Let them cool for a few minutes before you serve them.

Just like with the oven method, you will want to scoop off the cold toppings before you reheat them in the skillet. Add the sour cream, salsa, and lettuce back on after you are done reheating the nachos.

Reheating Nachos In the Microwave

The microwave is a great method to reheat nachos if you are in a huge crunch for time or are wanting a midnight snack and don’t want to dirty the entire kitchen. However, reheating them in the microwave can definitely make them soggy much quicker than the other reheating methods.

For reheating in the microwave, you definitely need to remove the cold toppings. Microwaving sour cream and lettuce can cause the ingredients to turn bad and will give your nachos a weird flavor.

Most people who use the microwave method recommend that you add some more cheese to add in more texture and ensure that there will be enough cheese to cover the nachos and they won’t get too soggy.

Once you see the cheese is melted, remove them from the microwave immediately. You will need to watch the nachos as they are in the microwave because you don’t want to leave them in for too long. Just a few minutes should be enough.

Reheating Nachos In a Broiler

Not everyone has a broiler in their kitchen, but if you do, it can be one of the best ways to reheat the nachos. You will need to make sure to follow the proper method because if done wrong, you will find that the top of the nachos reheated, but the middle still cold.

Try the following methods:

1. Make sure you are using an oven-safe pan or plate. It will need to be big enough to spread out the nachos and make sure they are not overlapping too much.
2. Spread the nachos out evenly.
3. Put the oven-safe dish into the broiler.
4. The nachos only need to be heated for 1-3 minutes. If you notice them burning, take them out of the broiler.
5. Once removed from the broiler, let them cool, and serve.
6. Add back on the cold toppings after they have cooled for a few minutes.

Reheating Nachos In a Toaster Oven

If you have a toaster oven, you can heat the nachos in the same way you would if you used a regular oven. Make sure you remove all the cold toppings. You also need to ensure that the pan is big enough to hold all the nachos.

Toaster ovens are of course smaller than regular ovens, so you might not be able to reheat all the nachos at the same time. Try not to build the nacho pile up too high or overlap them too much because you will find that the top nachos burn while the ones below remain soggy.

If you only have a toaster oven or can’t use the regular oven, reheat the nachos in small batches and spread them out.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are several ways you can reheat nachos. Some are better than others and will give you a better result, but all will give you a tasty leftover meal. Always remove the cold toppings before you start with any method. Don’t leave the nachos unattended for too long. Stay by the oven or microwave and make sure they aren’t burning.