Everyone loves a big plate of crispy nachos as a snack food or even as a meal. The thing is, the average recipe makes so many nachos that it’s hard to eat all of them in one sitting. If you decide to store leftover nachos in the fridge rather than throwing them away, you might be tempted to just put them in the microwave to reheat them. But that might not be the best way to reheat nachos.
While you can reheat nachos in the microwave, they’ll come out much better when reheated in an oven, toaster oven, or skillet. All you have to do is learn a few simple tips and your nachos will come out as crispy and gooey as they were when you first made them. It’s easier than you think!
How To Reheat Nachos in the Oven
To reheat nachos in the oven, the first thing you’ll want to do is preheat the oven but keep the temperature fairly low. If you have any type of cold topping on top of the nachos, such as salsa or sour cream, remove as much of it as you can. Keep the topping on a plate until the nachos are heated up. Heat the oven up to 225 degrees Fahrenheit, or up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit if there are beans on the nachos. Then put the nachos on a baking tray and cover them with aluminum foil.
Next, put the tray of nachos in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Beans take longer to heat up, so if you have beans on the nachos, it may take the full 15 minutes. Still, you’ll have to watch the nachos carefully because the thinner your chips are, the less time it will take for them to heat up properly.
How To Reheat Nachos in a Skillet
Reheating nachos in a skillet has its challenges but is a bit faster, since there is no appliance to preheat. When using a skillet, the first thing you’ll need to do is spread out the nachos evenly in the skillet, having removed the cold toppings first. This is important because it can affect how quickly the nachos get heated up in the end. Take some kitchen foil and loosely cover the skillet, then put the lid on the skillet as you normally would. Turn the stove on medium heat to reheat the nachos. They should be ready in about five minutes.
You should still keep an eye on the nacho chips to make sure they don’t burn because heating nachos in a skillet is fast.
How To Reheat Nachos Under the Broiler
Using a broiler is another way to reheat nachos. Start by choosing an oven-safe plate and spreading the nachos (sans toppings) out on the plate. Once the broiler is on, put the plate on the oven rack and keep it there for only one to three minutes. You have to be extra careful with this method because the nachos can go from cold to burnt in just seconds. This is why most people don’t like this method of reheating nachos. Nevertheless, you can utilize this method if you don’t like the others and you need a fast reheating process.
How To Reheat Nachos in a Toaster Oven
For small portions, a toaster oven is a great way to reheat your nachos. Start by warming it up to 225 degrees Fahrenheit and spread the nachos out on a small oven-proof plate. Then cover the plate of nachos with foil and cook for a full 15 minutes. When you remove the plate from the oven, make sure you let the nachos cool off for a few minutes before eating them, since they will be very hot. The directions for toaster ovens are roughly the same as for regular ovens, so you’ll want to remove any cold topping before you toast the nachos.
How To Reheat Nachos Using an Air Fryer
Using an air fryer to reheat nachos is a simple, fast way to enjoy your leftovers. Simply put the nachos on a plate or small baking sheet and place it in the fryer. Set the fryer to 320 degrees Fahrenheit and heat up the nachos for two to three minutes. That’s it! If you put the nachos on a plate first, you can then eat them directly off the plate. As long as you keep the air fryer at this low temperature, there’s no need to worry about the nachos burning.
Should You Reheat Nachos in a Microwave?
If you try it, the first thing you should do is sprinkle the nachos lightly with some water, since this helps the microwave heat the food more evenly. Then place a paper towel over the nachos and put them in the microwave. With most microwave ovens, you’ll want to heat the nachos for one minute, then check them to see if they’re hot enough for your tastes. If they’re not warm enough, heat them up in 20-second periods until they’re at the temperature you like.
What To Do About Cold Toppings Such As Sour Cream
Cold toppings such as salsa and sour cream will always make the nachos soggier, so regardless of how you plan to reheat your nachos, it’s best to remove these cold toppings beforehand. It is sometimes difficult to remove all of the toppings, but getting most of them off will work just fine. Of course, you can remove the toppings before you store away the nachos, but this might be more of a pain than it’s worth. Most people simply remove the cold ingredients before reheating the nachos.
How To Store Leftover Nachos so They Don’t Go Soggy
When storing nachos, the main tip to remember is to cover them completely before placing them in the refrigerator. Put them on a plate and cover them completely with either cling wrap or regular kitchen foil (some people use both). The tighter they’re wrapped, the better they’ll taste later on when you take them out of the fridge and reheat them.
Enjoy your delicious snack!