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Loaded vegan nachos with cashew queso

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Dive into a pile of vegan nachos with cashew queso. They are loaded to the max with vegan chorizo, black beans, tomatoes, and guacamole. Enjoy them with friends as an appetizer, or make a meal of them! Vegan and gluten-free optional.

Platter of vegan nachos.

Nothing says messy indulgence like a gargantuan pile of nachos. Every bite brings a different flavor… Cashew queso, vegan chorizo, black beans, guacamole, the peppery bite of jalapeño…

As if that wasn’t enough, you have the variety of textures – crunchy, creamy, and chewy to take the experience up another notch.

Overhead nachos, cashew queso, and sliced lime.

Layers of goodness

The key to perfect nachos is in the layers.

You don’t want a huge pile of chips on bottom, and then all the toppings blanketing them. That’s a sure fire way to end up with sad and soggy chips on an empty platter when all is said and done. No one wants that.

So remember the layers.

Start with an even row of tortilla chips, then cashew queso, chorizo & beans, chopped fresh vegetables… And then top them with another layer of chips, and so on and so forth.

Continue adding like some kind of geological dig in reverse until you have a mountain of nachos to ascend.

Close-up loaded nachos on table.

Creamy cashew queso

I’ve been making a version of this creamy cashew queso for years. The cashews give the sauce a full-bodied fattiness you really want in your vegan cheese.

I’ve drizzled it over breakfast nachos, and poured it on top of chili cheese tater tots.

There’s just one recent change. Lately I’ve been adding a steamed carrot to the mix. The carrot doesn’t add a lot in terms of flavor. But it does mean you’re squeezing in an extra vegetable at dinnertime. Plus, it gives the queso a very pleasing pop of orange.

If you don’t have a carrot on hand, no worries. The cashew queso is every bit as good without it.

(If you can’t have cashews, check out this old school flour-based queso instead. It’s the cheesy topping for fried puffy nachos. Or try a ladling of creamy cauliflower queso.)

Hand dipping into a pile of nachos.

Vegan chorizo & black beans

For the meaty portion of the nachos, I like to use a mixture of vegan chorizo, black beans, and spices.

There are lots of plant-based chorizo options available. Lately, I’ve been using Trader Joe’s soy chorizo, which comes in a tube and is gluten-free. It has a regular spot on my Trader Joe’s grocery list. (Remember to throw away the plastic casing. That’s not edible.) 

I’m also fond of chorizo seitan from Upton’s Naturals and the Herbivorous Butcher. (Keep in mind that seitan isn’t gluten-free, though, if that matters to you.)

Use whatever you prefer & have available! Or you can skip it and do spicy black beans instead. 

Overhead platter of nachos with cashew queso and guacamole.

All of the vegetables

Finally, fill out the nachos with green onion, cilantro, jalapeño pepper slices, and guacamole.

For an even more heavily loaded platter of nachos, consider adding dollops of vegan refried beans with pinto beans, refried black beans, black olives, or non-dairy sour cream.

Get your napkins ready. It’s go time.

How to make nachos with cashew queso

Blender with carrots, water, and cashews.

Start by putting the following into a high-speed blender:

  • Steamed carrot
  • Raw cashews 
  • White miso paste
  • Nutritional yeast flakes
  • Vegetable bouillon
  • Cumin
  • Ancho chile powder
  • Granulated onion
  • Salt

Blend until smooth. Then move to a medium-sized pot. Stir on a medium heat until it has thickened like a gravy. 

Soyrizo and black beans in a skillet.

Brown vegan chorizo in a skillet. Then add black beans, cumin, ancho chile powder, and water. Warm until the spices are evenly distributed and the water has cooked down.

Then put tortilla chips on a plate & pile on the above toppings along with guacamole, tomatoes, green onion, and cilantro. Dig in!

(Looking for a non-shared option? Do a build-your-own vegan nacho bar instead!)

Platter of nachos by cashew queso.

Platter of vegan nachos.

Loaded vegan nachos with cashew queso

Vegan nachos are basically a party on a plate. Serve them as an appetizer for a crowd, or make a dinner out of them on a family fun night. They can be made gluten-free by using Trader Joe's soy chorizo, or use seitan chorizo for a gluten-ful option.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican, Vegan
Keyword: comfort food, party food
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 265kcal
Author: Cadry Nelson

Ingredients

For creamy cashew queso

For seitan chorizo & black beans

  • 1/2 teaspoon organic canola oil
  • 1 cup vegan chorizo I used Trader Joe's soy chorizo
  • 1 1/2 cups black beans drained & rinsed
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
  • 1 Tablespoon water

For nachos

  • 8 ounces tortilla chips
  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes I like to use cherry tomatoes out of season.
  • 2 Tablespoons green onion sliced
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
  • 1 batch guacamole or diced avocado
  • Optional toppings: Pickled jalapeño pepper slices & hot sauce

Instructions

To make creamy cashew queso

  • Fill a medium-sized pot with about an inch of water. Add chopped carrot and bring to a simmer. Cook until the carrot is fork tender, about 8 minutes. Drain water and set the carrot aside.
  • Using a blender, blend cooked carrot, 1 cup water, raw cashews, Better Than Bouillon or half of a bouillon cube, nutritional yeast, white miso paste, cumin, ancho chile powder, granulated onion, and salt. Blend until totally smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary.
  • Transfer the cashew mixture to the empty pot you used for steaming the carrot. Bring the pot to a medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue stirring for about 10 minutes. If it begins to simmer, lower the heat.
    Continue stirring and cooking until the cashew mixture has reduced and thickened, making a velvety smooth queso. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make chorizo & black beans

  • Bring a non-stick skillet to a medium heat with organic canola oil. Put the vegan chorizo into the skillet and brown for a few minutes.
  • Add black beans to skillet with paprika, cumin, ancho chile powder, and 1 Tablespoon of water. Stir until the spices are fully combined and the beans are warm. Remove from heat and set aside.
    (Depending on the saltiness of your chorizo, you may want to add a pinch of salt. Add to taste, if needed.)

To make nachos

  • The best nachos are made in layers. Put one layer of tortilla chips on a large platter. Top with a smattering of creamy cashew queso, chorizo & black beans, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and avocado. Add another layer of chips and all of the above. Continue layering the chips & toppings until you have a beautiful mound of vegan nachos.
  • Serve right away with plenty of napkins, pickled jalapeño slices, and hot sauce.

Notes

*The carrot is just for color & extra nutrients. If you don't have any carrots on hand, you can easily omit it and continue on with the recipe as written.
**If you don't have a high speed blender, soak the raw cashews for several hours ahead of time, so that you can have a perfectly creamy queso. Or grind the dry raw cashews in a clean coffee grinder before adding them to the blender. If you have a high speed blender, soaking/grinding isn't necessary. 
To make these nachos gluten-free, use Trader Joe's soy chorizo or black beans exclusively. And make sure your bouillon is gluten-free.

Nutrition

Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 340mg | Potassium: 347mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1448IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Tag @cadryskitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #cadryskitchen!

Content, recipe, and photos updated July 2020. Originally posted April 2017.

Fully loaded vegan nachos with cashew queso. This creamy, full-bodied queso makes some seriously swoon-worthy vegan nachos. | cadryskitchen.com

About Cadry

Cadry Nelson is the writer, photographer, and recipe creator behind Cadry’s Kitchen, a vegan food & lifestyle blog started in 2009. Through approachable recipes, vegan travel guides, and down-to-earth discussions on the social aspects of being vegan, Cadry shows that living a vegan lifestyle is deliciously uncomplicated. Cadry has been featured on NBC News, Mashable, Today, Reader's Digest, Yahoo, Delish, Shape, and Huffington Post.

Comments

  1. Jenn says

    Oh my gosh, another addition for our queso party!! Yay! And, there is nothing worse than getting to those middle chips and all the toppings are gone!! NICE layering my friend! Why isn’t this standard?! 🙂

    Reply

    • Cadry says

      Yes, we’ve got a bad case of the Quesos! Ha! There must be something cheesy in the air. I’m glad we’re in agreement about the sad state of affairs when you’re only left with a plate of limp & soggy chips. That’s the worst!

      Reply

  2. Shell says

    5 stars
    These nachos looks amazing! I love your addition of steamed carrots. I wonder if we could use the air fryer to make nacho chips out of tortillas?

    Reply

    • Cadry says

      Thanks, Shell! About the carrots, I figure if I can sneak in another vegetable, why not do it? Plus, the extra orange color makes for an inviting queso. People put all kinds of things in their vegan cheese sauces like butternut squash and sweet potato.

      Yes, you could use the air fryer to make chips! I have made chips out of flour tortillas and used them as a scooping device for hummus.

      I haven’t made them yet with corn tortillas, a spritz of oil, and salt for more traditional tortilla chips. However, I know it can be done!

      Reply

  4. Bianca Phillips says

    Wow! I HAVE NEVER THOUGHT TO LAYER. That is nacho genius, my friend. THANK YOU. You’ve saved from a grim future of soggy chips.

    Reply

  5. Mary Ellen | VNutrition says

    Yay, more queso! I totally agree I hate soggy or naked chips. You queso sounds delicious and can’t wait to try it.

    Love the seahorse pitcher. Seahorses are one of my favorite sea creatures. 🙂

    Reply

    • Cadry says

      Thanks, Mary Ellen! You, Jenn, and I had queso on the brain last week. There must have been something cheesy in the air. I’m glad you like the seahorse pitcher! I got it at Pier 1. It was part of their summer collection, and I stalked it in the clearance section until it went so low in price, I couldn’t refuse. 😀

      Reply

  7. Dianne says

    Since Taco Tuesday is a think, I think we should work on making Nacho Night a thing. I have just about everything from this recipe on hand, including the ancho chile powder (because you recommended it a few years ago!), so this is definitely happening!

    Reply

    • Cadry says

      Awesome, Dianne! I saw the picture of the platter of nachos you made, and it has me craving them all over again!

      Reply

  8. Sarah McMinn says

    Those are seriously swoon-worthy, Cadry! That queso looks so good and I love the idea of adding steamed carrots to it for some more sneaky vegetable goodness. I’m going to be having some of these nachos this weekend. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

    • Cadry says

      Thanks, Sarah! I figure it doesn’t hurt to sneak in some more vegetable goodness. I hope you enjoyed them!

      Reply

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