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These campfire steak and black bean nachos are made for relaxed outdoor cooking when everyone’s hungry but nobody wants to spend hours cooking. Warm tortilla chips get layered with saucy beef, tender black beans and plenty of melty cheese, all wrapped up and heated until everything comes together. They’re messy in the best way and perfect for sharing straight from the foil.
Why You’ll Love It
Campfire beef and black bean nachos cook in foil packets with enchilada sauce, corn and cheese for an easy outdoor meal that melts together fast and feeds a crowd.
Campfire friendly: Foil packets make this simple on a grill or fire pit.
Hearty and filling: Steak and beans turn nachos into a real meal.
Easy cleanup: Everything cooks and serves right in the foil.
Great for sharing: Perfect for casual dinners and camping nights.
You might also like Irish nachos, BBQ chicken nachos, seared steak nachos, tilapia nachos, totchos, and street corn nachos.
Campfire Beef and Black Bean Nachos Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Steak: Rib eye, sirloin, flank, filet mignon – take your pick!
Beans: Black beans for heartiness and texture.
Black olives: Sliced olives add color and a briny pop, but are optional.
Cheese: Pepper jack cheese for melt and mild heat.
Chips: Tortilla chips that hold up to heat and sauce. (I used Tostitos!)
Vegetables: Onion and corn for sweetness and bite.
Enchilada sauce: You can use any kind of enchilada sauce. Red is popular or you could try a salsa verde.
Garnishes: Lime or lemon wedges and fresh cilantro for serving.
How to Make Campfire Steak and Black Bean Nachos
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Set up the grill: Prepare a grill or fire for indirect medium heat.
Mix the filling: Combine steak, onion, corn, enchilada sauce, beans and most of the cheese in a bowl.
Season lightly: Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Prepare foil: Lay out large squares of aluminum foil and keep space around the edges.
Build the packets: Add tortilla chips, spoon over the beef mixture and finish with the remaining cheese.
Seal tightly: Fold the foil over the filling and crimp the edges well.
Cook gently: Place the packets over indirect heat until warmed through and melted.
Open carefully: Transfer to plates and open slowly to release steam.
The finishing touches: Add citrus wedges and/or cilantro if liked and serve hot.
Substitutions and Variations
Protein change: Use cooked shredded chicken or pulled pork instead of steak.
Cheese switch: Monterey jack or cheddar work well.
Extra heat: Add sliced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce.
Different beans: Swap the black beans for kidney beans or mixed beans.
Veggie add in: Bell peppers, mushrooms or zucchini fit right in.
Gluten-free version: Use gluten-free chips.
More toppings: A scoop of sour cream, sliced green onions, red chile salsa, pico de gallo or sliced jalapenos on top work well on loaded nachos, or you can add a handful of another kind of shredded cheese.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Start your meal with shrimp ceviche or Caprese filled avocados prepared at home and kept refrigerated.
Side dishes: Enjoy your campfire beef nachos with a honey lime fruit salad or a taco salad, both of which can be prepared ahead too.
Desserts: Finish with Oreo cupcakes or ding dong cookies.
How to Store
Best fresh: Nachos are meant to be eaten right away while they’re hot and melty so don’t make them until you’re ready to eat.
Leftovers: Store cooled filling without chips in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Warm gently and add fresh chips before serving.
Top Tips
Chip choice: Thick chips prevent sogginess.
Foil seal: A tight seal keeps cheese from leaking into the fire.
Serving safety: Let packets rest briefly before opening to avoid steam burns.
Campfire Steak and Black Bean Nachos FAQs
The filling can be mixed ahead but assemble just before cooking.
Yes, keep them over hot embers rather than flames. You only want to melt the cheese and warm everything through, not incinerate it!
I recommend it because it helps prevent tearing but double layering standard foil also works if you only have that.
Campfire Steak and Black Bean Nachos Recipe
Campfire Steak and Black Bean Nachos
Ingredients
- 3 ½ Cups steak, cooked and chopped
- 1 Can black beans, 15-Ounce, rinsed
- 3 Cups pepper jack cheese, 12 Ounces, shredded
- 8 Ounces tortilla chips
- ½ onion, small, chopped
- 1 Cup corn kernels, fresh, from 2 ears of corn
- 1 Cup enchilada sauce, any kind
- ¼ Cup black olives, sliced, optional
- salt and black pepper, to taste
To Serve
- lime or lemon wedges
- fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare your grill for indirect cooking and heat it up to medium.
- Toss the meat with the onion, corn, enchilada sauce, beans, and two-thirds of the cheese in a bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Make six 12-inch squares of aluminum foil.
- Divide the chips, steak mixture and remaining cheese between them, leaving a 3-inch border. You can add sliced olives on top if liked.
- Fold the foil over the filling to make a packet and crimp the foil edges to seal.
- Cook the foil packets over indirect heat until the steak is warmed through and the cheese has melted, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the foil packets onto serving plates and open carefully.
- Top with lime or lemon wedges and/or cilantro if liked, and serve.
Notes
Foil seal: A tight seal keeps cheese from leaking into the fire.
Serving: Let packets rest briefly before opening to avoid steam burns.
Nutrition
Campfire steak and black bean nachos are the kind of food that brings everyone together around the fire. The cheese melts into the saucy steak, the beans add substance and the chips stay crisp enough to scoop. They’re perfectly hearty and also easy to scale up if extra people wander over. Tear open the foil, squeeze on some lime and dig in while everything’s still hot. You’ll love the crunch and flavor.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
