Bobby Flay's Version Of Nachos Features An Unexpected Crispy Veggie

Nachos are one of those super customizable dishes with endless flavor options. With a mild base of tortilla chips and creamy cheese sauce, a ton of toppings work really well here. Sliced avocado and chopped herbs are just as welcome as pickled red onions and shredded jackfruit. And how about crispy Brussels sprouts? This is certainly not the most common nacho topping, but it happens to be chef Bobby Flay's favorite. 

In an Instagram video for Misfits Market, a grocery delivery service for imperfect food, the celebrity chef and restaurateur shares his recipe for healthy nachos, featuring a base of blue corn tortilla chips, homemade Muenster cheese sauce, and of course, Brussels sprouts. Flay starts by thinly sliced Brussels sprouts. Alternatively, instead of using a knife you could put the sprouts in a food processor to roughly shred them. He then sautés them in a pan on medium heat with a neutral, high-heat oil, like avocado oil. There aren't any exotic spices here, just a simple dash of salt and pepper. 

Flay advises you to cook until the cruciferous vegetables are crispy with a golden-brown color on the pale parts, but to not overcook them. Leaving some of the vibrant green will make for a more colorful and eye-catching topping. You'll mostly determine if the vegetables are done cooking by their color, but plan on about 10 to 15 minutes of sautéing. Once done cooking, the Brussels sprouts are layered between blue corn tortilla chips, homemade cheese sauce, and finished with toppings like pickled shallot, sliced peppers, cilantro, lime zest, and hot sauce. 

If you happen to have leftover cooked Brussels sprouts from a recent dinner or holiday feast, Bobby Flay says it's totally fine to use this as a nacho topping. Plus, it's a great way to use up leftovers and reduce food waste in the kitchen. A quick reheat on the stove, in the oven, or in an air fryer will help bring back the crispiness. Skip the microwave, as that reheating method might result in mushier Brussels sprouts. 

If taking the fresh approach, you could also use your oven or an air fryer to whip up some crispy Brussels sprouts. In fact, these appliances may result in more crispiness than can be achieved in a pan. The only caveat is that it's possible that some of the vibrant green will be lost if cooked longer or made crispier. There are many ways to amp up the flavor of Brussels sprouts, but as for seasoning, keeping it simple is probably best as chef Flay demonstrates. Nachos are typically loaded with a lot of flavors — cheese sauce, pickled vegetables, salsa, hot sauce — so special seasonings or spices are not really necessary for the Brussels sprouts. 

Flay noticeably makes vegetarian nachos, leaving out an animal-based protein like beef or shredded chicken. To add a bit of protein, and keep it vegetarian, black beans or refried beans could certainly work in this recipe. And, if you're vegan but also want to make a homemade cheese sauce as Chef Flay does, try making a dairy-free butternut squash cheese sauce.