There are very few recipes I claim are the "best" of anything, but these Vegan Nachos are truly incredible. These loaded nachos are topped with crispy tofu crumbles, homemade vegan queso, pico de gallo, corn, avocado, cilantro, and jalapeño for an epic dairy-free recipe.
This recipe all started by perfecting a recipe for tofu meat crumbles. I added them to my Cauliflower Chickpea Tacos and knew they were a keeper.
That's when I decided, hmm... these would honestly taste even better in vegan nachos!
Nacho Ingredients:
Ingredient notes:
- Check out my blog post on "how to make tofu crumbles" for a more detailed ingredient photo of this recipe.
- Pico de Gallo: I used a store-bought mix, but feel free to make your own homemade pico de gallo instead!
- Avocado: I chose to use fresh slices of avocado, but these tacos also taste amazing with homemade guacamole on top!
Make the tofu crumbles
First, press the extra firm tofu to get rid of any excess moisture. You can do this with a tofu press or just smush it between paper towels for a few minutes.
Then, add the crumbled tofu to a pan with hot oil. After that add the seasoning and cook the crumbles for 15-20 minutes until they get super browned and crispy.
For more tips & tricks check out my full blog post on tofu crumbles!
Make the vegan nacho cheese:
Queso Ingredients:
Before cooking the tofu crumbles, soak the cashews in boiling hot water for 30 minutes.
Then, add the soaked and strained cashews, soy milk, garlic, nutritional yeast, paprika, onion powder, and salt to a blender. Blend until completely smooth for the best cashew nacho cheese!
Assembling the tofu nachos
To assemble these plant-based nachos, spread the tortilla chips on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Then, pile the tofu crumbles, corn, and vegan queso on top.
At this point, you can broil the tray of nachos for about 5 minutes if you want everything to be warm. However, that is totally optional.
Finish the nachos by topping them with your favorite toppings. I decided to add pico de Gallo, avocado, sliced jalapeño, and cilantro. Then, dig in and enjoy these tofu nachos!
FAQ & Tips:
Are there any substitutes for the tofu crumbles?
You can honestly substitute whatever you want for the "meaty" part of these vegan nachos. Tofu crumbles are my personal favorite, but I also love using the lentil taco meat from my Vegan Lentil Tacos! If you like Beyond meat or Impossible burger you can crumble those up, cook, and use them instead.
What other toppings can I add to these loaded nachos?
A few other nacho toppings I love to add to this recipe are pickled red onions, black beans, vegan sour cream, shredded vegan cheese, or even swapping out avocado slices for guacamole.
Another fun idea could be adding on the chipotle crema from my Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos or the cilantro crema from my Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes in place of the vegan queso!
I can't wait for you to try these Loaded Vegan Nachos! With crispy tofu crumbles, creamy vegan queso, and a whole lot of delicious fresh toppings- it's truly a must-make recipe!
More vegan recipes you will love:
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Vegan Tofu Nachos
Ingredients
Vegan Queso
- 1 cup soaked cashews
- ⅔ cup soy milk
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt more or less to taste
Nacho Ingredients
- 10 ounces tortilla chips
- 1 batch tofu crumbles
- ½ cup cooked corn
- ¼ cup pico de gallo add more or less as desired
- 1 avocado, sliced add more or less as desired
- ½ jalapeño, thinly sliced add more or less as desired
- ¼ cup cilantro add more or less as desired
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in boiling water for at least 30 minutes to soften. While they are soaking, make the tofu crumbles or any other vegan meat topping you are using for these nachos.
- Strain the soaked cashews. Then, add them to a blender with the rest of the queso ingredients including the soy milk, nutritional yeast, garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, and salt. Blend together until smooth and then set aside.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and pile the tortilla chips on top so they are evenly spread out on the parchment paper. Then, top them with the tofu crumbles, corn, and dollops of the vegan queso. Add to the oven and broil for about 5 minutes (optional).
- Remove the tray from the oven and add on the fresh toppings including the sliced avocado, pico de gallo, jalapeño slices, and cilantro. Then, dig in and enjoy!
Notes
- Broiling the nachos is optional, but helps to warm up the queso and corn if desired. However, the queso does not need to be cooked to be eaten.
- A few other nacho toppings I love to add to this recipe are pickled red onions, black beans, vegan sour cream, shredded vegan cheese, or even swapping out avocado slices for guacamole.
- Nachos are best enjoyed right away and don't store great as leftovers as the toppings tend to make the tortilla chips soggy if left to sit.
- The queso can be prepped ahead of time and can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
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