Name: What To Serve With Nachos
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 portion nachos

Table of Contents

If you’re wondering what to serve with your nachos, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 39 of the most popular side dishes for nachos.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best side dishes to serve with nachos are guacamole, buffalo wings, and homemade chili. You can also serve them with a side of mango pico de gallo, Mexican slaw, or mozzarella sticks. For salad options, there’s fresh tomato salad or black bean and corn salad.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Edamame guacamole

Guacamole is a classic side for nachos and it’s easy to see why.

It’s creamy, refreshing, and bright. There’s no way you won’t love dipping your nachos in it.

And mixing some edamame into your bowl of guac will add extra texture and boost its protein content.

Why we love this recipe: it uses whole lemon or lime instead of just its juice for extra flavor.

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Edamame guacamole
Go fruity
Mango guacamole
Make it into a salad
Guacamole salad

Black bean and corn salad

A Mexican-inspired salad that won’t look out of place next to your nachos is this black bean and corn salad.

Tossed in a lime dressing, this salad exudes freshness.

And it only takes 10 minutes to make!

Psst… canned beans and corn are fine.

Why we love this recipe: it’s light but filling at the same time.

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Black bean and corn salad
Make it simple
Corn salad
Make it unique
Mediterranean white bean salad

Drunken beans

Also known as Frijoles Borrachos, these beans are simmered in Mexican beer to achieve a nice deep flavor.

They have a pretty soupy texture, so once you’ve scooped all the beans up with your nachos you might need a spoon to make sure none of the sauce gets left behind.

Why we love this recipe: it has a gluten-free version you can follow too.

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Drunken beans
Make it spicy
Jalapeno baked beans
Make it simple
Easy refried beans

Buffalo chicken wings

Nothing screams game day like a feast of nachos and buffalo wings.

The wings are covered with salt, garlic powder, and the (not so) secret ingredient baking powder before being roasted to crisp perfection.

Then they’re coated with a buttery, tangy buffalo sauce.

Why we love this recipe: the homemade buffalo sauce has only 3 ingredients.

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Buffalo chicken wings
Make it creamy
Creamy garlic parmesan chicken wings
Take an Asian route
Chinese salt and pepper chicken wings

Mozzarella sticks

Another finger-food treat that’s excellent with nachos is mozzarella sticks.

They don’t need much of an introduction… just make sure you don’t forget the dipping sauce (marinara sauce is my go-to).

These tend to disappear quickly at parties, so it’s a good idea to make double!

Why we love this recipe: it’s a traditional but tasty recipe.

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Homemade mozzarella sticks
Make it unique
Bacon-wrapped mozzarella sticks
Make it different
Marinated mozzarella balls

Mango pico de gallo

Another classic pairing for nachos is the well-loved Mexican pico de gallo.

But just like with the guacamole, we’ve added a little twist in the form of some mangoes.

The sweet mangoes help to balance out the heat from the jalapenos, and make the whole thing even juicier.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a quick and easy no cook-dish.

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Mango pico de gallo
Go traditional
Authentic pico de gallo
Add avocados
Pico de gallo with avocado

Homemade chili

For the ultimate comfort meal, serve your nachos with a hearty bowl of homemade chili.

You can make the chili your own by playing with the spice levels, going meatless, or adding in extras like bacon and corn.

The only thing that’s mandatory is a dollop of sour cream on top.

Why we love this recipe: you can cook it on the stove, in a slow cooker, or in an instant pot.

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Homemade chili
Make it vegan
Three-bean chili
Make it fancy
One skillet white chicken chili bake

Carrot and celery sticks

If you’re having loaded nachos, it’s best to pair them with a simple veggie side.

And what could be better than a healthy set of carrot and celery sticks?

All you need to do is slice them up and serve them with a creamy ranch dip.

Psst… feel free to use other veggies like peppers or cucumber too.

Why we love this recipe: you can slice the veggies up ahead of time if you need.

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Carrot and celery sticks
Make it into a salad
Celery root and carrot salad
Make it fancy
Stuffed celery sticks

Jalapeno popper bites

Loaded nachos and jalapeno poppers are another satisfying game night duo.

But instead of the usual jalapeno poppers, these ones are deconstructed and covered in a crunchy panko coating.

Pro tip: if you like your popper bites spicier than usual, add more sriracha sauce.

Other fun additions are minced pineapple or bacon.

Why we love this recipe: they’re bite-sized and fun.

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Jalapeno popper bites
Make it simple
Baked jalapeno poppers
Make it unique
Bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers

Fresh tomato salad

Here’s another vibrant salad that’s perfect for when you’re in a real rush.

It’s got three main ingredients, and will only take you 5 minutes to put together.

You might already have everything you need on hand to – which saves you a trip to the store!

Why we love this recipe: it elevates the humble tomato into something amazing.

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Fresh tomato salad
Add cucumber
Cucumber tomato salad
Make it unique
Balsamic tomato salad

Mexican slaw

Stick with the Mexican theme and Mexify your slaw with lime juice, cilantro, and jalapenos.

Unlike your traditional creamy slaw, this one’s fresh, smokey and tangy all in one.

It’s best paired with meaty nachos like pulled pork nachos or chicken tinga nachos.

Why we love this recipe: it’s filled with crunchy vegetables.

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Mexican slaw
Go traditional
Creamy homemade coleslaw
Take an Asian route
Asian coleslaw with sesame dressing

Cilantro-lime black bean rice

Turn your nachos into a complete meal with some rice.

But don’t go for plain rice – that would be boring.

Flavoring the rice with some fresh cilantro and lime gives it a sharp kick that will cut through the rich cheese on your nachos and keep things light.

Why we love this recipe: it’s effortlessly delicious.

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Cilantro-lime black bean rice
Make it low-carb
Mexican street corn cauliflower rice
Go Spanish
Restaurant-style Spanish rice

Mexican roasted zucchini

This roasted Mexican zucchini is the perfect veggie side to serve with your nachos.

The zucchini is flavored with classic elote spices and then finished with a spritz of lime juice – kind of like elotes but without the corn!

Why we love this recipe: it’s super healthy but doesn’t lack any flavor.

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Mexican-inspired roasted zucchini
Make it cheesy
Calabacitas (Mexican summer squash stew)
Fire up the grill
Mexican street corn-style grilled zucchini

What dessert to serve with nachos?

The best desserts to serve with nachos are Mexican-inspired ones. For example, you could serve some crispy churros, a Mexican rice pudding, or some sweet cornbread muffins. A caramel flan is never a bad idea either!

The best dessert to serve with nachos: