In this Post: Fiery Chile-Pumpkin Nachos
When it comes to perfect party and/or snack foods, nachos are pretty tough to beat, no? And this concoction right here, these Fiery Chile Pumpkin Nachos, just might be the ideal way to capture the warmth and spice of the season, but in a less predictable way. I created this recipe based almost entirely off of a craving – when the old, worn-out microwaved nachos thing just wouldn’t cut it. I very much support the notion of freshly frying your own tortillas – transforming them into crunchy chips – and if you want to do that here, be my guest. But given the nature of this recipe’s inception (the aforementioned craving) I opted for something a tad faster. The goal was to get from craving to table in as little time as was necessary, and this recipe really does that. I soaked my dried chiles (which, admittedly, I keep on hand for sauces) and allowed them to dehydrate in some boiling water until tender and then I whirred them up in a blender with some canned pumpkin, a little of the reserved chile water, some garlic and onion powders, and some salt. Easy and fast. Just toss several handfuls of tortilla chips with this sauce in a large bowl until coated, and then pile them up on a baking sheet, covered in a thick layer of cheese (I LOVE using shredded Tillamook sharp cheddar for this). They come out of the oven crispy on the tips and gooey where it counts. It’s kind of a knife-and-fork nachos situation, really, as these somewhat resemble chilaquiles (in a good way).
“Wait a minute!” (you might be thinking.) Are we making pumpkin spice nachos here? Why yes, yes we really are. We’re doing that. But there’s nothing artificial, sweet, or basic about them. The pumpkin truly serves a purpose here , going way past the “pumpkin for pumpkin’s sake” arena that we see so much of this time of year. It cools the fiery Chile sauce down to a level that’s tolerably delicious and it gives the sauce a little extra body and thickness as well. I’d say you can use another squash, but to date, I’ve yet to see any other variety that comes in a can. The convenience of that is unbeatable, as cutting squash isn’t exactly my favorite kitchen task, to be honest.
Piled to high heaven with your favorite fixins, these extra special nachos eat like a meal and will please the crowds every time.
Fiery Four-Cheese Chile Pumpkin Nachos
Ingredients
- 4 dried ancho chiles
- 7 guajillo chiles
- 14.5- ounce can unsweetened pumpkin
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 4 cups tortilla chips
- 2 cups shredded Mexican-style cheese blend such as Tillamook
- 1 tsp Mexican Tajiin seasoning optional
- 1 shallot chopped
- 1 avocado sliced
- Fresh cilantro chopped
- Mexican crema or Tillamook sour cream
Instructions
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Rinse the chiles. Place the rinsed chiles in a large pot of very hot water and allow them to re-hydrate for about an hour, or until they’re very soft and pliable. Remove the stems and scrape the seeds out (just as many as you can – it’s okay if some stay).
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
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Tranfser the chiles to a blender along with 1 cup of the chile water and the pumpkin. Season with the salt, garlic powder, onion powder and blend until very smooth and creamy. You can add a little more of the chile water until you get your desired consistency.
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Place the chips in a large bowl and pour about 1 cup of the sauce over top. Stir until the chips are well coated in the chile sauce, adding a bit more if needed. The remaining sauce (you will probably have some leftover) will keep in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for over 3 months (it’s amazing for enchiladas, btw).
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Spread the chips out on a baking sheet and top with the cheese. Sprinkle the Tajin seasoning all over the chips, if using. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the tops of the chips are browned and crunchy. Remove from the oven and top immediately with your desired toppings and serve warm.
Recipe Notes
Tajin seasoning is a traditional Mexican seasoning blend that is heavy on the lime flavor. It beautifully activates so many dishes, giving a bright burst of flavor and making all of the other ingredients taste even better than they would on their own. It’s one of my favorite flavor weapons, and you can find it in most supermarkets, Latin grocery stores, and of course, online.
Fiery Chile-Pumpkin Nachos
Fiery Chile Pumpkin Nachos
I can’t get enough of your dark moody style photos. The nachos look awesome by the way, although I think I would need to brace myself with a big jug of water beside for this one (:
Thank you so much! These are really great … really spicy though 😉 xx