Vegan Nachos | Cathy’s Vegan Kitchen

Vegan Nachos The perfect appetizer, a game-day snack, or a weeknight meal. This vegan nachos recipe is a crowd-pleaser.

My family loves appetizers for dinner and one of their number one requests is vegan nachos. Often, on weekends, we watch football, play games and eat healthy snacks instead of dinner. So, today I am making my favorite vegan nachos recipe.

Usually, I take requests from my family, and this weekend, the crew unanimously requested vegan nachos. Luckily, I had homemade vegan nacho cheese sauce prepared in advance, so I was ready for the challenge.

Whole-food chips for nachos and other options

The challenge of making nachos is always the tortilla chips. However, there is one brand of no-salt, oil-free tortilla chips that can be purchased at the store.

Although baked tortilla chips are available in supermarkets, they still contain oil. But making baked tortilla chips is easy! Not only can you bake your own tortilla chips, but homemade tortilla chips can also be air fried..

Oil-free tortilla chips

First, cut the corn or flour tortillas into quarters. For this tortilla chip recipe, I chose 16 small tortillas. For example, flour and corn tortillas work well for this recipe.

Then, I soak the quartered tortillas in a bowl with lime juice, tossing them with my hands until they’re all soaked.

Next, select seasonings to flavor the chips, such as cumin, chili powder, or salt.

Once the seasonings are combined, add them to the bowl of wet tortillas, tossing gently until the seasoning is well coated.

Air-frying

Once coated, I recommend cooking the tortillas, in shifts, in a single layer. As a result, the tortilla chips will stay uniform and not stick together.

• Cook in single layer at 400 degrees.
• Remove the cooked chips and place them in a bowl while you repeat the steps until all the chips are air fried.
• Cook for 3 minutes.

baking

• Preheat oven to 400 F/205 C.
• Place slices on a parchment-lined cookie sheet or use a silicone baking mat.
• Brush tops of tortilla pieces with lime juice.
• Sprinkle with seasoning and spread chips evenly.
• Flip and brush the other side. Sprinkle the rest of the spices.
• Bake for 16-17 minutes or until they are crisp and just starting to brown.

Or, if you don’t like corn or flour tortillas, try tater tot nachos made with homemade tater tots.

Recipe ingredients

• Oil-free chips or chips of choice: I like to make my own chips, or choose a bag of chips of choice. Choose corn tortillas for a gluten-free option.
• Vegan Lentil Taco Meat: I make homemade vegetarian lentil taco meat, but other options are in the substitution list below.
• Black Beans: I used organic canned black beans.
• Red Chilli Bell: Red bell peppers add sweetness as well as vibrant color to vegan nacho recipes.
• White Onion: I like white onions because they are sharp in taste.
• Jalapenos: I like jalapeños on nachos, but if you’re into spice, leave them out.
• Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce: I make my own vegan nacho cheese sauce with carrots and potatoes, or I make another cheese sauce with cashews.
• Grape tomatoes: I like grape tomatoes because they have fewer seeds and less moisture than other tomatoes.
• Radish: Although radishes aren’t usually served on nachos, I think they add a nice color and stay crunchy while cooking.
• Coriander: Cilantro is added as a garnish, or served on the side.
• Salsa of choice: I buy fresh salsa from the deli section of my grocery store. It is made fresh daily. Of course, we prefer the spicy version, but choose the level of spice you prefer.
• Vegan sour cream: I make my own vegan sour cream, but there are several store-bought vegan options. This ingredient is also an option.
• Guacamole: I also buy store bought guacamole as a time saver.

Substituting recipe ingredients

• Instead of chips, try potato wedges or tater tots.
• Some people make taco meat from Impossible or Beyond Meat or BOCCA Crumble.
• Other taco meat options are walnut taco meat or tofu taco filling, or tempeh taco meat.
• Or, just add veggies and skip the meat in teh vegan tacos.
• Roma tomatoes also have fewer seeds.
• For those who don’t like cilantro, leave it out or use parsley as an alternative.
• Make your own salsa instead of using store bought.
• Red onions offer a sweet alternative to white onions.
• Slice avocado instead of serving with guacamole.

How to Cook Vegan Nachos

Once the chips are cooked (or use bagged chips), place a single layer of chips in a baking pan. If using a bagged brand, place them in the oven to warm before adding the toppings.

Another tip is to bring refrigerated toppings to room temperature before piling on warm chips.

To avoid soggy nachos, always add the wet ingredients last: the vegetables and cheese sauce.

Then, layer again and add the ingredients listed above. Since it is in liquid form, the cheese sauce should be sprinkled at the end.

Continue layering the ingredients and adding another layer of chips. As a result, every bite is full of every ingredient.

With the oven preheated to 350, it only takes 15 minutes until nacho time!

I always serve vegan nachos with vegan sour cream, extra vegan nacho cheese sauce, salsa and cilantro to add everyone’s own extra nacho love. Try adding guacamole for an extra treat!

Recipe FAQs

advice

• Chop up all your toppings and make the lentil taco meat and nacho cheese sauce to help with meal prep.
• Layering the chips, toppings, and cheese is the key to perfect vegan nachos.
• Reserve the cilantro, vegan sour cream, guacamole and salsa to add after cooking.
• Add any veggies you like or choose from a variety of vegan taco meats such as walnut taco meat, tofu taco filling or taco filling.
• Serve nachos with Mexican chopped salad, Mexican street corn salad, or Mexican quinoa salad.
• The best way to reheat nachos is in the oven. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and remove any cold toppings from the nachos. Line a tray with parchment paper and spread out the tortilla chips. Reheat the nacho chips for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Try this vegan nachos recipe with tater tots instead of tortillas.
• For a gluten-free option, choose corn tortillas.

So load up on vegan nachos for an appetizer or meal. You will love every bite of goodness!

Other great vegan Mexican recipes

If you like this vegan nachos recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We want to hear from you!

📖 Recipe

Vegan Nachos

Cathy Carmichael

Vegan Nachos The perfect appetizer, a game day snack, or a weeknight meal. This vegan nachos recipe is a crowd pleaser.

Q. Time 15 minutes

cooking time 15 minutes

total time 30 minutes

course small bite

cuisine mexican

serving 6 serving

calories 482 kcal

material

1x2x3x

Optional toppings on the side

instructions

Homemade Tortilla Chips (Air Fried or Baked) Air Fried:

• Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the small tortillas into quarters.

• Using a basting brush, brush tortillas with lime juice or toss tortilla wedges in a bowl with lime juice.

• Make a single layer in the base of the air-fryer pan.

• Sprinkle with seasoning

• Cook in single layer at 400 degrees

• Cook for 3 minutes

• Remove the cooked chips and place in a bowl while you repeat the steps until all the chips are air fried

Baking:

• Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the small tortillas into quarters.

• Using a basting brush, brush tortillas with lime juice or toss tortilla wedges in a bowl with lime juice.

• Make a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

• Preheat oven to 400 F/205 C

• Place slices on a parchment-lined cookie sheet or use a silicone baking mat.

• Brush tops of tortilla pieces with lime juice.

• Sprinkle with seasoning and spread chips evenly

• Flip and brush the other side. Sprinkle the rest of the spices

• Bake for 16-17 minutes or until they are crisp and just starting to brown

• material layer

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking pan with parchment paper or a Cicone baking mat.

• If using bagged chips, heat them in the oven for a few minutes before layering the ingredients on top.

• If using homemade chips, layer ingredients while hot.

• Place a single layer of tortilla chips on a baking pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

• Then, add the lentil taco meat on top of the chips, spreading evenly to cover the chips.

• Next, add a layer of black beans.

• Add a layer of diced vegetables and drizzle with vegan nacho cheese sauce.

• Repeat adding more chips, then more beans, vegetables and cheese.

• Repeat until all ingredients are gone.

• Depending on the size of the baking pan, it should be about 4 layers.

• Cook in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

• Serve with salsa, vegan sour cream, guacamole and your favorite hot sauces on the side.

• Sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves.

Comment

• Chop up all your toppings and make the lentil taco meat and nacho cheese sauce to help with meal prep.
• Layering the chips, toppings, and cheese is the key to perfect vegan nachos.
• Reserve the cilantro, vegan sour cream, guacamole and salsa to add after cooking.
• Add any veggies you like or choose from a variety of vegan taco meats such as walnut taco meat, tofu taco filling or taco filling.
• Serve nachos with Mexican chopped salad, Mexican street corn salad, or Mexican quinoa salad.
• The best way to reheat nachos is in the oven. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and remove any cold toppings from the nachos. Line a tray with parchment paper and spread out the tortilla chips. Reheat the nacho chips for about 10 to 15 minutes.

nutrition

Worship: -16gCalories: 482kcalSugars: 72gProtein: 19gFat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fats: 2gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 431mgPotassium: 1056mgFiber: 18gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1592IUVitamin C: 49mgCalcium: 139mgIron: 5mg

Oh! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher and vegetarian and blogger. My entire blog is completely plant-based vegetarian. I truly believe that what we eat and how we live determines our health and the preservation of our planet! 🙂