These loaded vegetarian nachos are packed with beans, veggies, cashew queso, cilantro and more. These vegan nachos are easy to make and are the perfect appetizer for a party!
Loaded vegetarian nachos might not sound all that exciting, especially to an avid meat eater, but let me tell you these vegan nachos are next level good.
They’re packed with protein from black beans and an optional taco meat, perfectly spiced and have so many different textures and flavor. Serve these with my Spanish rice!
You can keep them vegetarian by using regular cheese, or make them vegan by swapping for your favorite dairy-free shredded cheese.
They have a great Tex-mex feel, but can be customized with so many different flavors. If you love this recipe, try my stuffed sweet potatoes or cauliflower tacos next!
Key Ingredients
Tortilla Chips. You can use any kind and shape of tortilla chips. Round or a more traditional triangle will both work.
Some tortilla chips are on the thinner side, but for loaded vegetarian nachos, you want one than can support all of the toppings, so thick is best.
I love Siete tortilla chips, but they are on the thin side and tend to break, so I recommend a traditional corn tortilla chip. Blue corn chips are great here!
Taco Meat. This isn’t an essential ingredient and these can definitely be made without, but I love using either a store bought taco meat or my homemade tofu and walnut taco meat.
Cheese. I suggest using a shredded Mexican cheese blend, either vegan or regular will work just fine!
Black Beans. The black beans will add a lot of protein and fiber to the recipe. Pinto beans will also work.
Tomatoes. I like using halved cherry tomatoes, but diced roma, grape or any tomato variety is great.
Corn. The corn compliments the other textures really well and adds a pop of color. I just used frozen corn right from the bag since it’ll heat up in the oven.
Pico de Gallo. My homemade pico de gallo adds so much flavor. Store bought pico de gallo or regular salsa work well too.
Cashew queso. There’s already cheese on these nachos, so cashew queso isn’t 100% necessary, but I just love it on everything so I highly recommend.
How to make vegetarian nachos
First layer. Add a thick layer of tortilla chips to a large baking pan, followed by the beans, taco meat and half of the cheese.
Second layer. Add a second, but thinner layer of chips followed by the corn and rest of the cheese.
Bake. Bake for 10 minutes.
Add toppings. Remove from the oven and top with the pico de gallo, tomatoes, avocado, jalapeno, cilantro and cashew queso.
Serve. Serve immediately and enjoy! If you like spice, use a spicy salsa or top with hot sauce!
What toppings are best?
The options are endless when it comes to the best toppings to put on nachos.
However, I like to take Mexican inspired approach and use things like salsa, beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado and queso.
Some other great options include diced green or red onion, sour cream, olives or pickled jalapenos.
You can also keep veggie nachos really simple and just do some beans and cheese! Whatever you have on hand should be fine.
Frequently asked questions
Do they store well?
Unfortunately, nachos aren’t one of those foods that keep very well. The chips will get soggy because of all of the toppings and the cheese will develop an odd texture.
If you’re worried about having too much, I suggest making a half batch so nothing goes to waste!
How do you make nachos not soggy?
This is a common concern with nachos, especially if you add a lot of toppings.
The best thing to do is bake the nachos with the meat, beans and cheese and have a generous amount of cheese on the top layer of chips.
The melted cheese will act as a buffer between the chips and the rest of the toppings to prevent them from getting soggy. Be sure to put the salsa on after cooking the nachos to prevent any soggy texture.
Do you make nachos in the microwave or oven?
Definitely the oven! The microwave will yield a very soggy texture and the nachos will not get crispy.
If you’re making simple cheese nachos, the microwave can be ok if you like soft chips, otherwise, baking in the oven is a must!
Can I make them vegan?
Yes! Just use your favorite vegan cheese shreds and this recipe is completely plant-based. I like the Violife Mexican style shreds, but cheddar also works well.
More recipes you’ll love!
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Loaded Vegetarian Nachos
by: claire cary
Ingredients
- 10 ounces tortilla chips
- 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups vegan taco meat see notes
- 1 1/2-2 cups shredded cheese vegan or regular
- ½ cup corn
- ½ cup pico de gallo
- ½ cup halved or diced cherry tomatoes
- ½ avocado cut into cubes
- 1 jalapeno sliced or diced
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro
- ½ cup cashew queso click for recipe
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add a thick layer of tortilla chips to a large baking pan, followed by the beans, taco meat and half of the cheese.
- Add a second, but thinner layer of chips followed by the corn and rest of the cheese.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and top with the pico de gallo, tomatoes, avocado, jalapeno, cilantro and cashew queso.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
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