Puffy Nachos have such a cult following here in Texas, but I am not sure if non-Texans would understand. The moment when I decided I was a food lover probably started with Puffy Nachos. Mainly offered in restaurants, they are darn easy to make at home (handy to have this recipe in these days when we can’t get out much!…)
Top Them However You Like!
I’m showing these Puffy Nachos with way less toppings than I usually use, because I wanted you to see them. Usually I enjoy them buried under cheese, salsa or onions. If you make a batch of Texas chile con carne, Puffy Nachos are a great side dish.
The best way to make Puffy Nachos is to place your tortilla press right next to your frying area. I don’t recommend making all the uncooked dough triangles in advance of frying. The dough is quite delicate and will fall apart if you try to make all of them in advance of frying. Press out a single tortilla at a time, which will then become 6 nachos once the tortilla is cut. You will have to fry your nachos in batches of six.
Great for Football Season!
But as we are approaching football season Puffy Nachos are the ultimate game-time snack. Once they are fried, they can be held in a warm oven for about an hour while you put together your buffet of toppings. Hopefully they will last that long – they seem to disappear quickly!
My favorite way to enjoy Puffy Nachos is alongside a grilled Tampiqueña steak and a mountain of guacamole. Oh, and a beer! Some of my favorite Mexican restaurants balance a couple of these puffy delights on top of the refried beans, which is like getting gift when it isn’t your birthday. So delicious and crispy, you will think you died and went to Texas!
Puffy Nachos
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: 48 nachos
Ingredients
1 cup instant corn tortilla mix (125g)
1/4 tsp. baking powder (1g)
¾-1 cup water, or as needed (180ml-240ml)
Vegetable oil for frying, about 3 cups (720ml)
Your favorite nacho toppings, about 1/4 cup (60ml) each:
- Guacamole
- Refried beans
- Salsa
- Chopped tomato
- Chopped onions
- Chopped cilantro
- Shredded or crumbled cheese
- Sour cream
- Pickled Jalapeños
Instructions
Place the tortilla mix in a medium sized bowl. Add the water a little at a time while stirring with a spoon. Knead the dough in the bowl with your hands for 30 seconds, until it is cohesive and soft, but not sticky.
Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll into balls. Use a tortilla press to press out one of the dough balls. Using a long knife, divide the dough into six equal triangles. (I prefer to press and then immediately fry the triangles instead of trying to make all the triangles in advance. The dough triangles are very delicate and difficult to hold before frying.)
Pour the vegetable oil into a large frying pan. Carefully place the dough triangles in the hot oil, and allow to fry until golden brown, about 20 seconds on each side. The triangles should puff as they fry.
Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the puffy nachos from the vegetable oil and place in an oven proof pan lined with paper towels. Continue to press and make all of the dough balls in this fashion. Serve immediately topped with your favorite nacho toppings. Nachos can be kept warm in an oven heated to 200°F (93°C).
Top with your favorite nacho toppings and serve warm.
Notes
Tortilla presses work best when you press the dough between plastic liner sheets. You can make the liner sheets from cutting a zipper style storage baggie into two separate flat sheets.
**Calorie count is for Puffy Nacho chips only
I air fried flour tortillas and they did not puff they were good but they did not puff what is the reason And how do I get them to puff
Hey there! Flour tortillas only puff when you use the raw dough. If yours were cooked, they must have turned into chips, which are good too. You need corn tortilla dough for nachos. Air fryers don’t really work for puffy nachos. But you can make good chips!