Recipe Vortex

8 ounces sturdy tortilla chips

1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked pinto beans

1 packed cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1 packed cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, or additional cheddar

1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped

⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese

Pickled jalapeños, to taste

Avocado dip, thinned with water until it reaches a drizzly consistency, or guacamole

⅓ cup chopped green onions

2 radishes, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

AVOCADO DIP

2 large avocados, halved and pitted

½ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro (some stems are okay)

⅓ cup lime juice (from about 2 ½ limes)

1 small jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons water, more as needed to thin

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place handfuls of chips on the baking sheet and distribute evenly, minimizing the gaps between chips. Set aside.

Sprinkle the prepared pan of chips generously and evenly with the beans, followed by the shredded cheese, bell pepper, crumbled feta and pickled jalapeños (use more if you really love jalapeños, less if you don’t). Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 9 to 13 minutes. Remove the nachos from the oven and set aside.

While the nachos are baking, make the avocado sauce and prepare the garnishes.

Once the nachos are out of the oven, drizzle avocado sauce on top as shown—any extra can be served on the side. (If using guacamole instead, dollop the guacamole over the nachos like polka dots.) Sprinkle the nachos with chopped green onion, radish and cilantro. Serve immediately, with salsa on the side.