Can a healthy nachos recipe really be as delicious as the crunchy, salty, cheesy goodness of a traditional nacho recipe? You'll have to see for yourself, but we think this loaded vegan nachos dish is pretty amazing!
If you're simply looking for a vegan nachos recipe, you've found one I'm sure you'll love. If you're looking for a delicious snack you can have on the Daniel Fast, this homemade nachos recipe is fully compliant with the Fast, made with fresh ingredients.
Learn more about the The Daniel Fast and let me know if you have questions! I have lists of Daniel Fast breakfast recipes as well as Daniel Fast meals for any time of day.
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Why We Love These Healthy Nachos
These loaded veggie nachos are everything this snack should be, but a much healthier and vegan version! They are a little spicy (though you can easily adjust - see variations) made with homemade baked tortilla chips and vegan cheese sauce.
What Goes Into This Recipe
Primary Ingredients
Baked corn tortilla chips - the base for the nachos. You can buy them, but remember to make sure they have no sugar (many do!) and they have not been deep fried. If you want to make them from tortillas yourself, see the Notes section of the recipe card below.
Homemade Cheese sauce - non-dairy, of course. We give you full instructions how to make the healthy recipe.
Delicious toppings - lots of toppings make these nachos the perfect game day food or snack on Cinco de Mayo!
We love this authentic Mexican salsa recipe for adding to the top of the nachos or on the side for dipping.
Scroll down to the recipe card for full list of healthy ingredients and printable instructions.
How to Make the Nachos
Step 1: Make the Vegan Cheese
Add all the ingredients into a saucepan and stir with a whisk to combine.
Turn the heat to medium, bring the cheese sauce to simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes or until you reach a creamy consistency.
Reduce to low heat if the sauce is spattering. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.
* You can add more coconut milk or water to reach the consistency you prefer and healthy turmeric if you want the color to be more yellow.
Step 2: Make the Fresh Pico de Gallo
Chop the tomatoes, spring onion and jalapeños really thin.
Add all the ingredients into a bowl, adding salt, pepper, lime juice, and some chopped cilantro.
Mix all together to combine.
Step 4: Make the Guacamole
Make the guacamole by adding the avocado to a bowl, squeezing in lime juice and mashing with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5: Assemble the Nachos
Drain and rinse the black beans and the corn.
Arrange the corn tortilla chips on a large platter.
Spread the vegan cheese on top of the tortillas chips.
Add the black beans, corn, fresh salsa, pickled jalapeños and guacamole.
Top with cilantro and green onion to garnish.
Serve right away.
Variations
- You can use baked yellow or blue corn tortillas in this healthy nacho recipe.
- Think of all the fresh toppings you could add to for the nacho toppings: red onion, bell peppers, roasted red pepper, radishes, shredded carrots, and black olives.
- Feel free to switch up the black beans for pinto beans, kidney beans, or vegan refried beans.
- Add a sprinkle of chili powder or taco seasoning for a little heat. (Watch for sugar if you're participating in the Daniel Fast.)
- If you'd rather not eat tortilla chips, you could bake sweet potato slices and use the sweet potato chips as the base instead of the corn tortilla chips.
- Substitute your favorite salsa, salsa verde, this authentic Mexican salsa, or this amazing watermelon salsa for the simple salsa included in the recipe.
- You can now find plant based sour cream. Kite Hill is one brand I've tried and it has no sugar.
- You can also find plant-based nacho cheese sauce or other vegan kinds of cheese with no sugar if you prefer not to make the sauce. You really should try it as it's easy and delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
This nachos recipe is definitely healthier than traditional nachos, but it's still an indulgent food and not as healthy as a salad. Though this recipe also has no sugar or dairy (making it even healthier than traditional vegan nachos) it's still meant to be a special occasion food.
You can, and you'll probably even find quite a few in your grocery store near produce. This version also does not have sugar, and it's very low in fat and calories.
Typically, you bake the nachos to melt the cheese. This vegan cheese is already smooth, so you don't need to melt it. If you want to put it in the oven like sheet pan nachos, wait until after you warm it to add the salsa, guacamole, and other cold additions like sour cream.
More Vegan Recipes
These are all Daniel Fast friendly vegan recipes.
Recipe
Healthy Nachos Recipe (Vegan)
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 16 ounces baked tortilla chips store bought or homemade -watch for sugar and don't buy deep fried.
- 15 ounces Black Beans no sugar
- 8 ounces Corn Or 1 cup fresh, no need to cook
- 6 ounces pickles jalapeños ½ jar
- 2 Spring Onions medium size
- 1 bunch Cilantro
Vegan Cheese Sauce
- ¾ cup coconut milk
NOT coconut cream. Coconut milk is unsweetened in the dairy section. Any vegan milk is fine , including almond milk and oat milk.
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour ( you can substitute with arrowroot starch)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder Optional
- ½ teaspoon turmeric Optional. Feel free to add extra to get cheese more yellow. Taste as you go.
Fresh Pico de Gallo
- 3 tomatoes medium size, finely diced
- 1 spring onion
medium size, finely diced
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1
jalapeño
fresh, chopped - ¼ cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped)
- ½ teaspoon salt
Guacamole
- 1 avocado
- 1 lime juiced
- salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the Vegan Cheese
- Add all the ingredients into a saucepan and stir with a whisk to combine.
- Turn the heat to medium, bring the cheese sauce to simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes or until you reach a creamy consistency.
- Reduce to low heat if the sauce is spattering.
- * You can add more coconut milk or water to reach the consistency you prefer .
Make the Fresh Pico de Gallo
- Chop the tomatoes, spring onion and jalapeños really thin.
- Add all the ingredients into a medium bowl, add salt, pepper and some chopped cilantro, then mix all together to combine.
Guacamole
- Make the guacamole by adding the avocado into a bowl, then squeeze lime and mash with a fork, season with salt to taste.
Assemble the Nachos
- Drain and rinse the black beans and the corn.
- Arrange the corn tortilla chips on a large platter
- Spread your vegan cheese on top of the tortillas chips.
- Add the black beans, corn, fresh salsa, pickled jalapeños and guacamole.
- Top with cilantro and spring onion to garnish.
- Serve.
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