Name: Lemongrass Beef Asian Wonton Nachos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4-6 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 25 wonton wrappers, cut in half diagonally; 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil; 2/3 cup lean ground beef; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 1/2 tablespoons of minced lemongrass; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce; juice of one lime; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour; pinch of salt; 4 ounces light beer; 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese; 1/3 cup diced red or orange bell pepper; 1/4 cup diced red onion; 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

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If you are looking for a unique, tasty snack for your next game day party or casual get-together look no further than these Asian Wonton Nachos. The combination of crispy wonton chips, lemongrass beef and beer cheese sauce will keep your guests coming back for more!

Early last year I published a recipe for these really easy Black Bean Taco Cups and it reminded me how fun and easy it is to cook with wonton wrappers. These wonton nachos put a slight Asian spin on the traditional nacho dish. Since the wonton wrappers are a bit more delicate than tortilla chips I recommend this as a served appetizer. Having the option of a plate and fork will make it a little easier for your guests to dig in.

First, you’ll season the ground beef with some lemongrass, ground ginger and hoisin sauce. Next comes the beer cheese sauce. I’ve mentioned this before – cheese sauce is so great on nachos because it coats the chips better than shredded cheese does and lets you use a little less cheese too. This sauce is super tasty so you might want to make some extra!! You can use it on regular nachos, on plain tortilla chips or even for dipping pretzels.

Baking Wonton Chips

Because wonton wrappers are so thin they don’t require a lot of fancy preparation to make them crisp up really nicely. Just make sure you use wonton wrappers and not egg rolls wrappers. Egg roll wrappers are much thicker and don’t crisp up as well unless you use a lot of oil (or actually fry them!)

To bake them you just brush or spray with a bit of olive oil and bake for 5-7 minutes until they start to turn golden brown. Golden brown is the key as they will continue to darken up a bit after you remove them from the oven. Once you take them out of the oven just let them the cool for a bit and nice crispy chips will be the result.

Making the Cheese Sauce

It’s really easy to make a cheese sauce and always it follows the same basic format.

First, you combine butter and flour in a non-stick saucepan to make a roux, which is a classic thickening agent for sauces and soups.
Next, you add some liquid, in this case, it’s the beer. Some other common liquids used in cheese sauce are wine and milk. You’ll cook this mixture, over fairly low heat, until it begins to thicken.
Last comes the cheese. Lots of nice grated cheese that you stir in until all of the cheese is melted and you have a smooth sauce.

I recommend grating your own cheese for this sauce, you’ll get a better result for spending a few extra minutes. For tips on grating cheese check out the meal prep tips section of my recent Black Bean Sweet Potato Skillet Enchiladas post.

Tips for Prep and Serving

You can make both the lemongrass beef and the wonton chips a day or two ahead of time. Store the beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator and store the chips in an airtight container in a cool dry place. Though the cheese sauce can be reheated for the best consistency I recommend making it right before serving the nachos.

If you make the beef ahead of time you can reheat in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds until it gets to your desired temperature. You can also add it to a saucepan with a little extra hoisin sauce and cook over low heat until warm. I like to leave some of the cheese sauce in a small dish on the side (like you see in the photo above) for those who want extra or to add a touch more to the chips on the bottom that might have gotten neglected at first.

These nachos a super fun appetizer for a small Super Bowl party – and I sometimes even make this for a fun weeknight dinner! If you are looking for other ideas for your next game day or casual get-together check out this Cheesy Pull-Apart Bread or this Hot Artichoke Crab Dip. Both are always huge hits with party guests!

things you might want for this recipe

Half Sheet Pan – Sheet pans are an ideal kitchen tool and having a couple of this size gives you options for baking and making sheet pan meals. They also work for serving things like these wonton nachos which can get a little messy on a regular serving platter.