Halloween’s all about getting creative, and not just with costumes. Even though it’s not an official holiday here in Costa Rica, you can totally feel the spooky vibes everywhere, shops, restaurants, amusement parks, all decked out. It’s safe to say Halloween’s becoming a thing here.

We’ve already nailed the sweet treats: remember those Jack-o’-Lantern Goodies and sipped on some Spooky Halloween Punch. Now it’s time to turn things up with a full-on meal, and what’s more crowd-pleasing than nachos?

If nachos aren’t already part of your weekly dinner rotation, you’re seriously missing out. They’re quick, warm, cheesy, and ridiculously satisfying, especially when you give them a Halloween twist.

These Halloween nachos are a mix of crispy homemade chips, juicy seasoned beef, refried beans, melty cheese, and all the fixings, salsa, sour cream, and some fresh guac that’ll make your taste buds do a happy dance. Oh, and here’s the fun part: we’re cutting our tortillas into bat shapes. Because why not make your dinner a little spooky, too?

Let’s get cookin’.

For the seasoning:

• 5 tsp paprika.
• 1¼ tsp garlic powder.
• 1¼ tsp ground cumin.
• 1¼ tsp onion powder.
• 1 tsp chili powder.
• 1 tsp oregano leaves.
• 1½ tsp salt.

For the beef:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil.
• 1 lb ground beef.
• 1 cup diced onion.
• 1 cup diced green bell pepper.
• 1 diced tomato.
• ¼ cup sliced jalapeños (optional, but highly recommended).
• 1 can sweet corn (optional).
• 1 can of refried beans (optional).
• 1 cup shredded cheddar (or mozzarella if you’re feelin’ gooey).

Optional toppings:

• ½ cup sour cream.
• ½ cup salsa.
• ¼ cup chopped green onion.

For the guacamole:

• Juice of 2 limes.
• 2 small avocados, peeled and chopped.
• 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped.

For the sweetcorn salsa:

• ½ can sweetcorn.
• 200g cherry tomatoes, quartered.
• 1 red pepper, finely chopped.
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced.
• 3 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped.
• 1 can (400g) black beans, drained and rinsed.
• ½ tsp cumin.
• ½ tsp coriander.
• ½ tsp smoked paprika.

For the bat-shaped nachos:

• 4 whole-wheat tortillas.
• 1½ tsp oil.
• 4 purple carrots (optional), cut into sticks.

First, make the guac. Squeeze those limes into a bowl, toss in the avocado, and mash it up with a fork until you hit your ideal level of chunkiness. Stir in half the cilantro, add salt to taste, and scoop it into a serving dish.

Now whip up the salsa. Mix all the salsa ingredients with the remaining cilantro, plus salt and pepper. Spoon little clumps of it over the guacamole so every scoop gets a bit of everything. Cover and chill it while you make the chips.

Let's cut those bats. Lay out your tortillas and brush lightly with oil. Use cookie cutters or scissors to cut out bat shapes or ghosts, pumpkins, or go wild. You should get about 4–6 per tortilla.

Pop them on baking sheets and bake at 200°C / 400°F for about 5 minutes until they’re golden and crispy. 

Fry the rest of the tortillas up till golden, drain, salt ‘em, and sprinkle over your salsa for extra crunch.

Make the seasoning. Combine paprika, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, chili powder, oregano, and salt in a bowl. Easy.

Cook the beef. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef (5–7 minutes), then toss in the onion and bell pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes until the liquid’s mostly gone. Stir in half a can of diced tomatoes with chiles (and corn, if using), season with your spice mix.

Heat the beans. In a bowl, mix the rest of your tomatoes with the refried beans. Microwave for 1–3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until warm.

Let's assemble your nachos. On a plate, layer the beef mixture and cheese. Microwave again until the cheese melts into gooey perfection.

Top with sour cream, salsa, and green onion, and don’t forget the guac!

Serve these spooky nachos at your Halloween get-together, and watch them disappear faster than a ghost at midnight. The bat-shaped chips are a total crowd-pleaser, crunchy, cheesy, and frightfully delicious.

Crack open your favorite Costa Rican beer, share some laughs, and have yourself a Pura Vida Halloween.