The Powerhouse Secret Ingredient Bobby Flay Puts On His Nachos

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay has advice to share about everything from avoiding mistakes when cooking steak to properly dressing a salad that might accompany it, but perhaps his most ingenious tip to home cooks addresses game-day food. Nachos can be topped with as many or as few ingredients as you like, but they should all contribute to a balanced, cohesive dish. Most folks lean in on fatty, savory components accented with spice, but Bobby Flay thinks outside the box, and one of his go-to nacho toppings is generally considered a health food.

Before any cheese is melted to gooey perfection, Flay shaves off slender slices of Brussels sprouts and sautés them in oil until crispy. One might assume nachos already have an abundance of crunch with tortilla chips as the foundation of the dish, but it can sometimes be lost with all the softer ingredients like savory ground beef, gooey cheese, and seasoned beans. Flay's go-to rendition of cheesy chips is vegetarian, but crispy Brussels sprouts can add a depth of texture and flavor to even the meatiest plate of nachos.

Brussels sprouts probably aren't the first ingredient that comes to mind when envisioning a filling plate of nachos. Typically comprised of elements like Velveeta (technically not a cheese), pulled chicken, and bold components like jalapeños, the dish tends to be somewhat rich with notes of spice. In an Instagram post, Bobby Flay makes his Brussels Sprouts Nachos by changing it up. He tops his chips with a homemade Muenster cheese sauce, the Brussels, layers more chips, cheese sauce, and Brussels, then finishes it with pickled shallots, cilantro, Fresno chilis, lime zest, and Mexican hot sauce. 

Bobby Flay is known for big, bold flavors in his cuisine, but that doesn't mean he just loads seasonings into recipes. Incorporating something like crispy Brussels sprouts or a similar alternative into a plate of nachos showcases his ability to create something extraordinary by considering all the complementary tastes someone experiences as they eat. If you don't have any Brussels sprouts lying around, ingredients like asparagus and bok choy make exceptional substitutes. You still want them to be crunchy, so sautéing or baking them until crisp is necessary. Both of these ingredients offer similar earthy, bitter notes that complement all the savory elements of nachos, and bok choy in particular has a peppery kick that can add a touch of spice to the dish.