Sub out the tortilla chips for more delicious nachos
Italian sandwich-style nachos are not a significant departure from the traditional snack. With cheese, meat, and vegetables piled on chips, what’s not to love? However, food blogger Dan Whalen takes his Italian inspiration to the next level by skipping the tortilla chips altogether. "One of my favorites is frying lasagna noodles and topping them with bolognese, ricotta, and mozzarella for lasagna nachos," he shares with Chowhound. Pasta nachos offer a unique twist. By cooking the pasta noodles before frying, you achieve a crispy exterior with a tender center. You can either use a popular store-bought marinara sauce or go the extra mile and prepare your favorite homemade sauce. While Whalen emphasizes ricotta and mozzarella, other cheeses like burrata, parmesan, provolone, and even a bold gorgonzola would be delightful additions.
Another Italian-inspired creation from Whalen that you should try? Chicken parm nachos. This concept goes beyond just borrowing the flavors of marinara and mozzarella; he actually uses small, triangular pieces of chicken parmesan as the base for his nachos. Topped with parsley, parmesan, and red pepper flakes, Whalen's deep-fried chicken parm nachos are both protein-packed and bursting with flavor.
Whalen further merges the worlds of Italian cuisine and nacho-making with "gnocchos," or gnocchi nachos. He makes his potato gnocchi from scratch, but you can also use store-bought gnocchi, whether shelf-stable or refrigerated. He then tops the potato dumplings with classic nacho toppings like guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream. Try them all and discover which innovative nacho variation you enjoy the most.
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