Name: Exactly How To Reheat Nachos
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 portion nachos; 1 portion extra cheese (optional)

Table of Contents

In this article, I share the results of my experiment where I tested out five different methods to reheat nachos.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer:

The best way to reheat nachos is in the oven. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and remove any cold toppings from the nachos. Spread the tortilla chips out in a single layer and reheat for 10 to 15 minutes. You can also use an air fryer or the broiler.

I also give some tips on storing nachos so that you can keep them fresh and tasty for as long as possible.

A note on my experiment

I ordered a bunch of nachos from my local Mexican and then (using all my willpower) kept them overnight.

The next day, I tested the following methods to reheat the nachos:

In the oven: preheat the oven to 300°F and remove any cold toppings from the nachos. Heat for 10-15 minutes. My favorite method, good for soggy nachos.
In an air fryer: set the air fryer to 300°F and spread the nachos out in the basket. Heat for 3-5 minutes. Quick and crispy results.
In the microwave: place 1-2 servings on a microwave safe plate and heat in 30 second intervals. Okay results but not good for already soggy nachos.
Under the broiler: set the broiler to medium-high heat, spread the nachos out in a single layer and heat for 4-5 minutes. Another quick and easy method
In a skillet: heat your skillet on medium heat and spread the nachos out in skillet. Heat with the lid on for 3-4 minutes. A bit messy and awkward.

I was looking for crispy tortilla chips, oozy cheese, and tasty toppings.

The oven ended up being my favorite method, and the airy fryer produced similar results.

The microwave works fine if you’re just heating nachos for yourself. The skillet method also worked but was a bit of a hassle.

How to reheat nachos in the oven or broiler

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
Remove any cold topping from the tortilla chips and set them aside.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and spread the nachos out on the tray.
Place the tray of nachos in the oven and heat them until crisp (around 10-15 minutes, or 5 minutes in a toaster oven). Add extra ingredients like cheese towards the end.
OR set the broiler to medium-high heat and warm the nachos for 4-5 minutes.
Reassemble the ingredients before serving.

The nachos need to be exposed to crisp up, so make sure to spread them out.

If your nachos are really soggy, I would lower the oven’s temperature slightly and heat them for longer, so they have longer to dry out.

The parchment paper on the baking tray makes it super easy to transfer the nachos to your serving dish, plus less washing up!

Tip: for extra crisping, use the broiler function (just be careful not to burn the cheese).

Pros: my nachos dried out nicely in the oven, and there was a nice toasted flavor to the chips. And you can reheat massive portions.
Cons: it’s slower than other methods (although a toaster oven is quick).

How to reheat nachos in an air fryer

Preheat the air fryer to 300°F (150°C) and remove any cold toppings from the tortilla chips.
Place the nachos in the air fryer basket, spreading them out as much as possible.
Add any extra toppings you want before heating the nachos for 3-4 minutes or until the chips are crispy.
Replace the cold toppings and serve.

If you’ve got messy toppings going into the air fryer, line the basket with foil for an easy clean-up.

I like to poke some holes in the foil to ensure I don’t reduce airflow.

The air fryer works quickly, so check on the nachos often to ensure they’re not burning.

Pros: this method was really quick and my nachos were nice and crispy.
Cons: you can’t reheat big portions of nachos and you have to e careful not to overcook your toppings.

How to reheat nachos in the microwave

Remove the cold toppings from the nachos and keep them to one side.
Place a serving or two of nachos on a microwave-safe dish.
Add any extra toppings to the nachos you want.
Heat the nachos in 30-second intervals until the cheese is melted.

Tip: if you want the nachos to have a toasted flavor, microwave them by themselves first for 30 seconds before adding any toppings.

An advantage of the microwave is that it heats everything at once… which is perfect for layering nachos.

If I use the microwave, I like to have two layers of nachos with two layers of cheese.

If you tried this in the oven, the second layer of cheese wouldn’t melt fast enough.

Pros: if you’re only feeding one or two people and your nachos aren’t that soggy, the microwave will do (and it’s super quick). The cheese was really gooey too.
Cons: if your nachos are already soggy, the microwave will make them even soggier.

How to reheat nachos in a skillet

Heat the skillet on medium heat.
Remove any cold toppings from the nachos.
Spread the nachos out in the skillet and cover it with a lid – this will trap the heat and ensure the nachos heat evenly.
Heat the nachos until they’re warm and the cheese starts to melt (3-4 minutes).

If your skillet doesn’t come with a lid, you can use aluminum foil instead.

Keep the heat to medium to ensure the nachos on the bottom don’t burn. And if your skillet isn’t big enough to spread the nachos out in one layer, reheat them in batches.

Trying to reheat them all at once will leave them soggy.

Pros: none really! I don’t recommend this method.
Cons: this method was a bit awkward and didn’t crisp the nachos as evenly or as much as I would have liked.

How to store nachos

To store nachos, separate any wet toppings from the nachos as soon as possible to prevent the chips from becoming soggy. Place room-temperature nachos in an airtight container or freezer bag and cover them with a paper towel before sealing the container. Nachos will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.

Place any extra toppings in separate airtight containers, or discard them and use new toppings when you’re reheating your nachos.

The paper towel helps prevent the nachos from going stale by absorbing any excess moisture that’s in the container.

It’s important your nachos are at room temperature before storing them.

If they’re still warm, condensation can build up in the container and leave you with soggy chips.

Can you freeze nachos?

Nachos are not the best dish to freeze once cooked. However, you can freeze the tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and the cooked meats or beans separately, ready to throw together when you fancy them. Freezing tortilla chips is a great way to keep them fresh.

Another option is to make a nacho dip and freeze this.

How to freeze tortilla chips

Put the tortilla chips in a Ziploc bag and remove as much air from the bag as possible (without crushing the chips)
Place the tortilla chips in the freezer and use within 6 months.

The tortilla chips will be ready to eat as soon as you take them out of the freezer.

Since they don’t contain any moisture, the chips don’t freeze. They just get really cold.

To make your nachos, all you need to do is defrost the toppings (in the fridge overnight or in the microwave). Assemble the dish and heat it!