Step 1

These meaty, cheesy

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Baked Italian Nachos put a Mediterranean twist on the classic appetizer with herbs, ricotta, peperoncini, and pasta chips!

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You all know I get pretty psyched when my monthly Degustabox arrives. This fun food subscription box always has a great variety of ingredients and snacks. You may have seen my haul when I posted it on Instagram...

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My son was very excited about all the yummy goodies. But he was most interested in checking out the pasta chips. Have I mentioned he is a pasta fiend? Oh, and also a chip lover. The idea of pasta chips kinda blew his mind!

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(By the way, see that hummus that I got in my Degustabox? It's called Hummustir and it's super yummy and you can get 20% off now at Amazon using the code: FRESH02

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I decided to take a classic appetizer—nachos—but put an Italian spin on them. So, instead of Tex-Mex ingredients like salsa, jalapenos, and cilantro...I used Mediterranean ingredients like marinara sauce, peperoncini, and parsley. I also replaced the sour cream with ricotta. And, of course, the pasta chips in place of tortilla chips!

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Ingredients

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1/2 pound of ground beef (or ground turkey or sausage)

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1/2 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped*

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1/2 onion, chopped*

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1/3 cup marinara sauce

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2 cloves garlic, chopped

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salt and pepper, to taste

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a couple pinches of red pepper flakes

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1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 

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1 bag (5 oz) pasta chips

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sliced peperoncini

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sliced olives

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chopped parsley

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ricotta cheese

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 *reserve a little bit to sprinkle over the cooked nachos

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

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Heat a tablespoon or so of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the ground beef, stirring and breaking it up, until it is fully browned and no longer pink.

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Add the peppers, onions, garlic, and marinara sauce  and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

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While the meat mixture is simmering, arrange the pasta chips in an oven-safe pan or casserole dish (I used a 12" cast iron skillet). If you want to double the recipe, you can make the nachos on a sheet pan. Arrange the chips in a single layer, with some overlap so there are no bare spots in the pan.

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Spoon the hot meat mixture over the pasta chips.

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Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the chips and meat and place in the preheated oven.

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Bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted.

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Serve immediately, topped with the reserved chopped onions and peppers, slices of olives and peperoncini, chopped parsley, and a generous dollop of ricotta cheese. These

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Baked Italian Nachos are so good!

Step 32

Chipotle Fried Egg Avocado Toast 

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Quick and Easy Black Bean Soup

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Easy Avocado Egg Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

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*This post contains Amazon affiliate links, so if you buy something you'll be helping to support this blog—but it won’t cost you any extra!*