Who says nachos have to be made with tortilla chips? Mini peppers are a great alternative for your keto nachos. Delicious, easy, and kid-friendly!
Hey nacho fans! Now there’s a healthier way to enjoy your favorite football snack. Really, it doesn’t get any easier than slicing and coring a few delicious mini peppers and sprinkling it with spiced ground beef, cheese, and some fun nacho toppings.
Life is too busy to slave away at the stove every evening. You need easy healthy meals and I do too. That’s where the idea for these fun and healthy keto nachos came in.
I stood there, holding a bag of mini peppers, just knowing I could do something interesting with them. And they really appealed to my kids. Just look how pretty and colorful they are!
Why this recipe is so awesome
Keto cooking is all about finding new and innovates ways to make our old favorites healthier. And all nachos really need is a replacement for the tortilla chips.
Tortilla chips clock in at a hefty 20g of carbs per serving (13 chips). Whereas sweet bell peppers have only 6g of carbs per cup. And peppers contain a number of essential vitamins and minerals our bodies need.
Many keto nacho recipes require you to make your own tortilla chips, which makes them far more time consuming than most of us can handle. Or they use pre-made “keto” chips, many of which aren’t really very keto-friendly at all.
But mini pepper nachos are an easy, real food option that take only a few minutes to prepare. And the peppers are the perfect shape for holding those tasty toppings!
Reader Testimonials
I’ve made these and they’re a perfect counter to the non-keto nachos that my family will be eating while watching football today! We’ll all enjoy the burnt basque cheesecake for dessert as well! — Kim
I’ve made these several times and everyone in my family LOVES them. Awesome recipe! Thanks Carolyn. — Sue”
OMG! I made these as soon as I could get to the store after I saw the recipe. They were amazing!!! So good. I will never crave “real” nacho again! These were better. And I know much healthier! This morning I’m using the leftovers (not that many) to make my scrambled eggs. Can’t wait for breakfast! — Mariam
Ingredients you need
- Spices: Chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt, pepper, oregano and red pepper flakes.
- Ground beef: You can also use ground pork, turkey or chicken.
- Mini peppers: These are the baby peppers you find in your grocery store. They are mild, sweet and come in red, orange and yellow.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: You can also use shredded Monterey Jack, Cheddar Jack or a Mexican cheese blend.
- Tomato: I top my nachos with some diced tomatoes. You can also use salsa or pico de gallo.
- Other topping additions: Sour cream, olives, chopped jalapeño, avocado, cilantro, onions.
Step-by-step directions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the spices and seasonings until well combined.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef until just cooked through, breaking up any clumps with the back of a wooden spoon. Add spice mixture and sauté until well combined. Remove from heat.
3. Preheat oven to 400F and line a large baking try with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Arrange mini peppers in a single layer, cut-side up but very close together.
4. Sprinkle with ground beef mixture and shredded cheese (make sure every mini pepper gets a little meat and cheese!). Bake 5 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melty. Remove from oven and top with chopped tomatoes and any other desired toppings. Serve immediately.
Recipe tips
Be sure not to overcook the beef, as it can dry out. Since it gets baked in the oven as well, take it just to the point where it’s no longer pink. Also make sure to line your baking pan with parchment paper so the nachos don’t stick.
If you would like the peppers to be softer, cook them on the baking sheet first for about 10 minutes.
You can customize these keto nachos any way you like it. Mix in some chorizo with the beef, top with avocados or guacamole, or keep it plain and simple with just meat and cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
You have a number of healthy options for replacing tortilla chips. I’ve seen them made with cauliflower, zucchini slices, or pork rinds. I like to use mini peppers for a keto version. It’s a great way to get more veggies into your diet!
These nachos are made with mini sweet peppers instead of high carb chips. They are topped with a deliciously seasoned ground beef and lots of melty cheese. Add some chopped tomatoes, sour cream and avocados and you have a fabulous low carb meal or snack.
These keto nachos have only 6.5g of carbs and 3.2g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.3g net carbs per serving.
More kid-friendly keto meals
Mini Pepper Keto Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes more if you like it hotter
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb mini peppers halved and seeded
- 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
- ½ cup chopped tomato
- Other toppings as desired sour cream, olives, chopped jalapeño, avocado, etc.
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, oregano and red pepper flakes.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef until just cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes, breaking up any clumps with the back of a wooden spoon. Add spice mixture and sauté until well combined. Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 400F and line a large baking try with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Arrange mini peppers in a single layer, cut-side up but very close together.
- Sprinkle with ground beef mixture and shredded cheese (make sure every mini pepper gets a little meat and cheese!). Bake 5 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melty.
- Remove from oven and top with chopped tomatoes and any other desired toppings. Serve immediately.
Susan says
I just made this for lunch today for the second time. The first time I used the mini peppers. This time I substituted a pound of jicama for the peppers, cut about ⅛” thick after peeling, and it turned out really well. The reason I switched away from the peppers is that I don’t digest them well. This might not work for everyone, because jicama may be a bit higher in carbs, but it was a good solution for me. I was glad to find a way to make the recipe work for me. One day I’ll have to try topping it with the chopped tomatoes, when I have a bit more energy. Definitely a keeper recipe.
Lillian says
This is fantastic! Thank you! Surprisingly filling. I would be sure the peppers are bite size pieces next time. Some were a couple inches long and an inch wide. Would cut them again in half. Added sour cream, avocado, cilantro, olives, jalapeno as topping. Had it with keto cornbread and the tortilla strips were definitely not missed.
Anna says
Hi, Carolyn. I’m preparing to make this recipe, and in looking at the macros I noticed that a serving only contains 1.4 grams of protein. This seems a miscalculation to me. Each serving would constitute of roughly 2.6 ounces of beef (in raw state), which would translate to about 11 grams of protein per serving. Am I wrong? P.S. I haven’t even looked at the other macros yet. I’m hoping they are all correct, but will check them out before I make the recipe. Thank you!
Carolyn says
Yup, that’s an error. It’s probably 14g but I am not at home with my big computer, which has the software for me to check. I will fix when I get back!
Lori says
Hi Carolyn, I am making this recipe tonight for dinner and I know it will be awesome like all your recipes are ! I have a question about the protein amount in your nutritional info though. I have been trying to up my protein and I noticed the amount in your info is only 1.4gms per serving and I thought that doesn’t sound right. So I input your recipe into carb manager and I got 27gms of protein per serving. Just an observation and to thank you for all your awesome recipes.
PennyC says
This is DELICIOUS! The fresh flavor of the peppers adds so much to the dish. My husband asked me to add these nachos to our regular dinner rotation. I posted on Facebook (with credit) and my friends love the idea. Brilliant.
AntKathy says
A very tasty recipe, but it will not satisfy a craving for nachos. Otherwise, easy, quick and yummy..
Maggie says
This is a winner. We loved this for dinner. I didn’t change anything in the recipe.
Theresa says
These were very flavorful and an excellent keto substitute for loaded nachos. And leftovers were even tastier after two days in the frig and cooked under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Definitely going in my dinner rotation.
Wilma says
Hi Carolyn,
I made these tonight and they were delicious. thank you for all your hard work and your recipes.
Janelle says
delicious! my family loved this for dinner. have the flavor of nachos but not the crunch, however.
Alice says
Do I need to make any adjustments if I sub ground turkey for the ground beef? This looks delicious and I have friends who won’t eat beef. Thanks!!
Carolyn says
No, it should be exactly the same.
Alice R says
Do I need to make any adjustments if I sub ground turkey for the ground beef? This looks delicious and I have friends who won’t eat beef. Thanks!!
Kim Cooper says
I’ve made these and they’re a perfect counter to the non-keto nachos that my family will be eating while watching football today! We’ll all enjoy the burnt basque cheesecake for dessert as well!
Carolyn says
Glad you like it!
Cynthia says
Carolyn…. this is my first visit to your site. I have signed up for your emails. This recipe looks amazing and I will be making this tomorrow. I have read this whole thread and I’m hoping that I don’t have to unsubscribe right away. I don’t believe any of us need this negativity in our lives. Hoping for the best! ????
Carolyn says
If you are referring to the back and forth about peppers vs chilies, that’s a very unusual occurrence here and I actually deleted the ruder comments. And the “Carolyn” who is commenting is not me, it’s a reader with the same name. I just let the debate carry on and didn’t really say anything.
AM Penny says
Respect Carolyn all the more after reading through this stream. She has not fallen prey to these comments & made no negative replies. Thank you, Carolyn, for your class & for your recipes & all the work you put into them only to freely share many of them on your blog.
Terry says
Here is a solution to the name that vegetable situation. I just returned from Australia where capsicum was the common name and the name in the grocery store for this food: red capsicums, yellow capsicums, orange capsicums, green capsicums, full size or mini. My mother was always puzzled and mildly confused when these plants were called “mangos” by the locals in Ohio, but she was too polite to correct her neighbors.
Reno Dave says
I’ve made these several times and are a favorite for any excuse to “just” have them!!
No diet restrictions, so have made them vegan for friends who are, with ground beef and diced chicken breasts.
Also, we like a little heat, so dice up jalapenos and add to the filling mixture.
Any way you slice, dice and spice them, these are tasty little devils!!
Make my mouth water as I type this post…
Reno Dave
Carolyn says
Thanks!
Laura says
Carolyn,
These look amazing…I just found this! I may have overlooked this, but can you tell me how long to leave these in the oven? Also, what kind of paper is that on the cookie sheet? I am not much of a cook, but learning the how-to’s as I go. Thank you for posting this; I’m anxious to try it!
Carolyn says
Check out the full recipe here: https://asweetlife.org/mini-pepper-nachos/
Keri says
I see this is an old post, but still want to comment 🙂
I always see “mini peppers” at the store. I once had a roommate that incorporated in his meals all the time. I even asked if spicy and he said “not at all.” Yet, I still have not had the courage to try. I think it is time to get my big girl panties on and try this marvelous looking recipe. I really miss nachos.
Carolyn says
They are not spicy at all, I promise. The mini peppers that come in a bag like that are sweet peppers.
Marlene says
Absolutely delicious! I look forward to making them again!
Karen says
Just to say – these nachos have become a regular in the rotation in our home. My non-paleo/non lc hubs LOVES, loves them. (Which doesn’t prove anything except he has good taste.) These are quick to make and delish. Plus – because you don’t have the yucky chips as a base, you can eat a ton and not feel gross afterwards. Very important. Hahaha. Thanks Carolyn – these are one of our very faves of a long list of faves from your site. =)) Your badassery always amazes!
Carolyn says
Thanks, I love this comment!