How Much Nachos Per Person? What Is Ideal Serving Size?
Important Note: When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Content, pricing, offers and availability are subject to change at any time - more info.
Nachos are the yummiest thing ever invented, but making them can sometimes be tricky because if you make too little, you always want more, but if you don’t make enough, you end up with soggy leftovers. The best way to prevent wastage is to make enough for each person. So, how much nachos do you make per person, and what is the ideal serving size? Let’s find out.
One portion of nachos is about 7 oz, 6-8 nacho chips, and 3 oz of ground beef, considering toppings like tomatoes, beans, corn, jalapeno slices, green onions, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cilantro, cheese, etc. A 6.5 oz bag of nacho chips and 1lb of ground beef will make nachos for about 6-7 people.
Trying to serve the precise amount of nachos for one person to eat comfortably and avoid wastage is tough. Nachos are the type of food you can binge eat, so having too little is disappointing, while leftover soggy nachos are not fun either. Let’s find out how to get the correct serving of nachos per person.
The Ideal Serving Size Of Nachos
Preparing the ideal serving size of nachos per person is not easy. It will probably not be enough if you serve the precise quantity a person is expected to eat. Nachos is the kind of dish you can go on mindlessly eating because its concept is a snack-type food, but it’s also delicious, and you can never truly get enough – even once you are full.
Having more nachos is better than having just enough in a serving because you could always repurpose the leftovers. You also don’t want to leave someone feeling (even yourself) unsatisfied and wishing there was more. In that case, how many nachos should you serve per person?
A single portion of nachos is around 7oz.
The amount includes all the ingredients you would put in nachos. That means your tortilla chips, your protein of choice (beans/beef/steak/chicken), vegetable toppings, a sauce-dip like salsa or guacamole, and cheese.
How Much Nacho Chips Do You Need Per Serving?
You will not often need to make nachos for one person, so the best way to look at it is to create nachos from a bag of chips. A standard 6-6.5 oz bag of nacho chips could efficiently serve around 6-7 people. If you plan to dish small portions, it will serve about 8 people, but most often, 6 people could finish nachos made from a 6.5 oz bag of chips.
How Much Ground Beef Do You Need For Nachos?
Another way to determine how much nachos you can serve per person is by figuring out how much ground beef you need per portion. Typically, 1 lb. of ground beef would be sufficient for 6-7 people, and 8 if the portions per person are smaller. It doesn’t seem like that amount could feed that many people, but keep in mind it is based on the fact that several other ingredients make up an entire portion of nachos.
Ground beef is the most common protein of choice, but if you use shredded or cubed chicken or steak, you can eyeball or estimate how much you would need to match the quantity of ground beef you would typically use.
How Much Toppings In A Serving Of Nachos?
There is no set amount to determine the portion of toppings you can put in a serving per person for nachos. One quarter to half a cup of all your toppings combined is enough for a serving of nachos. You can use a tablespoon or 2 of salsa or guacamole and a handful of cheese sprinkled over to complete a serving of nachos per person.
The idea of toppings is generally that the less you like something, the less of it you will add. The more you like something, the more of it you will add. Toppings can make or break the taste of your nachos. You want to put more of what you enjoy and know makes your nachos more delicious.
If you are highly particular about your nacho portion size, ensure your serving per person reaches approximately 7 oz. that would mean if you make 35 oz, or 2 lbs of nachos in total, it should feed around 5 people. If you make 70 oz or 4 lbs of nachos, it should be sufficient for about 10 people.
How To Use Leftover Nachos?
No matter how accurately you get the portions of nachos per person, you can never guarantee that there will not be leftovers. Whether you make extra or someone cannot finish their serving, you will need to find a way to use up leftover nachos to prevent tossing them in the garbage. In the following list, you can find some fun ways to repurpose your leftover nachos:
- Reheat it in the oven by removing the cold toppings and heating the chips with the ground or shredded meat. Sprinkle your topping back on, add more of a specific ingredient if necessary and enjoy another round of nachos.
- Turn it into fried rice by removing the tortilla chips and mixing the rest of the ingredients with rice and some spice or sauces of your choice. Now you have nacho-fried-rice.
- Make enchiladas by removing the soggy tortilla chips and using the rest of the items to make an enchilada filling. You could always spruce it up by adding any extras that you enjoy.
- Add it to a tortilla or quesadilla by using the leftover ingredients after removing the soggy tortilla chips. Top it up by adding some sauces and sprinkling more cheese, and you have a new meal ready to go.
- Reinvent the nachos by removing the soggy tortilla chips and adding new fresh crispy ones. Add the remaining leftover nacho ingredients over the new chips, then add anything more you may be missing, like guacamole and sour cream with a hearty sprinkle of cheese. Toss it in the oven until it is warm and the cheese is melted. You can now enjoy another nacho session like it is new.
Time To Serve Up Deliciously Fresh Nachos
Now that you know what the nacho portion ideal for serving per person is, with a list of tips on what to do with leftover nachos, you never have to worry about wasting. You can plan your portions well and always have the correct quantity of ingredients. It’s time for more Mexican dinners! Check out our amazing tasting oven cooked nachos recipe here.
