Recipe Makeover: Pork and Pinto Bean Nachos

Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Pork and Pinto Bean Nachos

A plate of nachos―with heaps of ground beef, cheese sauce, lard-refried beans, guacamole, and sour cream over fried and salted tortilla chips―satisfies a comfort-food craving. A lot less comforting: That nacho serving exceeds daily needs for sodium, saturated fat, and calories for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

We could see the good-for-you potential in the meat, veggies, and avocados, but didn’t want to skimp on the crunchy-salty-cheesy deliciousness in our lighter version. So our recipe features regular tortilla chips covered with bacon-studded beans. We shred roasted lean pork tenderloin and scatter the bits over the bean layer. A bit of finely shaved low-fat cheese and a salsa with avocado top the dish in place of mounds of guacamole, sour cream, and cheese sauce. Serve with a cool margarita… and don’t feel bad about taking a nice siesta afterward.

OLD WAY | NEW WAY
1,258 calories per serving | 517 calories per serving
74.6 grams total fat | 26.9 grams total fat
29 grams saturated fat | 6.8 grams saturated fat
2,199 milligrams sodium | 991 milligrams sodium
Ground beef | Shredded pork tenderloin
12 ounces shredded full-fat cheese | 5 ounces finely shredded reduced-fat cheese
View Recipe: Pork and Pinto Bean Nachos

TECHNIQUE: 3 Key Ingredients that Build Smoky Flavors

Commercial chili powder typically includes a blend of cumin, oregano, garlic, and ground chiles. The cumin brings an earthiness that works well with the beans and other spices.
Then come the chipotle chiles― smoked jalapeño peppers that we love canned in adobo sauce: They’re easy to puree or chop. And you can add the sauce to the beans, too.
Just a few slices of applewood-smoked bacon dial up the nachos’ smokehouse flavor.

Recipe Makeover: Pork and Pinto Bean Nachos

Underneath all the fat in American-style nachos lies some healthy eating. We put a classic fast food into a good nutritional niche.|Kathy Kitchens Downie, RD