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Cinco de Mayo is one of my favorite food holidays. I am going to go out on a limb here and say out loud, that you are going to L-O-V-E these Creamy Seafood Nachos! They are a deliciously creamy flavor fiesta for your mouth, stomach and brain that will have your friends and family begging for more.
I mean what's not to love? Crisp tortilla chips, melted cheeses, shrimp and crab all mixed together with cilantro, green onions, cumin, chili powder, and jalapeno in a creamy sauce.
These Creamy Seafood Nachos were inspired by the Creamy Seafood Enchiladas that I made a couple of weeks ago, with more cheese and more sour cream for a rich and flavorful appetizer you will not be able to stop eating.
How to make Creamy Seafood Nachos
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
You want the garlic fragrant and softened, not brown.
Add the shrimp and crab meat to the pan and cook until the shrimp turns pink, 4 to 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the jalapeno, cumin, chili powder, and white pepper over the shrimp and crab, stir to coat.
Stir in the sour cream.
Add 1 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese. Cook while stirring until the cheese melts.
Stir in the green onions and cilantro, then remove from heat and set aside.
Spread tortilla chips evenly across the baking sheet.
Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of Monterrey Jack and 1 cup of cheddar cheese over the tortilla chips.
Don't forget the bottom layer of chips, they want some cheesy love too. 😉
Place baking sheet in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 minutes.
Pour the seafood mixture evenly over the nachos.
Garnish with additional cilantro, green onions, diced tomatoes, sour cream, and/or sliced jalapenos if desired.
And serve.
I can seriously say that these Creamy Seafood Nachos are my new favorite appetizer, they are insanely delicious!! Are you drooling yet? Well stop drooling and go get the ingredients to make them.
Notes:
- Medium sized shrimp were the perfect size, not too big and not too small. Feel free to use any size shrimp that you like, or have buried in your freezer.
- If you purchase peeled and deveined shrimp, and grate your cheese ahead of time {or get the kids to do it for you} you will be enjoying these Creamy Seafood Nachos in no time!
- You want a sturdy tortilla chip that can hold up to the weight of the toppings. Thin, fragile chips will not work well.
- Why is the cheese on the bottom and not on top? Because I wanted to create a barrier between the chips and the creamy sauce. No one likes mushy chips!
More delicious appetizer recipes
- Simple Seafood Artichoke Dip
- Puff Pastry Chorizo Rolls
- Southwest Black Bean Dip
- Cilantro Lime Shrimp
- Irish Nachos
- Crab Rangoons
Enjoy!!
Creamy Seafood Nachos
Ingredients
- 9 ounces tortilla chips choose a sturdy chip
- 2 ½ cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese divided
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large clove garlic minced
- 1 pound medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- 12 ounces lump crab meat drained
- 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add the shrimp and crab meat to the pan and cook until the shrimp turns pink, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the jalapeno, cumin, chili powder, and white pepper over the shrimp and crab, stir to coat.
- Stir in the sour cream.
- Add 1 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese. Cook while stirring until the cheese melts.
- Stir in the green onions and cilantro, then remove from heat and set aside.
- Spread tortilla chips evenly across the baking sheet.
- Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of Monterrey Jack and 1 cup of cheddar cheese over the tortilla chips.
- Place baking sheet in the oven and bake until until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 minutes.
- Pour the seafood mixture evenly over the nachos.
- Garnish with additional cilantro, green onions, diced tomatoes, sour cream, and/or sliced jalapenos if desired.
Notes
- Medium sized shrimp were the perfect size, not too big and not too small. Feel free to use any size shrimp that you like, or have buried in your freezer.
- If you purchase peeled and deveined shrimp, and grate your cheese ahead of time {or get the kids to do it for you} you will be enjoying these Creamy Seafood Nachos in no time!
- You want a sturdy tortilla chip that can hold up to the weight of the toppings. Thin, fragile chips will not work well.
- Why is the cheese on the bottom and not on top? Because I wanted to create a barrier between the chips and the creamy sauce. No one likes mushy chips!
Sue Donaldson says
these look amazing! I just hate to peel shrimp! but will do so for these!
Lisa Johnson says
Thank you Sue, I promise it will be worth it!! You might get lucky and find peeled, raw shrimp. 🙂
Heather says
Ummmm WHAT?! I love nachos, and seafood, but TOGETHER?! What an AMAZING idea. I will HAVE to try this. Definitely saving for later!
Lisa Johnson says
Thank you so much Heather, I hope you love them as much as I did! 🙂
Carol says
It's funny how when I read these comments (or any recipe comments) that they all say I have to try these. Make this and THEN comment; OK?
carol says
Please read my comment
carol says
Please be so kind and show our comment.