Loaded Vegan Chili Cheese Nachos
Loaded Vegan Chili Cheese Nachos are so flavorful you would never guess that they’re vegan! They’re also gluten-free, nut-free and seed-free, making them a great alternative for those with allergies.
A cool breeze rolled in this week and got me excited for all things fall. Like wearing soft cozy sweaters, drinking warm apple cider and watching the vineyard leaves change colors.
And while there might be a few weeks left until it officially begins, as soon as football season starts I feel like it might as well be the case. I can’t really explain why, it’s just a feeling I get when I hear the sound of the broadcaster’s voice on the TV.
Anyways, when it comes to football food, nothing makes me happier than a big plate of nachos and an ice cold beer!
Unfortunately, between the beer and the dairy my stomach isn’t always a happy camper. Like I go from having a mini belly pooch to a nine months pregnant pooch as soon as I’m done eating. It’s not cute.
So I set out to create a vegan version that won’t do quite as much damage but also won’t skimp in the flavor department. And you can trust me when I say that these definitely do not skimp on flavor.
Besides a good mix of my favorite spices (cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder) the main base of the nachos are made with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, aka the best Mexican invention ever.
Seriously, if you’ve never cooked with them before you’ve got to give it a try. They have this incredible flavor that’s slightly smoky and can take any Mexican dish from good to WOW.
They can pretty spicy if you use too many. The first time I made these nachos, I used the whole can and I was definitely blowing my nose while eating them. Brandon, on the other hand, loves super spicy food so he was in heaven.
So for my mild-to-medium heat taste bud preferences, I wrote the recipe only using one pepper but you can add more (or less!) if you like things really spicy.
The base for these was inspired by Black Bean Pecan Tacos but I left out the nuts because I wanted to make this and the queso entirely nut free. It’s super easy to make, all you have to do is blend everything in the processer for a few seconds then bake it in the oven for 15 minutes.
I personally like to top my nachos with tomato corn salsa so I included a simple recipe for that as well.
All of that deliciousness gets topped off with my Healthy Vegan Queso for a plate of nachos that will seriously blow your mind!
I hope you guys love these as much as we do! Please let me know if you end up trying them by leaving a comment below or sharing a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. Cheers!
Loaded Vegan Chili Cheese Nachos
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 30
Ingredients:
For the Nachos
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 jalapeno, cored and roughly chopped
- 1 chili in adobo sauce + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce* (or 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder + 1 tablespoon high heat oil)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 large bag corn tortilla chips
- suggested toppings: Healthy Vegan Queso, salsa/pico de gallo, avocado, cilantro
Tomato Corn Salsa
- 2 cups corn kernels
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
- juice of 1 lime and 1 lemon
- large pinch of sea salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F and then line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine all of the ingredients (beans to chili powder) in a food processor and pulse until a chunky mixture forms, being careful not to over process.
Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, stirring half way through.
Meanwhile, prepare the corn tomato salsa by combining the ingredients in a large bowl and stirring together.
Spread tortilla chips out on two large plates then top with cooked bean mixture, vegan queso, corn salsa, avocado or other desired toppings. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback! 
YUUUUUHSAAAAH! I was wondering what you were going to show us with that butternut squashy cheese! These nach’s look absolutely amazing! Definitely a great recipe for keeping the belly pooch under control (beer does the same thing to me..le sigh..can’t live with it, can’t live without it).
I cannot wait to make these!!! I am embarrassed to say, but back in my early 20’s, we used to use a pizza pan topped with a can of refried beans, a pound of hamburger, a jar of queso, sour cream, and maybe some salsa to pretend we were eating a vegetable, and go to town. Scary!! Your recipe looks soooo much better – healthy and vibrant!!
Well that does sound much easier to make, lol! I used to eat a lot of things that were scary too. Don’t feel bad! And thank you, as always, for the sweet comment! xoxo
Aren’t adobo chiles the best?! I love that you used them with the beans. This looks so perfect for football season, I can’t wait to make this for the game!!
They are SO good! Thanks, Sarah! :)
Three chilis would be too much for me already – even if spread over eight servings. I didn’t grow up with spicy food so when a pen pal from the US sent me a can of peppers in adobo sauce I liked the taste but my mouth was on fire.
It’s not football season over here but I’d take a plate of these any day still!
It took me a while to get used to spicy food too but I really enjoy it now, as long as it doesn’t make my nose too runny. :)
You can always leave out the chipotle peppers and just use the sauce from the can. That would still infuse the flavor without that much spice!
Mmm these are beyond game day perfect ;)
After your vegan queso, nachos were ON my mind :) Love these! Pinning!
Ah yes, I love football and I love nachos too! Between watching the games on TV, playing Fantasy Football, and the food, football season is just so much fun. I’m hoping to get to a nearby college game or Chargers home game sometime soon!
Loaded nachos are so good, but soooo bad for you haha. Glad you healthified them a bit! I totally agree about football season. Once it’s on TV it just feels like fall to me.
Oh I so agree – there is just something about the start of football that signals fall … even though it doesn’t quite feel like fall totally yet! These nachos look amazinggggg. The husband is always asking me to make them but I always feel so icky afterward – this is so happening this season!
This looks awesome. I’ve never cooked with this chipotle peppers in adobo sauce before, but you’ve inspired to try it. These nachos look so delicious ;-)
I love a huge plate of nachos, but I don’t go for them often for the same reason. They make me feel awful! I’m going to try whipping these up for a game day for sure!
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Deeeummmmmm girl. This is sheer genius. That queso makes me mouth drop the floor. And the beany taco meat? You’re pulling on my heart strings!! BYE going to nacho land.
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This looks so devine! making this tomorrow for sure!
Thanks Bhumi! I hope you enjoy them!