vegan nachos

Ultimate Vegan Nachos & Cheese Sauce

Sometimes all you’re craving is vegan junk food for dinner. I’ve had some amazing vegan nachos in my life: Busboys & Poets in DC and Dellz Uptown in Charleston, South Carolina, are two delish examples. I’ve taken inspiration from those dishes to create the ultimate vegan nachos with a homemade cheese sauce.

Vegan Nachos from Busboys & Poets topped with guacamole, vegan cheese, pico de gallo, vegan sour cream, & black-eyed peas salsa.

This recipe includes fajita mushrooms and onions, but you could sub in other fajita veggies like peppers by following the same instructions below. You’ll cook the corn and jalapeños similarly, but add in some spices to create your very own fiesta corn. 

The Trader Joe’s “Soyrizo” is an alternative meat product that mimics chorizo and is really yummy – it doesn’t need any additional spices or even any oil to cook in the pan. It’s pretty salty all on it’s own, so definitely give it a taste before adding anything extra. And make sure to remove it from the casing before adding to the pan!

Lastly, that cheese sauce. I’ve made other cheese sauces before, but this one is one of the easiest nacho cheese recipes I’ve ever made, and it tastes like and has the consistency of nacho cheese. The sundried tomatoes really make the nacho cheese flavor, so definitely don’t skip out on them!

Feel free to make this recipe your own by adding your favorite toppings, like vegan sour cream, olives, and much more. I would love the hear how you make this recipe your own. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!

Ultimate Vegan Nachos & Homemade Cheese Sauce

Gather your favorite toppings to create the ultimate vegan nachos in your very own home! And of course, you can't forget the nacho cheese.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course, Snack
Keyword: nachos, vegan, vegan cheese, vegan dinner, vegan nachos
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • salsa homemade or store-bought
  • guacamole homemade or store-bought
  • 1 ½ cups mushrooms sliced or chopped
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • ½ tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp oil
  • ½ package Trader Joe's "Soyrizo" or other alternative meat product
  • ½ can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbsp jalapeno minced
  • 1 cup corn kernels frozen
  • ½ tsp chili powder heaping
  • dash garlic powder
  • ½ tbsp vegetable broth
  • your favorite tortilla chips

For the Nacho Cheese Sauce

  • ½ cup water
  • 1 cup cashews raw, unsalted
  • 5-6 small cloves garlic
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp miso paste
  • ½ tsp ground mustard
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tbsp lemon juice
  • ¼ cup non-dairy milk
  • 2 tbsp sundried tomatoes

Instructions

To Make Nacho Cheese Sauce

  • Roast the cloves of garlic in the oven on 400° for 20 minutes in a drizzle of oil.
  • Boil the cashews for 15 minutes. Drain and add to a blender with the water. Blend until smooth.
  • Add all of the ingredients for the cheese sauce to the blender except the non-dairy milk. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add the non-dairy milk a little bit at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.

For the Nachos

  • In the same pan*, add the 1 tsp of oil and allow to heat up. Add the corn and jalapeno and cook the same as the mushrooms and onions. While cooking, add the chili powder and a dash of garlic powder. The corn should start to brown and blacken. Add the veggie broth as needed if the corn and jalapeno begin to stick to the pan.
  • In the same pan, add the 1 tsp of oil and allow to heat up. Add the corn and jalapeno and cook the same as the mushrooms and onions. While cooking, add the chili powder and a dash of garlic powder. The corn should start to brown and blacken. Add the veggie broth as needed if the corn and jalapeno begin to stick to the pan.
  • In another pan, heat the Soyrizo for 2-3 minutes over medium heat after removing it from its casing. Stir the Soyrizo occasionally as it cooks. Add the beans and cook until everything is warm throughout, stirring occasionally.
  • Add your tortilla chips to a plate or bowl, then top with all of your toppings. Enjoy!

Notes

*You can cook the corn and jalapenos simultaneously in a different pan or after cooking the mushrooms and onions in the same pan.
Feel free to be creative and add other toppings, like olives, fresh tomato, green onions, vegan sour cream, and more!

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