Nachos Verdes - LGCM Dev

Nachos Verdes

We’re going to start this recipe by saying that we’re not sure if nachos verdes are really a thing, but we’re going to try and make them a thing if they aren’t! When we think of Mexican cuisine, we often think of “rojo” or red types of dishes made from tomatoes or red peppers. However, there’s a “verde” side to Mexican cuisine as well that features salsas, sauces and dishes that are typically made from green peppers and tomatillos.

We personally love this greener side of Mexican cuisine. The ingredients are often roasted, which brings a naturally smoky flavor to the dish and these ingredients often just taste fresher and brighter than the tomato based dishes. If you’ve ever had a fresh salsa verde at a Mexican restaurant, or enjoyed an enchiladas verdes dish or tacos made with a green sauce, then you probably know how delicious this type of food can be! We think it’s time that nachos get the nachos verdes treatment, so we’re here with this recipe!

This recipe uses a very special sausage that we make – our green chili chorizo. This chorizo sausage is an all pork sausage that’s seasoned with vinegar, lemon, cilantro, and, obviously, green chilis! The flavor is tangy and moderately spicy with smoky notes from the green chilis. We love this version of our award winning traditional chorizo and make it seasonally. When we have this sausage fresh, we like to use the meat from inside the casing as an ingredient for other dishes like huevos rancheros or tacos. We originally were going to make tacos with our green chili chorizo, but then inspiration hit us – why not make nachos verdes instead?

This recipe is super easy to make and a fabulous way to enjoy restaurant-style nachos at home. The twist of using green ingredients and authentic Mexican cotija cheese instead of the more Americanized tomato salsa and melted cheddar gives these nachos a unique and delicious flavor that you won’t typically get from the dish. If you don’t have a green chili chorizo, then normal chorizo or even ground beef will work – just add some chopped green chilis to chorizo as you cook the meat to bring this flavor to the dish. And if you don’t like green chili flavor, then don’t even worry about using the green chilis!

This nachos verdes recipe is easy to customize, just like all nacho dishes. If you like a spicier version of this dish, you can add pickled jalapeños, and if you don’t like cotija cheese, feel free to use shredded cheddar cheese. The possibilities are really endless! If you tweak this recipe at all or enjoy it or have suggestions for improvement, please leave us a comment below and give us a rating. We appreciate your feedback and hope you enjoy the recipe. Cheers!

Nachos Verdes

We’re going to start this recipe by saying that we’re not sure if nachos verdes are really a thing, but we’re going to try and make them a thing if they aren’t! When we think of Mexican cuisine, we often think of “rojo” or red types of dishes made from tomatoes or red peppers. However, there’s a “verde” side to Mexican cuisine as well that features salsas, sauces and dishes that are typically made from green peppers and tomatillos.

Author
Lake Geneva Country Meats
Prep Time
15 minutes
Servings
4 plates of nachos

Ingredients

  • 1 Red Onion (thinly sliced)
  • 3/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1 lb Leahy’s Green Chili Chorizo Sausage (you can substitute other chorizo – see note above)
  • 1 bag(s) Tortilla Chips
  • 2 cup Salsa Verde
  • 1 bunch Cilantro (chopped)
  • 1 cup Cotija Cheese
  • Crema

Directions

  1. Combine the apple cider vinegar, water, brown sugar and kosher salt in a small bowl. Add the thinly sliced red onions and cover. Let them sit for a minimum of 30 minutes to quick pickle. These will be good for up to 2 weeks in a sealed container after pickling!
  2. Remove the green chili chorizo meat from inside the casings. Bring a medium sized non-stick skillet to medium heat, then add the meat, and cook until the meat easily crumbles and is browned through. Remove the meat from the skillet and place on a paper towel lined plate to remove excess grease.
  3. Assemble your nachos by putting down a layer of chips and adding crumbles of green chili chorizo, a drizzle of salsa verde*, and a few quick pickled red onions. Make another layer of chips that isn’t quite as wide as the first layer, and add more chorizo, salsa verde, and onions. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and cotija cheese on top, then squeeze a bit of fresh crema on top. Enjoy!*You can either use a store-bought salsa verde oruse this recipe from Mexican Food Journalto make your own!
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