Once I discovered the secret to Cashew-Less Vegan Queso, I wanted to put it on everything within reach; starting with nachos, of course.
And based on your reaction to this sneak peek photo, you guys really wanted this recipe. Well, the wait is officially over!
Origin of Nachos
But first, it’s clear we’re all big nacho fans, so let’s talk about who we can thank! It’s thought that nachos were first created in 1943 in Piedras Negras, Mexico. A chef named Ignacio Anaya invented the dish from ingredients he had available when a group of customers arrived at the Victory Club restaurant after closing. The original version is believed to have been made from fried corn tortilla wedges, cheese, and jalapeños.
You’ll now find nachos with a wide variety of toppings, including beans, salsa, and more. Our inspired version swaps the cheese for homemade plant-based queso and is piled high with our favorite toppings!
How to Make Vegan Nachos
This recipe is SO delicious, simple and undetectably vegan. There is something magical about the saltiness of a tortilla chip paired with a fresh, chunky salsa and this creamy, dreamy vegan queso. It’s like a flavor bomb – you simply don’t want to miss out.
The awesome thing about the Queso recipe is that it makes quite a bit, and you can store leftovers in a jar and it keeps for up to 4-5 days! AND it reheats extremely well, making it ideal for these nachos.
Once you have your chips on a serving plate, you just need to heat up your beans, queso and mash your guacamole and go to town.
My ideal nacho toppings are: black beans, salsa, (vegan) queso, guacamole, red onion, jalapeños, hot sauce, and cilantro. If you prefer a different combination of things, feel free to mix it up! Make these YOUR Best Damn Vegan Nachos. I totally give you permission (wink).
OK, onto the important thing: What do they taste like?
Crunchy
Salty
Cheesy
Hearty
Spicy
Savory
Fresh
Satisfying
MEGA flavorful
& Totally like legit restaurant-style nachos
In other words, you’re gonna love these babies. Enjoy!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
The Best Damn Vegan Nachos
Ingredients
- ~8 cups restaurant-style tortilla chips
- 1 batch Cashew-Less Vegan Queso
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans (drained)
- 1 cup guacamole* (see notes)
- 1 cup chunky salsa
- Fresh jalapeños and red onion (optional // sliced)
- Hot sauce (optional)
- Cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- If you haven’t prepared your vegan queso yet, do that first (recipe link in the ingredients).
- Once your queso is ready (and hot), heat up your black beans in a small saucepan and season with a little sea salt and desired spices (optional: we love garlic, cumin, and chili powder).
- Next, prepare your guacamole by mashing your avocado with lime juice and sea salt. Adjust seasonings as needed.
- Arrange your chips on a large serving platter (or individual serving platters) and add toppings in desired order. I like black beans first, then queso, salsa, guacamole, red onion, jalapeño, hot sauce, and cilantro. Enjoy immediately!
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is an estimate.
SwashB says
I make a similar queso using a can of drained and rinsed white beans and add a 1/2 tsp of turmeric for color. Everything else is like this recipe. The nice part is no broiling necessary.
Danny says
Delicious nachos! Thank you for this awesome recipe will definitely make this again.
Yay! Thanks for the great review, Danny!
Susan says
Someone here is allergic to the chips used in Nachos. His throat closes when eating them, so no more. What could I substitute for nachos?
Hi Susan, it’s hard to say without knowing the ingredient he’s allergic to, but perhaps check out Siete chips for a grain-free alternative. Hope that helps!
Julia Rodriguez-Buis says
Try jicama! slice them super thin with a mandoline :)
Suzanne says
I have tried so many recipes from this website that I now trust every recipe without trying it first. Looking forward to this creative dish once again and will post more once I have actually made it!
Woohoo! Can’t wait to hear what you think, Suzanne!
Elizabeth says
Could a person add a couple drops of yellow-orange food color to maintain color?
Sure!
Megan says
I never have much hope with ‘cheesy’ vegan dishes, but omg…this one was a winner! Made exactly as suggested with unsweetened almond milk, topped with the smoked paprika, hot sauce and vegan sour cream + an assortment of fresh veg. Thanks so much!
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed. Thanks for the review, Megan!
Denise says
Am I just reading the nutritional information wrong, but does a 1 g serving have 563 calories? That’s hella rich!
Hi Denise, sorry for the confusion. The nutrition information is for 1/4 of the entire recipe.
Lara says
Hi,
Can I bake this recipe in the oven at the end? :)
We’d say briefly should be fine. But a longer time may make the chips soggy.
katie says
holy guacamole these were good! i don’t normally leave reviews, but these nachos were delicious. 10/10. i love the eggplant cheese! it did take longer to make, but worth it because of the leftovers! will definitely make these again!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Katie. Thanks so much for sharing!
Eve M. says
Would this work with the most recent cashew queso?
Yes!
J'Lynn Cates says
Very tasty! The cheese sauce had excellent flavor. I will say, after I roasted the eggplants it was only half and I used a whole small eggplant. Next time, I will try a large eggplant. Also, the sauce didn’t thicken up as much as I would have liked so maybe more cornstarch? My partner and I are both meat eaters who are just now taking dairy out of the diet so we made this with ground turkey. We were very pleasantly surprised!
Thanks for sharing, J’Lynn! We’d say try less almond milk next time to see if that helps? Otherwise, you could also try this queso recipe: https://minimalistbaker.com/5-minute-vegan-cashew-queso/. Hope that helps!
Sherri Neil says
The vegan nacho cheese sauce was fabulous. My husband hates eggplant and I need to use one up that I got from my CSA basket. I loved the sauce. Hint to those of you who want to sneak in an eggplant into your diet once in awhile without complaints ,don’t tell anyone it is in there and they will never know.
Yay! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Sherri! Thanks for sharing!
Chris Mahina says
These were so good, loved the Queso. Thanks for this they will definitely be in high rotation on my meals list.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Chris!
Sandra says
Delicious!! So I’m not Vegan, but the eggplant intrigued me. So I made the queso but also melted a little bit of smoked Gouda into it and bam it hit the spot for a hint of “real” cheese and fat which I like for texture.
I enjoyed these nachos soooo much and I’m already thinking about what I can use the rest of the queso for. Definitely will make again!
Yum, that sounds extra delicious, Sandra! Thank you so much for sharing! xo
Lisa says
I am wondering if there is a brand of nutritional yeast that is better than the one I bought. It is terrible and does not have a cheesy taste at all.
Weird! We recommend Bragg’s brand!
Mary says
Some folks just don’t want to give up on real cheese and accept an alternative. This sounds delish to me.
Katie says
I’m a week into being plant based and hubby is moving towards vegetarian. After craving nachos for a long time but not liking the bloated feeling of cheese and sour cream, this recipe was brilliant. So much flavour and no bloating.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Tammy says
I just made it and it was yummy. The only thing I’d change is to make fresh salsa instead of using the store bought I had on hand. Yummy ? ~Tammy
Kelsey says
Does it work well to keep the queso warm in a crockpot for a party?
Kim says
I just made this sauce……its 100% perfect!!!! Its everything I love about queso and more. I made it for nachos, enchiladas, and a cassarole dish. Its quick, easy, healthy, and best of all, VEGAN! Thanks for sharing.
Jolyne says
Just made this awful grey sauce that tasted nothing like cheese was very disappointed in the work that I put into it and it was no where orange and tasty.
Donna says
Hi Dana,
My husband and myself have been flexitarians for awhile and recently after a 15 day juice we decided to go plant based. I have tried a few of your recipes the 1 pot minestrone was delish and really enjoyed your Alfredo. But when I made this it was so pretty and yummy looking my husband would not stop eating it before I could take a pic. :(. Oh well maybe next time, we will absolutely be making this again. I did add some sliced radishes and fresh corn off the cob for that brightness and crispy crunch.
Thank you
Tamika Woods says
Hi Dana!
Thanks so much for sharing this outstanding vegan nacho recipe! I tried it and it was perfect. The cashew vegan queso was absolutely awesome.
I actually ended up whipping up some oil free tortilla chips of my own (I think the ones from the supermarket are too processed and yucky!) which were a great addition. Let me know if you would be keen to link to the recipe as a healthy alternative and I’ll shoot through the URL.
Keep up the great work!!
Tam @ Sproutly Stories
Elizabeth Wood says
I would like the no oil diy chip recipe.
heath says
So good!
Monica says
Your title is true, The Best Damn Vegan Nachos!!! I’m new to eating vegan and I have been craving Nachos for a while now but I had no idea how that would happen without a little help! Luckily, I found this amazing Recipie browsing the web. The queso was sooo good, I pretty much followed the recipe but I added minced jalapeños into the blender in place of the chili powder and it came out great. I used diced tomatoes with green chile a traders Joe brand to mix in with the queso once it was completed and topping it with paprika was the perfect end game :) The balance of all the topings beans, queso, medium salsa (I used the medium tortillas brand but I only used about 2 TBS to a good amount of queso), guacamole, red onions, and jalapeño was a perfect balance of mouth watering flavor! I even let my mother who is not vegan eat it and she loved it and my friend who says the way these meals are tasting he may go vegan too, haha. Thanks for this oh so flavorable, vegan nacho recipe!!!!
Nichole says
Just made these for the superbowl and they were amazing! Couldn’t wait until the game to eat them. Husband and I loved them. Will definitely make again. Thank you for the recipe. We ended up using the whole can of rotel in the queso and came out really good.
Lauren says
The cashew-less vegan Queso is to die for!! I loved that it had the same texture as real Queso, because I sure miss my grandmas homemade Queso! (She’s from Texas:)
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Hi there! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be okay. I’m undoubtedly enjoying your blog and look forward to new updates.
angela says
YUCK!! Sorry Minimalist Baker, but this was very disapointing. The cumin was so overpowering & the flavor so bland. Would prefer Daiya cheddar & save some time.
Susan Larsson says
i made this and it was tasty (though i left the guac sitting on the counter), but my queso turned out lumpy! it didn’t start that way, but by the time i had the other ingredients in the bowl, it was – what did i do wrong?
Caroline says
I became a vegetarian when I was 15 years old, I’m now 25 and I’ve been a vegan for about a month now. I always wanted to be a vegan, but every time I tried I just found myself succumbing to things like aioli (die hard aioli fan) and chocolate (kinder bueno bars!).
I’ve gotta say, the reason I have been able to stick it out this time is because of you. I have made several of your recipes over the last month, and you make it surprisingly easy to stick to a vegan diet. I mean, I love your recipes MORE than aioli or kinder bueno, and that’s saying something.
Now, on to the queso, because for the last month I’ve just been eyeing (and eating) your recipes without comment.
Queso is something I haven’t had in YEARS, as when I was 21 I figured out not all cheese was vegetarian (can anyone say animal rennet? Yuck). This… tastes like the real deal. My parents and boyfriend, who are 100% meat lovers, tried this and were amazed at how much it tasted like the real thing and how good it was!
These are hands down my favourite nachos, not to mention incredibly healthy. For lunch today I have the beetroot, kale and lentil salad – I already know it’s good, because I had it for lunch yesterday, too. :P
Thank you and keep the great recipes coming!
Terri T says
Made these for dinner tonight- as usual, your recipes are amazing! The nacho cheese sauce was delicious!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Terri!
Christine says
My husband loves nachos… but these were the best he ever had!
This recipe was so easy to follow and the queso was a great addition.
I had a lot of fun making it.
Thanks for creating such a delicious dish :)
So great! Thanks Christine!!
courtney says
I have need even heard of queso until tonight, and thought as I was eating it, this would make a great cheese alternative… who knew right… this was amazing. I made this for the bf, he loved it.. i only had skinny borderline anorexic long eggplants (from the garden) so i left the skin on and only had paprika so a little altered but very delicious. there was no talking during dinner just munching on deliciousness and after dinner my bf said wheres all the food, i said what food? he said, isnt there leftovers…
Thanks for this delicious recipe…
Elisabeth Pierotti says
We loved this recipe and vegan cheese sauce that went along with it!! Had so much fun making them and will use them for Superbowl Sunday! We made a video about this recipe – hope you enjoy.
LOVED it! Shared it on Twitter. So great. Thanks for sharing!!
Erin says
Just made the queso and nachos tonight – they came out amazing! Thanks!
Lise K says
Once again, I am captivated by your recipes and can’t wait, yet again, to try a dairy free version of a favorite food!!! Nachos are, hands down, one of my top three comfort foods. These look so healthy too! I love the idea of eggplant, but I also adore cashews. What about a blend of both? I typically also see miso added to cheese-free cheese sauces…do you think it would go well?
Deryn @ Running on Real Food says
Okay, I have to get out of here before I comment on everything! haha. Nachos are the hardest thing for me to resist on a plant-based diet…no longer. All of my favourite flavours, all on one cheesy plate of goodness. Thanks!!
Maikki says
Such an inspiring recipe! I mentioned this post on my blog as an inspirational source for my Layered Nacho Bake
Julie says
OH MY GOD.
I’ve been vegan for a few months now, but haven’t yet made “vegan cheese”, and really wasn’t sure how I felt about cheese made out of eggplants.
I want to eat these nachos every day of my life. My boyfriend praised me the rest of the week. Thanks for this recipe! I also love how you feel none of the guilt from the fat in cashews or, like, real cheese.
Charissa says
Just made this tonight and I have one word for you..amazing! who would’ve thought you could make this from eggplant?! ahh I love it :)
Evellyn Ramos says
Wow!!! This is delicious!!!! I putted a little bit too much salt but other than that its perfect! You are a genius kkk!!!! I love your recipes, I always do a lot of them. And you are such a good photographer, your pictures make us want to try your recipes!
Kristina says
These look so amazing!! And that vegan queso…YUM! Definitely making this. :)
Erin says
A a minimalist, vegan, food lover who is useless in the kitchen I am SO happy I found your blog!
Glad you found us, too! hugs :D
Bird says
I just died and went to heaven…and landed in those nachos :)
3girls1apple says
WHOA!!! I gotta try me some of that cashew queso… hmmm hmm hmmm… Damn, now I’m hungry! haha
Catherine McCord says
These are like a full meal.. which I want a plate of now! I wonder how they would be with baked pita chips?!
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says
Amaaaaaazinngggg!! I am loving everything about these nachos – the vegan queso, the guac, the salsa, and the beans!! I can’t wait to try these this summer – they look awesome :D And haha, yes, I will be enjoying a “crapload’ of them :p
haha, glad you caught my joke ;D
Naomi Casiro says
OMG!! I just found your 31 day cookbook how could I have missed this! I love your recipes and just ordered it can’t wait to try them all!!
Ah! Thanks Naomi! Hope you enjoy it!
Ala says
This post is everything towards which I aspire when I write: beautiful, slightly sassy, and the best damn photos that have got me converted to these nachos! I especially love the gif and your lighting for it–thanks for sharing!
Tracy | Pale Yellow says
I want to smash my plate into these nachos they look so good! Love the GIF!
Beth Hornback (Eat Within Your Means) says
I burst out laughing when I read the quantity for the tortilla chips. I’m pretty sure “crapload” is the technical term anyway. :)
I’m glad you catch my humor ;D
Yoshi Mitsu says
oh dana, you supple genius
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog says
WOW-these look like really would be the best damn vegan nachos ever! I love the gif, so creative!
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
You can never ever go wrong with nachos. I make various versions for breakfast, lunch, dinners, AND snacks. Seriously, there is always an occasion for nachos. And thank you for also showing that nachos can be made vegan and be delicious. I am trying to prove that to others as well ;)
Mandy says
These look AMAZING! This is the plan for tonight’s dinner along with the salsa fresca recipe just posted on Nutrition Stripped!
Nice! LOVE her site!
Angela Walley says
Yes! Nachos are my favorite! Can’t wait to try your vegan queso recipe :)
Lindsay @ VeganYumminess says
Oh yuuuumm! What gorgeous pictures to showcase such an amazing food combination. I can’t wait to try your vegan queso recipe. :)
Ali | Gimme Some Oven says
Nachooooooos!
These look fantastic, girl! I need to try out this eggplant queso. :)
DO IIIIIITTTTTT Nacho Queen ;D
Jennifer C. says
I made this queso a couple of days ago and still have some in the fridge….yay! I was also thinking that the queso might be nice on a pasta….something sort of southwest- chicken-ish perhaps.
SMART lady ;D
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
Wow those look incredible. I would’ve never thought they were vegan.
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says
im a sucker for anything quesoooo and this one looks sooo good.
Anne @aveganadventure says
One word: YUM!
Meredith @ Unexpectedly Magnificent says
I’ve never had queso, vegan or otherwise. I’m excited to give this recipe a try!
cheyenne says
oh oh ohhh, craving nachos right now. looks delicious!
xo, cheyenne
Kelly Feller says
That cashew-less queso looks to die for! Can’t wait to try!!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
That Cashew-less queso is calling my name!! This recipe is freaking AWESOME!
haha, thanks Katrina!
Maryea {happy healthy mama} says
So fun! I still need to try that vegan queso. It’s on my list. Happy Thursday! :)