The Unexpected History Of Nachos

Served at sports stadiums, bars, and movie theaters, nachos are one of the most iconic Tex-Mex foods around, and are often a staple of game day parties across the country (here's how to make fool-proof nachos for any watch party). With a base of tortilla chips, cheese, and a variety of possible toppings, nachos are considered to be inspired by Mexican cuisine, but are not traditional Mexican food due to the American ingredients used. However, while nachos are generally considered to be Tex-Mex, it could be said that this cheesy, crunchy dish is truly both Mexican and American. This is because, despite their Americanized ingredients, nachos were actually invented in the 1940s in Mexico.

The creation of nachos is credited to Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya (sometimes referred to as Ignacio Anaya García) who worked at the Club Victoria restaurant in Piedras Negras, a border town in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila. At the time, it was common for U.S. military wives in Eagle Pass, Texas to cross the border into Piedras Negras for a day trip. It is said that one evening, a group of military wives came to Anaya's restaurant, but the chef was not available. So, Anaya stepped up to the plate and improvised, cutting up corn tortillas into triangles and frying them. The chips were then topped with shredded cheese and jalapeños, heated, and served as "Nacho's special." Like the invention of tortilla chips, the invention of nachos was out of practicality and ingenuity. Today, nachos are a true representation of the long-standing culinary exchange between Mexico and America.

By the 1960s, Anaya opened his own restaurant, called El Nacho, in Piedras Negras, where he continued serving his signature dish. He never patented the creation, and after their spontaneous invention, nachos continued to gain popularity throughout Texas and Mexico. In 1954, the recipe was published in a U.S. cookbook, officially putting the steps for creating nachos in writing.

A waitress from Texas named Carmen Rocha, who waited tables at El Cholo, a Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles, introduced the concept of nachos to the restaurant, and the West Coast, in the early 1960s. Nachos received a more American spin in the 1970s when a Texas businessman, Frank Liberto, used processed cheese sauce to make nachos more convenient to be eaten and sold in sports stadiums. The nachos debuted at a Texas Rangers game and were a hit; officially starting the American association of nachos with sports.

In the following decades, many variations of nachos emerged, from the fast food version we see at Taco Bell to unconventional twists, like Bobby Flay's version of nachos that feature an unexpected crispy veggie. Nachos are also still eaten in Mexico and remain a popular dish in Coahuila and other northern regions. Piedras Negras even hosts an annual nacho festival, where nachos loaded with flank steak, beans, shrimp, and even a sweet version with chocolate can be sampled. The city also broke the Guinness World Record for the largest nacho in 2023.