Super Filling Vegan Nachos with Cashew Queso

Nachos for dinner? Dive into these quick and easy vegan nachos, fully loaded with veggies, black beans, veggie ground “beef” and a 5 minute cashew queso for a filling and satisfying meal.

Oof, the way I love a good nachos for dinner moment: probably because my mom and I used to eat them once a week when I was a kid, so they’ve been my go-to for a fun and easy comfort food dinner ever since.

But I’ve got to be real with you, since going vegan, there were a few hiccups in figuring out how to recreate that nacho magic. Like, how a lot of vegan cheese alternatives straight up A) don’t taste good or B) refuse to melt so you’re kind of just eating sad waxy shreds on chips.

It was time to dig deep: I figured out a freakishly good cashew queso sauce and decided to ditch the store-bought vegan cheese. And all of a sudden…nachos are super craveable again. Even to my cheese-loving family.

Of course, then there was the question of how to turn nachos into an actually filling meal (I am a dietitian after all). Because it can’t be just me…there is nothing worse than feeling unsatisfied and kind of hungry after you eat!

Hitting that sweet spot is all about balance: you need toppings that offer a hunger-smashing combo of protein and fibre while also having the right textures and flavours – creamy, crunchy, chewy, fresh, cheesy, spicy – that light up your tastebuds.

So whether it’s game day, or just Thursday, these loaded (and allllll the right kinds of messy) plant-based nachos bring the heat in more ways than one. Protein-rich vegan ground PLUS canned black beans. Creamy cashew queso PLUS veggies and salsa. Crunchy – never soggy – tortilla chips…and a sheet pan full of goodies that will disappear right before your eyes.

How to make these nourishing, filling vegan nachos

You all know my stance on pre-meditated cooking. Nachos are supposed to be an EASY dinner…so I kind of refuse to have a bunch of components I need to cook. And I won’t do it to you. These nachos are ready in 20 minutes, with minimal chopping and the only thing you actually have to prep is the dairy free nacho cheese which takes 5 minutes in a blender as the nachos heat up. Sound good?

Pick the right vegan ground “beef” for you

Let’s talk about veggie ground…because it’s the one store-bought component we’re using that has a lot of variation, so you’ve got to find the one you love.

The ingredient variation is wide here: some are made from soy protein, pea protein…even cauliflower or mushrooms! You’ve simply got to choose what works for your taste, budget and protein needs.

I typically use Gardein vegan ground for these nachos because it’s affordable and you can just pop the frozen crumbles on the chips without having to cook them first, like you would with Beyond meat. They’re not as high in protein as Beyond, at 18 grams per ¾ cup, but they have more than the vegetable based ones so it’s the right balance for me.

Prefer a meatier option? Do Impossible (soy) or Beyond (pea) – you’ll just need to cook it for a few minutes in the skillet before you add to the nachos. No biggie.

Prefer a more whole food option? You can stick with just beans – or take a few minutes to make something yourself. My sheet pan crumbled tofu is amazing, and will add extra flavour too. If you have my cookbook Eat More Plants, the walnut lentil taco meat takes less than 10 minutes and is so so good.

Got it? Now let’s talk about a few other ingredients (full ingredients list in is the recipe below):

• Tortilla Chips: we use Que Pasa most often because they’re a local brand and I like the ingredients. Hot tip: do NOT use an “ultra thin and crispy” chip because they won’t be able to hold the weight of the toppings. Aim for sturdy chips!
• Veggies: I like to have at least 2 veggies on my nachos. Frozen corn is great because you don’t have to chop and it’s pretty filling, then I will also add some salsa and a handful of minced cilantro. Sliced cherry tomatoes and diced bell pepper are also great…but if you want to go wild, you could add leftover roasted veggies!
• Cashew queso: to me, this is the only real non-negotiable of this recipe because it’s so dang delicious…but if you’re allergic to cashews, I’ve got a couple of options for you. The first: use sunflower seeds! Just boil them for 5 minutes, then drain and proceed with the recipe. OR, I have a nut free queso on the blog too (but it takes a bit of cooking).
• BONUS round: I always add a fresh herb – usually cilantro, sometimes parsley – to balance the flavours. And I LOVE a salty, tangy hit…I always add Mezzetta tamed pickled jalapeno slices to my portion of the nachos, but sliced olives could be delicious too.

Ready to make nachos? Gimme 20 minutes and you’re done.

First things first: heat up the oven to 400F (205C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then load on your tortilla chips.

Step Two: sprinkle the veggie ground, black beans and corn evenly across the tortilla chips. Now, you’re going to bake until the toppings and chips are nice and hot, about 10 minutes.

Step Three: while the chips bake, blend up the cashew queso.

Step Four: Once the chips are hot, drizzle over the cashew queso and top with sliced jalapenos, cilantro and if you like hot sauce or salsa.

More awesome plant-based game day recipes:

• Buffalo Shredded Tofu Wrap
• Easy Vegan Hot Corn Dip
• Smoky Red Lentil Chili
• Sheet Pan Smashed Black Bean Tacos

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Filling Vegan Nachos with Cashew Queso

Nachos for dinner? Dive into these quick and easy vegan nachos, fully loaded with veggies, black beans, veggie ground “beef” and a 5 minute cashew queso for a filling and satisfying meal.

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine American, Mexican

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Black Bean, Cashew, corn, nutritional yeast

Dietary Preference dairy free, Gluten-Free, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 serving

Author Desiree Nielsen, RD

Equipment

• High Speed Blender

Ingredients

• 12 ounce bag tortilla chips don’t use super thin ones!
• ½ pound veggie ground no need to be exact here, use more or less
• 14 ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels use any (and as many!) veggies you like
• 1 batch vegan cashew queso

Optional Toppings

• cilantro minced
• pickled jalapeño slices
• salsa
• guacamole

Imperial – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400℉ (205℃). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly spread the tortilla chips across the sheet.
• Sprinkle over the veggie ground, black beans and corn and place in the oven until toppings and chips are piping hot, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blend up the cashew queso if you haven’t already.
• When the nachos are hot, drizzle over the cashew queso and add any additional toppings like cilantro or jalapeño slices.
• Serve as is, or with guacamole, salsa…whatever you wish!

Notes

Have leftovers? They reheat well, with a chilaquiles-vibe. Spread evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet and heat in the oven until hot. Some will re-crisp, others will be saucy.

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