Nachos are a popular Mexican appetizer or snack consisting of tortilla chips topped with melted cheese, meat, beans, salsa, guacamole, and other toppings. A fully loaded plate of nachos can pack a serious calorie punch. Determining the exact calorie count requires looking at the specific ingredients and portion sizes. However, we can estimate the calorie range for a typical full plate of nachos.
Tortilla Chips
The base of nachos is tortilla chips. A standard serving size of tortilla chips is about 28 grams or 1 ounce. This contains approximately:
- 140-160 calories
- 15 grams of carbohydrates
- 7-8 grams of fat
- 1-2 grams of protein
A full plate of nachos will use 6-8 servings of tortilla chips or about 168-224 grams. This equals:
- 840-960 calories
- 90-120 grams of carbohydrates
- 42-56 grams of fat
- 6-16 grams of protein
Cheese
Cheese is another key ingredient in nachos. The standard cheese used is cheddar or a cheddar cheese sauce. A 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese contains:
- 110 calories
- 9 grams of fat
- 7 grams of protein
A full plate of nachos may use 1-1.5 cups of shredded cheese or 4-6 servings. This would add:
- 440-660 calories
- 36-54 grams of fat
- 28-42 grams of protein
Meat
Ground beef, shredded chicken, or chorizo sausage are popular meat toppings for nachos. A 1/4 cup serving contains approximately:
- Ground beef (90% lean) – 55 calories, 2.5g fat, 7g protein
- Shredded chicken – 50 calories, 1g fat, 10g protein
- Chorizo – 140 calories, 10g fat, 8g protein
A full plate may use 1-1.5 cups of meat topping or 4-6 servings. This would add:
- Ground beef – 220-330 calories, 10-15g fat, 28-42g protein
- Shredded chicken – 200-300 calories, 4-6g fat, 40-60g protein
- Chorizo – 560-840 calories, 40-60g fat, 32-48g protein
Beans
Beans like pinto or black beans are a great way to add fiber and plant-based protein to nachos. A 1/4 cup serving of refried beans contains:
- 110 calories
- 2g fat
- 6g protein
- 15g carbs
A full plate of nachos may include 1-1.5 cups of beans or 4-6 servings. This would add:
- 440-660 calories
- 8-12g fat
- 24-36g protein
- 60-90g carbs
Guacamole
No plate of nachos is complete without a generous scoop of guacamole. A 2 tablespoon serving of guacamole has around:
- 50 calories
- 5g fat
- 0 carbs
A full plate of nachos may have around 1/2-1 cup of guacamole or 8-16 servings. This would add:
- 400-800 calories
- 40-80g fat
Salsa
Salsa adds fresh flavor and richness to nachos. A 2 tablespoon serving of salsa contains roughly:
- 10-15 calories
- 0-1g fat
- 2g carbs
A full plate of nachos may include 1/4-1/2 cup of salsa or 4-8 servings. This would add:
- 40-120 calories
- 0-8g fat
- 8-16g carbs
Jalapeños
Spicy jalapeño peppers are a popular nacho topping. Each pepper sliced contains about:
- 4 calories
- 0g fat
- 1g carb
A full plate of nachos may include 2-4 peppers. This would add:
- 8-16 calories
- 0g fat
- 2-4g carbs
Onions
Onions provide crunch and flavor. A 2 tablespoon serving of diced onion contains:
- 10 calories
- 0g fat
- 2g carbs
A full plate of nachos may include 2-4 servings of onions. This would add:
- 20-40 calories
- 0g fat
- 4-8g carbs
Tomatoes
Chopped tomatoes add freshness. A 2 tablespoon serving of diced tomato contains:
- 5 calories
- 0g fat
- 1g carb
A full plate may include 1/4-1/2 cup or 4-8 servings of tomatoes. This would add:
- 20-40 calories
- 0g fat
- 4-8g carbs
Sour Cream
Sour cream is a cooling contrast to spicy nachos. A 2 tablespoon serving contains:
- 45 calories
- 4.5g fat
A full plate of nachos may include 2-4 servings or 1/4-1/2 cup of sour cream. This would add:
- 90-180 calories
- 9-18g fat
Total Calorie Range
Adding up the average calorie amounts for each ingredient above, we can estimate the total calorie count for a full plate of nachos:
- Tortilla chips: 840-960 calories
- Cheese: 440-660 calories
- Meat: 200-840 calories
- Beans: 440-660 calories
- Guacamole: 400-800 calories
- Salsa: 40-120 calories
- Jalapeños: 8-16 calories
- Onions: 20-40 calories
- Tomatoes: 20-40 calories
- Sour cream: 90-180 calories
Total: 2500-4300 calories
As you can see, the total calories in a full plate of nachos can vary widely depending on the specific ingredients and portion sizes used. On average though, a generously topped, loaded plate of nachos likely contains 3000-4000 calories.
To put this into perspective with recommended daily intake:
- The recommended daily calorie intake for an average sedentary woman is about 2000 calories.
- For an average sedentary man, the recommended intake is 2400 calories.
So a full plate of nachos can easily contain more calories than a person needs in an entire day!
Lower Calorie Nacho Options
There are some easy ways to lighten up nachos to make a less calorie-dense appetizer:
- Use fewer chips and more veggies
- Choose low-fat cheese
- Use leaner meats like chicken or shrimp
- Load up on salsa, tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos instead of sour cream
- Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream
- Include more beans for added protein and fiber
With some simple substitutions and adjustments to portions and toppings, you can still enjoy nachos without breaking the calorie bank!
Healthier Nacho Recipes
Here are some tasty, lighter nacho recipes to try:
Skinny Chicken Nachos
- 100 calories tortilla chips
- 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken breast (about 8 ounces)
- 1/2 cup shredded low-fat pepper jack cheese
- 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup chunky salsa
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
- 1/4 sliced jalapeno pepper
Total calories: About 600
Vegetarian Nachos
- 1 ounce baked tortilla chips
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1/2 cup vegetarian refried beans
- 1/4 cup shredded low-fat cheddar
- 1/4 cup shredded low-fat Monterey jack
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup diced onions
- 2 tablespoons sliced jalapenos
- 1/4 sliced avocado
Total calories: About 550
Loaded Baked Potato Nachos
- 1 ounce baked tortilla chips
- 1/3 cup shredded low-fat cheddar
- 3 tablespoons fat-free Greek yogurt
- 3 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/4 cup diced cooked chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
Total calories: About 430
The Bottom Line
A fully loaded plate of nachos from your favorite Mexican restaurant or sports bar can pack a caloric punch, with totals ranging from 2500 to over 4000 calories. To consume nachos more moderately:
- Stick to reasonable portions – a full plate of nachos is likely too much for one person
- Load up on veggie toppings instead of fatty meats, cheese, and sour cream
- Split a plate with a friend
- Opt for lighter yet still delicious nacho recipes
Nachos can still be an occasional treat when you monitor your portions and ingredients. Just be mindful of the calorie cost of those delicious chips, cheese, beans, guac and more!
