These Easy Sheet Pan Nachos are topped with a speedy homemade queso and ready for faceplantage! Even better? They are totally customizable with both vegetarian and T-Rex versions!
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
Chop your veggies and drain and rinse beans if using canned. For vegetarian nachos feel free to use extra beans/veggies or use leftover cauliflower walnut taco filling like I did here. For T-Rex nachos, warm up or cook your choice of taco meat (salsa chicken, pulled pork, and seasoned ground beef/turkey all work here) - nachos are a great way to use up leftovers!
Top baking sheet with your tortilla chips and sprinkle with half the grated cheese. Next add your beans/meat of choice and top with remaining cheese. Bake on the center rack until cheese is melted and choice of protein and beans are heated through. 5-10 minutes.
While the nachos bake, make the cheese sauce. Freshly grate your cheddar (pre-shredded cheese won't work here) and measure out all ingredients. This queso comes together fast!
Warm your milk in the microwave for 30-40 seconds and set aside. Heat a small sauce pot and add your butter. Once melted, add flour and whisk into butter vigorously until they become bubbly and foamy. Continue to cook and whisk constantly for about a minute to cook off the flour taste.
Add warm milk and whisk vigorously into flour mixture. Allow milk to come to a simmer, whisking occasionally as it thickens. Once it has thickened, turn off burner and remove pot from heat. Add cream cheese and whisk until melted. Next slowly add grated cheddar in 3 batches, stirring it in until the cheese is fully melted. I like to keep the pot off the heat here so the cheese doesn't overhead and turn gritty. If you work quickly the milk should be hot enough to melt the cheese. Season with cayenne pepper and salt. Adjust spices to taste and you're good to go!
Pour sauce over nachos and top with all your favorite toppings! Dive in while they're hot!
Notes
Add any extras your heart desires! The glorious thing about nachos is that they're the perfect base for all your favorite veggies.Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on extras added and enjoy!