Cheerful Vegan Nachos

January 30, 2018

HEALTHY COMFORT FOOD FOR THE WIN! Whohoo. No matter who you’re cheering for, if you’re looking for a tasty game day appetizer, this is the recipe for you. It could even double as a cozy Valentine’s Day meal in or I’m-so-sick-of-winter family pick-me-up. Not that you really need a reason anyway because, seriously, look at these plant-powered beauties! I posted this recipe to the app over the weekend and was thrilled to see so many of you run right to your kitchens to make them!

I have to say, I’ve had a pretty bad case of the winter blahs this month. I kicked off the new year feeling uninspired and was soon run down by a cold, random injury, rough parenting phase, and string of bad sleeps. Anyone else have a tough start to the new year? I’ll be welcoming February with WIDE OPEN ARMS and all the heart-eyed emojis this Thursday, I tell ya!

Not surprisingly, that low energy and lack of inspiration crossed over into dinnertime menu planning, so in a bid not to serve the same meal for the 15th time I came up with these nachos to change up our regular rotation. And I’m so glad I did—they were a huge hit! I also love that the All-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce and Spicy Black Beans can be made in advance so the meal comes together fast.

Here’s a fun GIF showing how I built the nachos! Full disclosure: I went light on the cheese sauce for these photos, but just know that in real life I’m dumping that stuff on!!

Cheerful Vegan Nachos

Vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

My family and I were getting a bit tired of our regular weeknight dinners so I came up with this crowd-pleasing nacho plate to freshen things up. It can also make for a cozy date-night-in meal alongside a good movie or game! The beauty of this recipe is that you can make a couple components in advance, and pick and choose which store-bought foods you’d like to include to save time (like salsa or guacamole). I encourage you to customize this nacho plate to your heart’s content! If you’re looking to cut down on prep work, you can make the All-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce and Spicy Black Beans in advance (they’ll keep in the fridge for a few days) so there’s less you’ll need to do the day of.

Yield
4 servings

Soak time
30-60 minutes

Prep time
40 Minutes

Cook time
35 Minutes

Total time
1 Hour, 15 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the cooked toppings:

1 batch All-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce*
1 large (450 g) sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons (10 mL) oil of choice
Fine sea salt, to taste
Chili powder, to taste
1 batch Spicy Black Beans**

For the fresh toppings:

1 bag tortilla chips of choice
1 medium (240 g) avocado (pitted and chopped) or guacamole***
2 medium (20 g) green onions, thinly sliced
3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 mL) pickled jalapeños, drained****
1/3 cup (80 mL) chopped jarred roasted red pepper, drained
1/4 cup (20 g) finely chopped purple cabbage
Handful (12 g) fresh cilantro, chopped
Salsa, to taste*****

Directions:

Begin preparing the All-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce by soaking 1/4 cup cashews in a small bowl of boiling water for at least 30 to 60 minutes.
Prepare the All-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce. While you’re making the cheese sauce, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a medium rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set the cheese sauce aside once prepared.
Spread the chopped sweet potato onto the parchment-lined roasting pan and toss with the oil. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and chili powder. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly charred.
While the potatoes are roasting, prepare the Spicy Black Beans found in my DIY Burrito Bowl recipe (linked in ingredient list). After cooking, leave the beans in the skillet so you can reheat them just before layering onto the nachos.
Gather and prep any fresh toppings you’d like to use so they’re ready to go. Please note my measurements are simply a guide. Feel free to add as much or as little of each as you wish!
On a medium rimmed baking sheet or platter (if your sweet potatoes are finished roasting, feel free to set them aside and re-use the same sheet here), spread a layer of chips to cover the base entirely.
For warm nachos, reheat the Spicy Black Beans in the skillet and the All-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce in your microwave or a small pot on the stovetop.
Now it’s time to dress up those nacho chips! Layer the beans first before adding cheese sauce, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado (or guacamole, if using), green onion, pickled jalapeños, roasted red pepper, cabbage, cilantro, and salsa. Season with salt and serve immediately.

Tips:

* You may have leftover cheese sauce, but because blending a half-batch can be difficult, I suggest preparing the whole recipe as directed. I love having leftovers on-hand to mix into pasta, top off a bowl of chili, layer on a wrap, etc.

** You could also switch things up by using my Lentil-Walnut Taco Meat in place of the Spicy Black Beans! I’d recommend preparing the taco meat with canned lentils so it comes together quickly.

*** Looking for a guacamole recipe? Try The Freshest Guacamole in Oh She Glows Every Day, p. 65.

**** My go-to brand of pickled jalapeños is Sunrise Farms Organic Pickled Jalapeños. If you don’t have any on hand, feel free to drizzle Sriracha or hot sauce for a little extra heat.

***** For a delicious homemade salsa, try my Fresh Cherry Tomato Salsa in Oh She Glows Every Day, p. 63. Store-bought works too, though!

If you prefer a more classic take on cheesy nachos, you can also add a layer of shredded vegan cheese before the avocado (or guacamole), salsa, and cilantro. Pop your nachos in the oven for a few minutes, top with remaining fresh ingredients, and serve.