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These loaded pork rind nachos turn crispy pork rinds into cheesy, savory nachos topped with chorizo, warm pepper jack queso, and fresh pico de gallo. They’re crunchy, a little spicy, and an easy way to make keto nachos with pork rinds instead of tortilla chips.
Make them for game day, parties, or an easy weekend meal. Add them to a spread with more Game Day Recipes, or make Shredded Chicken Nachos and BBQ Chicken Nachos when you want a tortilla-chip option too.
Disclosure: This post was originally sponsored by Hatfield.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Loaded with flavor: Chorizo, creamy queso, and fresh pico give you plenty of savory, cheesy flavor in every bite.
- Easy to customize: Start with plain or flavored pork rinds and add the nacho toppings you like.
- Great for a crowd: Set out the toppings and let everyone load their nachos the way they like.
- Easy to prep ahead: Make the meat, queso, and pico before you’re ready to assemble.
Ingredients Needed
Grab the exact amounts from the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Pork rinds: Choose sturdy pork rinds that can hold the meat, queso, and toppings. Plain works well, but flavored varieties add extra seasoning.
- Ground chorizo: Chorizo brings plenty of flavor without needing much additional seasoning. I originally made this recipe with Hatfield Recipe Essentials Chorizo, but your favorite ground chorizo works too.
- Pico de gallo: The recipe card includes a quick homemade pico. You can also use my Pico de Gallo recipe if you already have a batch made or want extra for serving.
- Queso: The homemade queso uses pepper jack cheese, cream cheese, cream, peppers, and seasonings. You can also use my Keto Queso Dip if you already have some prepared or want extra for dipping.
- Optional toppings: Sour cream, sliced jalapeños, avocado, extra pico, and Guacamole are all easy additions.
How to Make Pork Rind Nachos
Make a Fresh, Chunky Pico
Mix the pico ingredients and let them sit while you prepare the rest of the nachos. If the tomatoes release a lot of juice, spoon off some of the excess before serving.
Brown the Chorizo
Cook the chorizo until browned with no pink remaining, breaking it into small pieces that are easy to scatter over the pork rinds.
Melt the Queso Until Smooth
Soften the shallot and Fresno pepper in butter, then turn the heat down before adding the dairy and cheese. Stir until the queso is creamy and easy to spoon or drizzle.
Build the Nachos at the Last Minute
Spread the pork rinds on a serving plate, then add the warm chorizo, queso, and pico. Finish with your favorite toppings and serve right away.
How to Keep Pork Rind Nachos From Getting Soggy
The biggest trick is simple: don’t assemble the nachos until you’re ready to eat them.
SAVE THIS RECIPE
I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Warm queso and juicy toppings will eventually soften the pork rinds, so keep everything separate until serving.
- Pork rinds: Keep them sealed at room temperature.
- Chorizo: Refrigerate separately and reheat before serving.
- Queso: Warm it gently over low heat until smooth again.
- Pico: Keep it chilled and drain off excess liquid before using.
- Assembly: Build the platter just before serving.
What Kind of Pork Rinds Should I Use?
You don’t need a special type of pork rind for these nachos. Choose one you already like and look for pieces that are large and sturdy enough to scoop up the toppings.
I’ve made these loaded pork rinds with both Cheddar Jalapeño and BBQ pork rinds. Both worked, but Cheddar Jalapeño was my favorite because the cheesy, spicy flavor works especially well with the chorizo and queso.
Plain pork rinds are also a good choice when you want the toppings to provide most of the flavor.
If you usually call pork rinds chicharrones, they work the same way here. Just choose crisp pieces that can hold the toppings.
Easy Ways to Change Them
- Change the meat: Swap the chorizo for seasoned ground beef or another ground meat you enjoy.
- Use a shortcut: Prepared pico or queso works when you don’t want to make every component from scratch.
- Add more toppings: Try sour cream, sliced jalapeños, avocado, cilantro, or extra pico.
- Change the pork rinds: Use plain, BBQ, jalapeño, or another flavor you already enjoy.
Make-Ahead & Storage
- Make ahead: Prepare the chorizo, queso, and pico in advance and refrigerate them separately.
- Reheat: Warm the chorizo and gently reheat the queso before serving.
- Leftovers: Keep unused pork rinds separate from the toppings. Assembled nachos don’t store well because the pork rinds soften.
More Nacho Recipes
If you want more game day options, my Shredded Chicken Nachos use seasoned chicken and melted cheese, while BBQ Chicken Nachos add a smoky BBQ flavor. Serve either alongside these pork rind nachos when you want a tortilla-chip option too.
FAQs
Yes. These keto nachos use pork rinds instead of tortilla chips. The exact carb count will depend on the pork rinds, chorizo, cheese, and toppings you use.
You can make the chorizo, queso, and pico ahead. Wait to assemble the nachos until you’re ready to serve them so the pork rinds stay crisp.
Yes. Seasoned ground beef works well if you want a milder alternative to chorizo. You could season the meat with my keto taco seasoning.
Yes. The recipe card includes homemade versions so you can make everything from this page, but prepared queso and pico are easy shortcuts when you need them.
Loaded Pork Rind Nachos
Use DRDAVINAHS at checkout to save on some equipment & ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Chorizo
- 5 oz Pork Rinds
Pico de Gallo
- 2 off the vine tomatoes, diced
- ½ small white onion, thinly diced
- 1 jalapeño, thinly diced (we like our food spicy so I didn’t remove the seeds or veins)
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 Lime, juiced
- ½ tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt
Queso
- 1 Shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 Fresno pepper
- 2 tbsp Butter
- ¾ cups Organic Heavy Whipping Cream
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 oz Cream Cheese
- 1 ¼ cup Pepperjack cheese, shredded
- ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ tsp Onion Powder
- ½ tsp Dried Parsley
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
Make the Pico de Gallo
- Add the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to a small bowl. Stir to combine.
- Refrigerate the pico while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Cook the Chorizo
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the chorizo and break it into small pieces with a spatula.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Set aside.
Make the Queso
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and melt the butter.
- Add the shallot and Fresno pepper. Cook for 2–3 minutes, or until tender.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the heavy cream, water, cream cheese, pepper jack cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, and black pepper.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the queso is smooth.
Assemble
- Add the pork rinds to a serving platter.
- Top with the warm chorizo, queso, and pico de gallo.
- Add your favorite nacho toppings and serve immediately.
SAVE THIS RECIPE
I’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Recipe Notes
- Keep them crisp: Assemble the nachos just before serving. The pork rinds will soften as they sit under the warm queso and pico.
- For parties: Keep the pork rinds, chorizo, queso, and pico separate until you’re ready to serve.
- Pico: Drain off excess tomato liquid before adding it to the nachos.
- Shortcuts: Store-bought pico or queso works when you want to save time.
- Pork rinds: Plain or flavored pork rinds work. Cheddar jalapeño is especially good with the chorizo and queso.
- Meat swap: Use seasoned ground beef if you prefer it to chorizo.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.
