Unexpected toppings that make nachos that much better

OK, we'll admit it — we're still suckers for gourmet versions of our favorite bar foods. Pork belly on a burger? We're there. Cherry reductions on a sage sausage instead of a hot dog with ketchup? Yup. So why should our nachos be any different. We love the unexpected foods paired with our most basic of cravings — nachos. From duck to blueberries, you can try them all.

Roasted okra

Roasted okra has an earthy taste that goes well with corn tortillas, bright cheese and the tang of salsa. For a foolproof way of getting perfect okra (trust us), follow this recipe.

Calamari

Fish tacos are loved up and down the coastal areas, as well as using calamari — both sautéed and fried — on nachos. But if you really want a crazy mix, how about calamari nachos with marinara sauce? Food Republic can show you the way.  

Jerk chicken

Sure, you go to enough sports bars and you'll see BBQ chicken or buffalo chicken nachos buried on the menu somewhere. But stop messing around with half-measures and go for the real heat of Scotch Bonnet peppers and put some jerk chicken on your nachos.

Rajas

Roasted poblano peppers in cream sauce? You're halfway to nacho-town at that point. Just a warning, not all poblanos are created of equal heat, so taste a bit before chopping. But some cream, some pepper — even some goat cheese — and you're good to go. You can find a pretty easy rajas recipe here.

Beef bulgogi

Korean and Mexican food — the combination that built the Roy Choi and Kogi BBQ empire in Southern California. It's easier to make than you think at home, especially following Kimchimari.com's recipe for traditional bulgogi.

Fried avocado

Avocados aren't always in season, and we've found that sometimes the best way to sneak the less-than-stellar ones onto the plate is just with some panko crumbs, flour and an egg wash, which works wonders to save them. Plus it's a nice change from the regular old guac. You can find a simple method for prepping them from the California Avocado Commission.

Mole

Smoky, chocolate-y, earthy mole negro. Is there nothing you don't make better? Making mole from scratch though? You can, but it's a long process. You can often find prepared mole in grocery store, but one of the country's premier mole-centric restaurants in Los Angeles, Guelaguetza, will glad you ship you some too if you want the full experience for your nachos.  

Ropa

There is something about ropa, the national dish of Cuba, we can't get enough of — no matter if it's made with beef, pork, chicken or even vegetarian with jackfruit. The braise makes it more like a chili, but the seasoning is pure Caribbean. Epicurious has a good recipe for ropa vieja if you've never tried your hand at it before. Don't let the ingredient list fool you — if you can make chili you can handle ropa.

Roasted corn

Either fresh from the grill or frozen, roasted corn goes a long way to help nachos be more than just cheese, salsa and chips.

Duck

Of all the gastropub food trends that have come and gone, using duck either smoked, roasted or as a confit on everything from burgers and pizzas to nachos has had some real staying power. And why not? This is no ordinary fowl, with 10 times the intense flavor, so a little bit of duck goes a long way. Even Emeril himself cannot resist duck on nachos.

Herbs

The simple act of finishing any dish — even the lowly nacho — is the most important part of cooking. Garlic chives, cilantro, green onions — don't leave off the extra bit of taste for the best nachos.

Fried shrimp

We're all used to cool ceviches with shrimp; heat things up and add fried shrimp to your nachos the next time around. A beer-battered shrimp? You may as well go all out with this recipe.

Roasted peppers

Such a simple addition that we don't think about enough — either freshly charring some peppers on our own, grabbing them frozen or even out of the jar, nachos are begging for the charred sweetness of roasted peppers.

Gyro

Beef, spices, onions. Sounds like nachos to us, which is why we've put sliced gyro meat on our nachos plenty of times. Looking for a healthier version at home? Chicken gyro works just as well — and you can even sneak some hummus onto your nachos.

Chorizo

When looking for chorizo for your nachos, shop for fresh so you can easily crumble it for cooking as European chorizo is more of a cured meat closer to salami. And yup, once cooked, fresh chorizo is a natural on nachos.

Turkey chili

Sometimes we want to be naughty and eat all the bad stuff in the world — and sometimes we want come close to the edge and substitute turkey chili for beef chili because we're already layering chili on chips with melted cheese. A quick turkey chili satisfies that urge.

Olives

Yes, yes, yes — I know loads of people don't like olives. But sometimes you just want some extra salt with your creamy, melted cheese goodness. We don't judge.

Mango

Either freshly diced or as grilled slices, we've never gone wrong adding mango to our nachos.

Lime

This one might seem obvious if you're out and about, but a little squirt of lime goes a long way when you're making nachos at home.

Refried black beans

Show some love for your nachos and do more than just throw some plain beans on your chips for the protein. A good batch of homemade refried beans can get you through not only your nachos, but for a healthy side full of fiber for the rest of the week.

Feta

Crumbled feta pairs nicely with salsa and onions, so if you're short on cheddar or just don't feel like having a ton of melted cheese on your nachos, a sprinkle of feta goes a long way on a plate.

Blueberries

OK, you think I've lost my mind. But blueberry salsa is a sweet-heat treat. Blueberries, jalapeño (we like to add red onions) and lemon add a brightness you normally don't associate with nachos. Use this recipe from Southern Living and pair with the feta above for tangy nachos on flour tortilla chips.