Sheet-Pan Mushroom and Shallot Nachos
So...the other day, I hinted around at some truly terrific party food and I am making good on my promise. Guys, these Sheet-Pan Mushroom and Shallot Nachos are to die for! And gorgeously vegetarian! I guarantee that no one will miss the meat or complain about having to eat their veggies! Now picture this: you and your crew, a nail biter basketball final and these nachos. Doesn’t get much better than that, right? Except for maybe peanut butter and chocolate brownies and I’ve got you covered on that end later this week.
As a kid, nachos were always making appearances at our parties but we always just made small plates of them in the microwave—never thought of the sheet pan method then. Now, it’s the only way to go. Perfect for making large groups of people immensely happy without having to prepare plate after plate. So much easier!
And with this mushroom shallot version you are going to want a lot or fights are likely to break out. Just warning you!
Really, everyone is going to go ga-ga over these—I think you’re even going to convert those confirmed mushroom haters with these.
The mushrooms get cooked down until they are almost meaty.
And contrasting their earthiness is the great crispy crunch and flavor you get from the fried shallots.
And sauteed onions.
And jalapeños.
Oh, and there’s cheese. Two kinds—Monterey Jack and cheddar. Lots of it. And it’s gloriously melted and gooey.
And kinda crispy too.
Nacho heaven! So, so worth every bite! Do it!
Sheet-Pan Mushroom and Shallot Nachos
Serves 6-8
Prep Time for Mushrooms: 15-20 minutes; Prep Time for Shallots: 6-10 minutes; Assembly and Bake Time for Nachos: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients
Canola oil
3-4 medium shallots, sliced thinly
Kosher salt
1 large onion, cut in half and into thin half moons
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Two 8 ounce packages mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1-2 shakes cayenne pepper
Fresh black pepper
Large bag tortilla chips (I like to use unsalted)
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 large jalapeño, seeded and minced
Chopped scallions, tomatoes, avocados or anything else you’d like to scatter across these babies, as well as any salsas or sour cream on the side (optional)
The Recipe
1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Pour a thin layer of oil—a couple of tablespoons-in a large deep skillet and heat over medium-high heat. When oil is very hot, add the shallots and cook until crispy and golden. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Lower the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook, stirring often for about 10 minutes, until the onion is golden. Add the sliced garlic and cook for about a minute. Watch carefully. You don’t want it to get too dark. Use the slotted spoon to drain and remove it all to a bowl. Set aside.
3. Depending on how much oil is left in the skillet, you can either leave it as is or add a bit more. If you add more, give it a minute to heat up a bit. Then add in the mushrooms and turn the heat up a little to help the mushrooms start to release their water. Cook for about 7-8 minutes, stirring often. Then add in chili powder, the cayenne and a pinch or two of salt and pepper. Let cook a minute or two and then add in the onion mixture but not the shallots.
4. Place the chips (about 5 cups but don’t measure-just eyeball it) on a large rimmed baking sheet and evenly spread the onion-mushroom mixture across the top, followed by the cheeses and the jalapeños. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until everything is bubbly and golden. Scatter the top with the shallots and scallions and serve immediately as is or with any additions like chopped tomatoes, avocados and salsa and sour cream.
5. If you’re making these for a party you could definitely prepare the shallots and the mushroom onion mixture ahead and store both in separate air-tight containers in the fridge to make last minute cooking easier.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from Cravings: Hungry For More by Chrissy Teigen. I tinkered a lot—you should feel free to do what you like here. Just don’t skip the shallots—they add a ton of crunch and flavor! Also, I tried Chrissy’s method for cooking the shallots in the microwave in oil and it was less than successful for me—since you have to do the mushrooms and onions anyway, it’s not much harder to cook the shallots that way either.
