Steak Elote Nachos are a loaded steak nachos recipe with fresh-fried tortilla chips and big, bold flavor from tender flank steak, charred corn, queso blanco, Cotija, and guacamole. Corn gets charred in a hot skillet for an easy elote-inspired topping, while the steak can be grilled or pan-seared.
If you like loaded nachos, try our Elote Pasta Salad or Creamy Elote Corn Dip next.
Steak Elote Nachos Recipe at a Glance 🔎
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- ⏱️ Cook Time: 35 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 6
- 🔥 Cook Method: Frying, Grilling or Stovetop
- 🍽️ Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired, Tex-Mex
- 👩🍳 Pair With: Fresh Avocado and Tomato Side Salad, Fire-Roasted Salsa, black beans, or pico de gallo
- ⭐ Difficulty Level: Intermediate
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We layer these nachos twice so the steak, queso, and charred corn reach the bottom chips too. Serve them as soon as they're assembled. ~Jami
Why We Love This Recipe
- Fresh-Fried Chips: Frying corn tortillas gives these nachos a sturdy, extra-crisp base that holds up better under warm queso and all those toppings.
- Elote-Inspired Flavor: Charred corn, Cotija, elote seasoning, jalapeño, and cilantro bring familiar Mexican street corn flavors to a big platter of steak nachos.
- Grill Optional: Cook the flank steak on the grill or in a cast-iron skillet, so you can make these year-round.
- Built for Sharing: Layering the chips and toppings twice distributes the steak, queso, and corn throughout the platter, making these especially good for game day or casual entertaining.
Key Ingredients
- Flank Steak: Flank steak works especially well for nachos because it cooks quickly and can be sliced small enough to eat easily on a tortilla chip.
- Corn Tortillas: Six-inch corn tortillas make sturdy homemade chips that can handle queso, steak, and guacamole. Keep the tortilla quarters fairly uniform so they fry at roughly the same rate.
- Frozen Corn: There's no need to wait for fresh corn season. Cook frozen corn until its excess moisture evaporates before adding the oil, then give it time against the hot skillet to develop those browned, charred spots.
- Queso Blanco: Use a prepared queso that becomes smooth and pourable when warmed. You want enough to reach both layers of chips rather than concentrating all the queso across the top.
- Cotija Cheese: Cotija adds the salty, crumbly cheese element associated with elote. Since the queso and elote seasoning also contribute salt, season the freshly fried tortilla chips lightly.
- Elote Seasoning: A small amount ties the corn and toppings together without burying the flavor of the steak. Check the salt level of your particular blend before adding additional seasoning.
- Guacamole: Add the guacamole last, in separate spoonfuls across the platter. This gives people plenty of guacamole without covering the crisp chips with a heavy layer.
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
- Flank Steak: Skirt steak is the closest substitute and works especially well when sliced thinly against the grain.
- Frozen Corn: Fresh corn cut from the cob can be used when it's in season. Char it in the same hot skillet until browned in spots.
- Cotija Cheese: Crumbled queso fresco can be substituted, although it has a milder flavor and less saltiness than Cotija.
- Spice: Remove the jalapeño seeds and membranes or leave the jalapeño off completely.
- No Grill: Pan-sear the flank steak in a hot cast-iron or heavy skillet. You can char the corn in the same skillet after the steak comes out.
- Presentation: Build smaller portions on individual plates for easier serving instead of making one large game-day platter.
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How To Make Steak Elote Nachos
STEP ONE: Fry the Tortilla Chips
Cut the corn tortillas into quarters and heat about 2 inches of neutral oil to 350°F. Fry the tortillas in small batches for 1 to 2 minutes, turning as needed, until crisp and lightly golden.
Don't wait for the chips to become deeply browned before removing them. They'll continue to crisp slightly after they leave the oil. Transfer them to a wire rack and season lightly with kosher salt while they're still hot.
STEP TWO: Cook and Slice the Flank Steak
Combine the olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, garlic, salt, and black pepper, then coat the flank steak with the mixture. Let it stand for 15 to 20 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
Cook the steak over high heat on the grill or in a hot cast-iron skillet, about 4 to 5 minutes per side depending on its thickness and your preferred doneness. Let the steak rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing it into bite-sized cubes.
STEP THREE: Char the Corn and Warm the Queso
Add the frozen corn directly to a hot skillet. At first, it will release moisture and steam. Let that moisture cook away before adding the olive oil.
Continue cooking for 2 to 4 minutes, leaving the kernels undisturbed periodically so they make direct contact with the skillet and brown. Meanwhile, warm the queso blanco until smooth and easily pourable.
STEP FOUR: Build the Nachos in Layers
Arrange half the fried chips on a large platter or sheet pan. Drizzle with half the warm queso and scatter over half the steak and charred corn.
Repeat with the remaining chips, queso, steak, and corn. Finish with Cotija, jalapeño, cilantro, and elote seasoning, then add generous spoonfuls of guacamole.
Building two layers instead of one is one of the easiest ways to make better loaded nachos. The toppings reach the chips underneath instead of leaving you with a loaded top layer and plain chips at the bottom.
Expert Tips for Success
👩🍳Jami's Pro Tips: Want to take this recipe to the next level? Check out my expert tips below for the best flavor, texture, and meal prep hacks!
✔️ DO Fry the tortilla chips in small batches and allow the oil to return to 350°F between batches.
✔️ DO Slice the rested flank steak thinly against the grain so it's easy to bite through on a chip.
❌ DO NOT Overcrowd the frying oil. A significant temperature drop can make homemade chips greasy rather than crisp.
Storage
Steak Elote Nachos are best assembled immediately before serving. Refrigerate leftover steak, corn, queso, and guacamole separately in airtight containers when possible. Reheat the steak and corn gently in a skillet and warm the queso separately. Assembled nachos don't freeze or reheat particularly well because the tortilla chips lose their crisp texture.
Steak Elote Nacho Recipe FAQs
These nachos use several flavors associated with Mexican street corn, including charred corn, Cotija cheese, elote seasoning, cilantro, and jalapeño. Instead of serving the seasoned corn separately, those elements are layered over tortilla chips with flank steak, queso blanco, and guacamole.
Flank steak is an excellent choice for steak nachos because it's flavorful, relatively lean, and easy to slice thinly. Skirt steak is another good option. Whichever cut you choose, let it rest after cooking and slice against the grain so the pieces remain easy to bite through.
Yes. Frozen corn works especially well for nachos because it's convenient and available year-round. Add it to a hot skillet without thawing, let the excess moisture evaporate, and then add a small amount of oil so the kernels can brown and char.
Yes. Flank steak cooks very well in a hot cast-iron or heavy skillet, so a grill isn't necessary. Once the steak is resting, you can use the same skillet to char the frozen corn.
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📖 Recipe
Steak Elote Nachos
Equipment
- Deep, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- Deep-fry or instant-read thermometer
- Wire rack and rimmed baking sheet
- Cast-iron or heavy skillet
- Small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl
- Large serving platter or sheet pan
Ingredients
Fresh-Fried Tortilla Chips
- 15 (6-inch) corn tortillas cut into quarters
- neutral oil for frying
- kosher salt for seasoning
Flank Steak
- 1 pound flank steak
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Charred Corn
- 1½ cups frozen corn thawed
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Nachos
- 1½ cups prepared queso blanco warmed
- ½ cup crumbled Cotija cheese
- 1 jalapeño thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon elote seasoning
- 1 cup prepared guacamole
Instructions
- In a shallow dish or resealable bag, combine the olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Add the flank steak and turn to coat. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Add about 2 inches of neutral oil to a heavy-bottomed pot and heat to 350°F. Working in batches, fry the tortilla quarters for 1 to 2 minutes, turning as needed, until crisp and lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack and season lightly with kosher salt while hot. Allow the oil to return to 350°F between batches.
- Remove the steak from the marinade and discard the remaining marinade.For the grill: Preheat to high heat. Grill the steak for approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until it reaches your desired doneness.For the Stovetop: Heat a cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the steak for approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until it reaches your desired doneness.Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then cut into small, bite-size cubes.
- If using the skillet from the steak, carefully wipe out any excessively dark bits. Add the corn to the hot skillet and spread it into an even layer. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the moisture has evaporated, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the olive oil and continue cooking for another 2 to 4 minutes, allowing the corn to sit undisturbed periodically, until lightly charred in spots.
- Heat the queso blanco in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave until hot, smooth, and pourable.
- Arrange half of the fried tortilla chips on a large platter or sheet pan. Drizzle with half of the warm queso, then scatter half of the sliced steak and charred corn over the chips.
- Add the remaining tortilla chips and top with the remaining queso, steak, and corn. Sprinkle evenly with the Cotija cheese, sliced jalapeño, cilantro, and elote seasoning.
- Spoon the guacamole over the nachos in several generous dollops. Serve immediately while the chips, steak, corn, and queso are warm.
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Notes
- Fry the tortillas in small batches so the oil temperature stays steady.
- Give the corn direct contact with the hot skillet after its moisture evaporates so it develops browned edges.
- Slice the steak into small bite-sized pieces after resting.
- Assemble the nachos immediately before serving so the fresh-fried chips stay crisp.
Jami Powell says
We love serving these nachos for game day. Super flavorful and filling!