Loaded Nachos with Vegan Cheese Sauce

Hearty nachos loaded with black beans, tomatoes, guac, and the best vegan cheese sauce you’ll ever have. This is the perfect dish for game day!

Loaded Nachos with Vegan 'Cheese' Sauce
Loaded Nachos with Vegan 'Cheese' Sauce

Loaded Nachos with Vegan Cheese Sauce

Nachos on game day is pretty much a requirement, right? The answer is YES.

I didn’t want to leave out all of my fellow dairy-free friends, so I came up with a vegan cheese sauce that is AMAZING. It is just as creamy as regular queso, which makes it perfect for drizzling all over nachos. The main ingredients are cashews and nutritional yeast, which is always the base of all amazing vegan cheesy sauces. Then of course I added a few delicious spices to kick it up a notch because we need a cheese sauce that packs a ton of flavor, obviously.

The BEST Nacho Toppings

You can feel free to use whatever your ideal nacho toppings are, but I definitely have my favorite combo that I used in this recipe. I’m kind of a traditionalist when it comes to this, so I always go with:

  • some type of beans (black, pinto, etc.)
  • tomato
  • lots of guac
  • vegan sour cream (you could also use an unsweetened yogurt as a replacement)
  • creamy cheese sauce!
  • then of course the little extras like green onions and cilantro that finish it off

I used Siete grain-free tortilla chips for these because they are my absolute favorite, but you can use any type of chips you want. They’re perfect for nachos because they can hold up to all of the sauciness, and still have some crunch. You get alllll the textures and flavors with these nachos. Crunchy, creamy, chewy, spicy, salty, and satisfying.

Loaded Nachos with Vegan 'Cheese' Sauce

Layer your nachos!

One of the most important things to do in order to get a perfect chip to topping ratio is to LAYER IT UP. You can’t just put a huge pile of chips on a platter and then throw all of the toppings on it. If you did that, all of the chips on the bottom will be just sad and dry. So, layer as you build them. Put a layer of chips on the bottom, and then a layer of toppings, then go in with the second layer of chips, and then the rest of the toppings. Top it all off with vegan sour cream and guac and you’re set. (and here’s my favorite store-bought sour cream if you don’t want to make your own)

THE PERFECT RATIO. You’re welcome.

Loaded Nachos with Vegan 'Cheese' Sauce

Looking for more vegan recipes?

FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for my latest recipes!

Loaded Nachos with Vegan 'Cheese' Sauce
Print Pin
No ratings yet

Loaded Nachos with Vegan ‘Cheese’ Sauce

Ingredients

  • ~8 cups tortilla chips (I used Siete grain-free chips)
  • 1 (15oz) can black beans
  • 4-5 green onions (chopped)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 3/4 cup tomato (chopped)
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 medium sized avocados
  • juice from 1/2 a lime
  • 1/4-1/3 cup vegan sour cream

Vegan Cheese Sauce

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp arrowroot starch (corn starch will also work)
  • 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk

Instructions

  • First, make the guacamole. In a bowl, mash together the avocado, lime juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Put it in the fridge to use it later.
  • Next, make the cheese sauce. Add all of the ingredients for the cheese sauce into a high powered blender. Start the blender on low, and then gradually turn up the speed. Blend it on high for about 60 seconds, until it is very smooth and creamy.
  • Pour the cheese sauce into a small sauce pan and put it on the stove over low heat. Stir it occasionally so it doesn't burn on the bottom. It will thicken a bit while it cooks, so it is important to whisk a few times. Let it cook for 7-8 minutes while you cook the beans.
  • While the cheese sauce heats up, preheat a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan. Drain and rinse the black beans, then add them to the skillet. Then add the chopped green onions, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper, as well as the chili powder and garlic powder. Use a wooden spoon to stir it together, letting it cook for 3-4 minutes, or just long enough for the onions to get slightly soft. Then remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
  • It is time to assemble. So get a platter or large plate, and put half of the chips in an even layer on top of the platter. Then spoon half of the black beans all over the chips, again in an even layer. Sprinkle half of the tomatoes over the top, then spoon your desired amount of cheese sauce over that.
  • Repeat that process again to make another layer. Chip, beans, tomatoes, cheese sauce.
  • Put a big dollop of sour cream and guacamole on top. Then sprinkle chopped cilantro over the whole thing to finish it off.

Did you love this recipe?
Leave a star rating in the comments below!

3 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.