Nachos in a bowl? YES! This is a great way to eat one of your favorite appetizers as a meal. Loaded with spicy black beans, shredded vegan cheddar Jack, spinach, salsa, avocado and corn chips. It's the perfect dinner for Taco Tuesday. You could also make a huge bowl of this and serve it to a crowd.
We’re ending our week of healthy bowl recipes, to celebrate the upcoming Super Bowl game, with this crazy good and spicy loaded nacho bowls. Did you see our Healthy Winter Vegetable Bowl and our Orange Chik'n and Rice Bowl recipes?
Who doesn’t like a good nacho recipe? We certainly do. We’ve taken the biggest game day appetizer and turned it into a meal, although you could still eat this as an app.
This is also a much healthier recipe when compared to conventional nachos that are traditionally filled with fatty meat and dairy cheese. So fear not, omnivore friends, this is a plant-based nacho recipe, that’s full of flavor.
WHAT’S IN VEGAN NACHOS?
Great question! We start with onion, red bell pepper, jalapeno and garlic. Next, we add black beans, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and sea salt and pepper to taste. There’s also a bit of water and tomato paste to help bind the spices.
You’ll also find a five-ingredient salsa, chopped spinach, vegan cheddar Jack cheese, and of course, corn chips.
Ready to make some?
HOW TO MAKE SIMPLE AND EASY VEGAN NACHOS
First - Sauté the onion, jalapeno, red bell pepper, and garlic. Then add the spices. When the spices heat up and release their oils and become aromatic, we add some water and tomato paste to the pan and stir until it’s all combined, then let it simmer until the water evaporates. Finally, add the beans and simmer for 10 minutes.
Second – Make the simple salsa. All you need to do is put the ingredients in a bowl and stir it all up.
Third – Build those bowls! A layer of corn chips, a bed of spinach, a layer of the bean mixture, some cheese, another layer of beans, and more cheese. Now bake them in a hot oven or microwave to melt the cheese. We suggest using the oven so the chips stay crispy.
Fourth – Add salsa, more cheese, and garnish with more cilantro, sliced peppers, and a wedge of lime to squeeze over the top.
Perfection!
You can totally eat this as a meal. It’s mostly beans and veggies with a handful of chips. I eat more chips when I eat guacamole!
This recipe can also be served as an appetizer. All you need to do is build it on a large rimmed baking sheet or oven safe platter.
Make this and let us know what you think, and make sure you take a picture and tag us @veganosity on Instagram. We love seeing your amazing creations.
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Easy Vegan Nacho Bowls
Equipment
- 1 stove
- 1 knife
- 2 large bowls
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped and divided
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 15 ounce black beans
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salsa
- 1 large tomato diced
- 1 avocado diced
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 lime
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- Corn chips
- 4 cups coarsely chopped spinach
- Shredded vegan cheddar Jack we use So Delicious
GARNISH
- Avocado slices
- Lime wedges
- Sprigs of cilantro
- Red pepper slices
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C)
- In a large skillet on medium-high heat, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, test with a piece of onion, if it sizzles it’s ready. Add half of the onion, jalapeno, and red pepper and cook for approximately 7 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir frequently. Add the spices and stir for 1 minute. Add the water and tomato paste and stir until the paste dissolves. Add the beans and stir well. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the beans are heated through.
Salsa
- In a medium bowl, mix the other half of the onion, tomato, avocado, cilantro, lime juice and salt and pepper and stir until combined. Set aside.
Build the Bowls
- In two large serving bowls (pasta size bowls), arrange corn chips in a circle around the edge of the bowl. Put 2 cups of spinach in the center of each bowl. Spoon a layer of beans on top of the spinach, then sprinkle cheese (use as much or as little as you like) over the beans. Add one more layer of beans and cheese and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Watch them carefully so the chips don’t burn.
- Put the hot bowls on a heat safe surface and spoon salsa over the top and garnish with avocado slices, sprigs of cilantro, red pepper slices, and a lime wedge.
Notes
Nutrition
Tracey K says
We just had this for our tea! It was divine. Thanks for the recipie. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m about to fall into a food coma 🙂
Linda Meyer says
Lol! So happy to hear that you enjoyed our recipe. Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know, Tracey. 🙂
Christine @ Run Plant Based says
This looks like the perfect dinner to me, love the flavors and presentation. Thanks!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Christine! I'll probably make it for Sunday's game, my husband loved it.