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Sweet potato nachos are easy to make and a perfect appetizer for game day, parties, quiet nights or a fun family game night. Top my vegan nachos however you want and dig right into a plant-powered treat!
Step aside, take out. These sweet potato nachos are taking over and I can attest to the fact that they are the best vegan nachos I’ve ever made. Seriously though, they are sweet and savory, spicy and creamy, and oh-so enjoyable!
I love making a giant tray of these a topping with my vegan queso from Simple Green Meals, cashew cream and all the spicy peppers I can chop. These plant-based nachos are easy to make. Enjoy any way you want.
Table of Contents
Sweet Potato Nacho Ingredients
My recipe includes 100% real plant ingredients for the best flavor, color and presentation. That will all be gone in minutes once you take your first bite. Plant-based nachos can be bursting with flavor. Here’s how I do it:
- Sweet Potatoes: The sweeter the better for this dish, in my opinion. Use a mandolin for evenly sliced pieces.
- Avocado Oil: This oil doesn’t burn in high heat and therefore works better on nachos than olive oil.
- Spice Mix: I mix together cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and sea salt for a lovely spice rub to sprinkle over the sweet potato rounds. This brings a more complex flavor to the overall recipe as well as highlights the natural flavors in the sweet potatoes.
- Black Beans: You can use the beans of your choice, yet I love the earthiness of black beans, as well as the protein they provide.
- Tomato: I usually use whatever tomatoes I have on hand, so if you have a favorite variety then choose that one!
- Jalapeño Pepper: There should always be some spice on nachos. Fresh jalapeño peppers are the way to go.
- Black Olives: Another great healthy fat to add. I love the tang that black olives bring.
- Green Onions: While I love purple onions, I was craving a super fresh element for these nachos. Green onions provide that without overpowering the dish.
Now, on to the creamy toppings!
Best Nacho Toppings
Since most of the ‘toppings’ listed above are getting baked into these vegan nachos, I view toppings as what gets added right before serving. Here are my favorite ways to serve my sweet potato nachos:
- Squeeze of lime + cilantro: Nothing beats the brightness of fresh lime juice, and the cilantro always adds a bit of pizazz.
- Vegan Avocado Crema: This gorgeous sauce is like an upscale, creamy cousin to guacamole. It’s perfect for dipping or spreading right on the nachos.
- Cashew Cream: For those sour cream lovers, this is the ultimate dairy-free version. I keep freezer bags of this cream on hand as it can go on pretty much anything.
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese: I’m a sucker for a cheesy finish and this unique mix does the perfect job. You’d never guess this isn’t real sprinkle cheese thanks to the nutritional yeast.
How to Make Plant-Based Nachos
Nachos are pretty straightforward, but there are a few steps you can take to ensure the best results. And that’s what we want, right?
Step 1: Start by carefully slicing the sweet potatoes into very thin slices. The more even you can make the slices the better. Tip: use a mandolin for even slices.
Step 2: For the best flavor, toss the sliced potatoes in avocado oil, then toss well in the spice mixture to evenly coat.
Step 3: Arrange the coated potatoes in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The pieces may overlap a little and that’s fine.
Step 4: Once the potatoes are baked to fork tender, top with the veggie toppings in an even layer and bake again to heat them up.
Step 5: Finally, top with the dips and extra toppings you want right before serving.
Tips for Crispy Nachos Chips
If you like a crispier ‘chip’ for your nachos then you want to follow this easy tip. Once the sweet potatoes are baked to fork tender, switch the oven to broil and broil on high for 3-5 minutes.
You’ll need to watch the pan closely to ensure the potatoes get crispy but not burnt. They should bubble up on top and the edges will curl. Remove from oven and let rest a few minutes, then test for crispiness.
Vegan Nachos FAQs
This recipe is firmly in the snack category. That said, I use fresh plant-based ingredients and stick to seasonal ones when possible. That way my nachos have the freshest produce and change every time I make them!
Easy! Once you bake the chips until fork tender, give that pan a toss then return to the oven on broil. Broil on high for 3-5 minutes, watching closely to ensure the sweet potato rounds are getting crispy but not burnt.
I love loaded nachos, so almost no topping is off-limits: black beans, guacamole, avocado crema, cashew cream, fresh jalapeños, green onions, fresh salsa, tomatoes and more!
More Plant-Based Appetizers
I love finding plant-based versions of appetizers, but they’ve gotta taste good to be worth it. I can personally testify the following apps are delicious AND made with real plants:
- Buffalo Cauliflower Wings: This is my go-to party pleaser, perfect for any gathering.
- Crispy Tofu Nuggets: I can’t believe how crispy these are! The perfect golden nuggets.
- Vegan Charcuterie Board: Wow your guests with my lovely vegan charcuterie. From creamy dips to fresh fruit I’ve got you covered on a show-stopping board.
- Crispy Avocado Fries: These gorgeous fries are dippable and oh-so-tasty.
How did these nachos turn out for you? Rate + review this recipe to let me know your thoughts!
Sweet Potato Nachos
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes thinly sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- ½ tsp cumin ground
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1.5 cups black beans drained and rinsed, 1 can
- 1 tomato diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper thinly sliced
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
Toppings:
- 2 tbsps Vegan Avocado Crema optional
- 2 tbsps Cashew Cream optional
- 2 tbsps Vegan Parmesan Cheese optional
- 1 tbsps cilantro roughly chopped
- ½ tsp lime juiced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, toss the sweet potato slices with oil. In a small bowl, combine cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and salt. Sprinkle over sweet potatoes and toss well to coat.
- Arrange in an even layer on baking sheet. Sweet potato slices may overlap each other.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Remove pan from the oven and top the potatoes evenly with black beans, tomato, jalapeño, olives and green onions. Bake again for 7 minutes, or until toppings are warm.
- Serve with cilantro, squeeze of lime juice, avocado crema, cashew cream and vegan parmesan cheese for the ultimate appetizer.
Equipment
- oven
Notes
- For extra crispy sweet potato chips, once they are fork tender, switch oven to broil and broil on high for 3-5 minutes, watching closely to ensure the chips brown and don’t burn.
- Feel free to use the toppings of your choice, these are your nachos!
- Remove the seeds from the jalapeño pepper to cut back on the spice.
- Swap avocado crema with guacamole.
- Swap vegan parmesan sprinkle with vegan cheese of your choice.
I really liked the sweet potatoe nachos , so yummy and the avocado crema wow very tasty delicious . When I made the avocado crema and tasted it , I thought it was to limey but then when ; I topped on top of the nachos it was good.
Sweet potato anything – I’m in. Love making healthier alternatives to those staple meals. This looks great.
We love sweet potato nachos! We first started making this from your book, so glad to see it on the blog.