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    Home » Appetizers

    The BEST vegan nachos with cashew queso

    Updated: Apr 24, 2025 · Published: Jul 10, 2020 by Cadry Nelson · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 22 Comments

    Jump to recipe
    Text overlay: Vegan nachos with cashew queso. Pile of nachos on plate.

    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.

    Close-up loaded nachos on table.

    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.

    (Looking for something a little different? Try barbecue jackfruit nachos!)

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • Why readers love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Step by step instructions
    • Tips for best results
    • Make it your own
    • FAQ
    • Storage instructions
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why readers love this recipe

    5 stars

    “This was a big hit with the family! Everyone loves nachos, and everyone loved THESE nachos! Yum!” – Janis

    Ingredients

    Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.

    Labeled ingredients for vegan nachos.

    Carrot: Steamed carrot gives the queso a 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.)

    Raw cashews: Raw cashews give the sauce a full-bodied fattiness you really want in your vegan cheese. I recommend buying raw cashew pieces, because they cost less than whole cashews. Since you’re blending them anyway, no reason to pay more for whole cashews.

    Remember: If you don’t have a high-speed blender, soak the raw cashews ahead of time.

    Bouillon: Bouillon adds umami and salt to the queso. Better Than Bouillon no chicken base is my go-to, or use a half cube of whatever vegetable bouillon you prefer.

    Nutritional yeast flakes: Nutritional yeast is essential for adding cheesy flavor. This inactive yeast can be found in the health section of grocery stores, or it’s sometimes by the flours. I buy mine at Trader Joe’s.

    (Get more information about it in the post, “What is nutritional yeast?“)

    White miso paste: This mildly-flavored and slightly sweet fermented soybean paste adds salt and umami. Look for it near the tofu in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.

    Seasonings: Cumin, ancho chili powder, granulated onion, paprika, and salt. Ancho chili powder is made with just one ingredient – dried ancho chilies.

    Oil: Use whatever neutral-flavored cooking oil you like to heat the soy chorizo and bean mixture. Avocado oil is my go-to.

    Vegan chorizo: Also known as soyrizo or soy chorizo, this vegan meat adds a lot of flavor all on its own. I buy mine at Trader Joe’s, but it’s sold in the refrigerated section of many grocery stores. It comes in a tube and is gluten-free. (Remember to throw away the plastic casing it comes in. That’s not edible.)

    Black beans: Canned black beans are very convenient for this dish. Just drain and rinse before using. If you’d prefer, you can use beans that have been made from scratch. You’ll need 1.5 cups of cooked beans.

    Tortilla chips: Large, uncrushed tortilla chips in triangles or circles are best for nachos.

    Tomatoes: Use chopped full-sized tomatoes or sliced cherry or grape tomatoes. (Cherry and grape tomatoes tend to hold onto their sweetness when out of season, unlike the full-sized variety.)

    Green onion: Also known as scallions, use both the green and white parts for this recipe. Remove the root end before slicing.

    Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds freshness to nachos. If you don’t like cilantro, feel free to leave it off.

    Avocado: Use diced avocado or a batch of guacamole.

    Step by step instructions

    Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

    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 chili powder
    • Granulated onion
    • Salt

    Blend until smooth.

    Then move to a medium-sized pot.

    Cashew queso thickening on the stove.

    Stir on a medium heat until it has thickened like a gravy.

    Soyrizo and black beans in a skillet.

    In a separate skillet, brown vegan chorizo.

    Then add:

    • Black beans
    • Cumin
    • Ancho chili powder
    • Water

    Warm until the spices are evenly distributed and the water has cooked down.

    Overhead nachos, cashew queso, and sliced lime.

    Put tortilla chips on a plate. Then pile on the above toppings along with guacamole, tomatoes, green onion, and cilantro.

    Dig in!

    Tips for best results

    Hand dipping into a pile of nachos.

    For the best vegan nachos, remember to layer the chips and fillings.

    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.

    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.

    Make it your own

    Overhead platter of nachos with cashew queso and guacamole.

    You can make vegan nachos your own by varying the toppings.

    • If you can’t have cashews, make flour-based queso instead, or try a ladling of creamy cauliflower queso.
    • Soy chorizo can be replaced with seitan chorizo. I especially like the kinds from Upton’s Naturals and Herbivorous Butcher. (Keep in mind that seitan isn’t gluten-free, though, if that matters to you.)
    • Instead of tortilla chips, use tater tots or french fries.
    • Replace tomatoes with dollops of roasted tomato salsa or salsa verde.
    • For a spicy kick, add splashes of hot sauce and jalapeño pepper slices.
    • Add even more toppings, like dollops of vegan refried pinto beans, refried black beans, black olives, pickled red onions, and/or non-dairy sour cream.

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

    FAQ

    What are vegan nachos made of?

    Vegan nachos are made with cashew queso, soy chorizo and beans, scallions, cilantro, and a heaping helping of guacamole on top of tortilla chips.

    Is ancho chili powder the same as chili powder?

    No. Ancho chili powder is made with just one ingredient – dried ancho chilies. This spice is flavorful but not hot.

    Standard chili powder is made with a blend of spices like cumin, garlic, and cayenne. Because a chili powder blend will have varying amounts of cayenne, heat levels will also vary.

    You can replace ancho chili powder with standard chili powder, but the seasoning and heat levels will be a little different.

    Are tortilla chips vegan?

    Most plain tortilla chips are vegan. They’re typically made with stoneground corn, oil, and salt. But as always, check the ingredient label. Watch out for ingredients like cheese, casein, milk or milk powder, or whey.

    What if I don’t have a high-speed blender?

    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. 

    What other ways can I use Trader Joe’s soy chorizo?

    In addition to nachos, Trader Joe’s soy chorizo is terrific in vegan soyrizo tacos and the Ultimate Homemade Chili from my book, Living Vegan For Dummies, 2nd edition. (You can also find the recipe in a sneak peek on Veggie Inspired.)

    Storage instructions

    Obviously nachos are best fresh. I don’t recommend making a full batch of nachos ahead of time.

    However, you can easily make the queso & vegan meat ahead of time.

    Store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Then reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

    The queso thickens as it cools. So you’ll want to add a splash of water to get it to your preferred consistency.

    Both the vegan taco meat & queso freeze well. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply move them to the refrigerator to thaw.

    Platter of nachos by cashew queso.

    If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!

    📖 Recipe

    Loaded vegan nachos with cashew queso, soyrizo, black beans, and jalapenos.

    The BEST vegan nachos with cashew queso

    Author: Cadry Nelson
    5 from 12 votes
    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 an option with gluten.
    For a dash of heat, finish with pickled jalapenos and/or hot sauce.
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 people
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Mexican, Vegan
    Keyword: comfort food, party food

    Ingredients

    For creamy cashew queso

    • 1 carrot* chopped
    • 1 cup water plus extra for steaming carrot
    • ½ cup raw cashews**
    • ½ teaspoon Better Than Bouillon no chicken base or half of a vegetable bouillon cube
    • 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
    • ½ teaspoon white miso paste
    • ¼ teaspoon cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon ancho chili powder
    • ¼ teaspoon granulated onion
    • ¼ teaspoon salt**

    For vegan chorizo & black beans

    • ½ teaspoon avocado oil or your preferred neutral-flavored cooking oil
    • 1 cup vegan chorizo I used Trader Joe's soy chorizo
    • 1 can (15 ounce) black beans drained & rinsed (1 ½ cups)
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon ancho chili 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

    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 chili 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 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. For an extra dash of heat, add pickled jalapeño slices and/or 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.
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    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

    Content updated March 3, 2024. Originally posted April 2017.

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    About Cadry Nelson

    Cadry Nelson is the writer, recipe creator, and photographer behind Cadry’s Kitchen, and the author of Living Vegan For Dummies, 2nd Edition. Since launching her blog in 2009, Cadry has been making plant-based cooking approachable, and reimagining classic comfort foods. Her work has been featured in NBC News, Buzzfeed, Yahoo, Parade, VegNews, and more. She regularly appears on local TV shows, demonstrating to a broad audience how easy vegan cooking can be.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 12 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    1. Janis Ware

      March 24, 2019 at 12:44 pm

      5 stars
      This was a big hit with the family! Everyone loves nachos, and everyone loved THESE nachos! Yum!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        March 27, 2019 at 2:14 pm

        Excellent, I’m so happy to hear it!

        Reply
    2. Kristina

      May 02, 2017 at 7:33 pm

      5 stars
      I could eat nachos with queso EVERY. DAY.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        May 03, 2017 at 12:13 pm

        #LifeGoals

        Reply
    3. Gina

      April 29, 2017 at 5:42 am

      5 stars
      Perfection! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        May 03, 2017 at 12:12 pm

        You’re welcome!

        Reply
    4. Dianne

      April 28, 2017 at 9:16 am

      5 stars
      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

        May 03, 2017 at 12:12 pm

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

        Reply
    5. Sarah McMinn

      April 28, 2017 at 8:17 am

      5 stars
      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

        May 03, 2017 at 12:11 pm

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

        Reply
    6. Patti Verlengia

      April 28, 2017 at 6:37 am

      5 stars
      This queso looks great. Definitely going to give it a try.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        May 03, 2017 at 12:10 pm

        Great, Patti! I hope you love it. It’s a big favorite around here.

        Reply
    7. Mary Ellen | VNutrition

      April 27, 2017 at 7:13 pm

      5 stars
      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

        May 03, 2017 at 12:10 pm

        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
    8. Bianca Phillips

      April 27, 2017 at 3:47 pm

      5 stars
      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
      • Cadry

        May 03, 2017 at 12:08 pm

        Layering is key! I’m glad I’ve done my part in your Nacho Journey. 😀

        Reply
    9. Becky Striepe

      April 27, 2017 at 9:24 am

      5 stars
      Oh my gosh, these look perfect! Loving those pickled jalapenos on top, too!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        April 27, 2017 at 9:29 am

        Thanks, Becky! If you are what you eat, I’m pretty sure that I’m at least 1/4 pickled jalapenos. 😀

        Reply
    10. Shell

      April 27, 2017 at 7:54 am

      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

        April 27, 2017 at 8:34 am

        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
    11. Jenn

      April 27, 2017 at 7:47 am

      5 stars
      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

        April 27, 2017 at 8:30 am

        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

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