Old El Paso Tortilla Nachips Original, 185g

Old El Paso make Mexican style food for the home, and Nachips are their round tortilla chips, made for nachos. This is the 185g bag of Nachips Original, the plain, lightly salted one, with a gluten free badge on the front in English and French.

Three ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the chips are made from whole corn kernels, high oleic sunflower oil and salt. That is the whole list: corn, oil and salt.

Round chips

Nachips are round, like small tortillas, rather than triangles. A round chip holds a spoonful of topping and sits flat on a tray, which is what nachos need.

Whole corn

Whole corn kernels lead the list, so the chips are made from the whole grain, for a toasty corn taste.

High oleic sunflower oil

High oleic sunflower oil is a sunflower oil bred to be rich in oleic acid, the main fat in olive oil, which makes it stable when heated. It is the only oil on the list.

Energy in kilojoules

The listing gives energy in kilojoules only: 2094 kJ per 100g and 1047 kJ per 50g portion. Check the pack for the kcal figure.

Numbers per portion

The listing gives 1047 kJ, 13.4g of fat, 1.5g of saturates, 28.2g of carbohydrate, 0.3g of sugars, 2.4g of fibre, 3.1g of protein and 0.25g of salt for a 50g portion. That is about 19% of an average adult's daily fat reference intake and 4% of the salt.

Numbers per 100g

Per 100g the listing gives 2094 kJ, 26.7g of fat, 3g of saturates, 56.4g of carbohydrate, 0.5g of sugars, 4.7g of fibre, 6.2g of protein and 0.49g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 26.7g is red. Saturates at 3g are amber. Sugars at 0.5g are green. Salt at 0.49g is amber.

Lightly salted

Salt is the only seasoning, 0.49g per 100g and 0.25g in a 50g portion, so the chips taste of corn and leave the flavour to the toppings.

Carbohydrate and fibre

The listing gives 56.4g of carbohydrate per 100g, of which 0.5g are sugars; the rest is starch from the corn. Fibre is 4.7g and protein 6.2g per 100g.

Corn and salt

With corn, oil and salt only, the chips taste of toasted corn, and the salt is light.

Saturates and protein

Saturates are 3g per 100g, amber on the front of pack scale, and 1.5g in a 50g portion. Protein is 6.2g per 100g and 3.1g in a portion.

Gluten free badge

The badge on the front reads gluten free in English and sans gluten in French.

No heat

The chips have no heat of their own; add jalapeños or a hot salsa for a kick.

Allergens and diet

The published allergy advice says it may contain wheat ingredients, although the pack carries a gluten free badge; anyone avoiding gluten should read the pack in hand. The pack says it is suitable for vegetarians. It makes no vegan statement. The pack front carries a gluten free badge. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

Nachos

For nachos, spread the chips on a tray, top with grated cheese, beans, salsa and sliced jalapeños, and bake until the cheese melts. Finish with guacamole and soured cream.

A 50g portion

The listing's portion is 50g, so the 185g bag holds nearly four portions, a good tray of nachos for a family.

The pack

The yellow bag has a band of red roof tiles across the top, the Old El Paso name in red, the words tortilla Nachips, a blue banner reading original, a stack of round chips, a bowl of guacamole, a gluten free badge in English and French, and the 185g weight.

Who it suits

A plain, round tortilla chip suits nacho nights and anyone who wants a chip that sits flat under toppings, and the gluten free badge suits many tables.

Serving ideas

Serve the chips with guacamole, a tomato salsa or a warm cheese sauce, or pile them into a tray of nachos.

With chilli

Round chips are good for scooping a chilli con carne or a bean chilli straight from the bowl.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the chips make a gluten free corn crumb for chicken or fish, or a topping for a Mexican style soup.

Salsa

A fresh tomato salsa with onion, coriander and lime is the simplest partner for a plain corn chip.

Guacamole

Mash avocado with lime, salt, chilli and coriander for a quick guacamole to scoop with round chips.

Cheese sauce

Warm a cheese sauce with a pinch of chilli and pour it over the chips for quick nachos.

Taco night

At a taco night, a bowl of Nachips on the side catches the salsa and beans.

Maker

The listing does not name the maker; the pack carries the Old El Paso name.

Lime

A squeeze of lime over a bowl of plain chips, with a pinch of chilli powder, gives them a quick Mexican street style lift.

Refried beans

Warm refried beans topped with melted cheese make a quick dip for round chips.

For a party

Put two bowls out, one plain and one topped with melted cheese, for a party.

Storage

The published listing gives no storage advice. Keep the bag cool and dry, and clip it shut between servings.

The tasting notes on this page are our own editorial assessment against the current pack format and the brand's published description.