Vegan Sweet Potato Nachos (Printable Version)

Baked sweet potato rounds layered with black beans, fresh vegetables, and creamy cashew queso for a colorful vegan dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sweet Potato Base

01 - 2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Black Beans

07 - 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
10 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - Pinch of salt

→ Cashew Queso

12 - 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes then drained
13 - 1/2 cup water
14 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
15 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
16 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
17 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
18 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
19 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
20 - 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, optional for color
21 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Toppings

22 - 1 small avocado, diced
23 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
24 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
25 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
26 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced, optional
27 - Lime wedges for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato rounds with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp around the edges.
04 - While sweet potatoes bake, combine black beans, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - In a high-speed blender, combine soaked cashews, water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, turmeric if using, and smoked paprika. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Add more water if a thinner consistency is desired.
06 - Arrange baked sweet potato rounds on a platter. Top evenly with warm black beans, drizzle generously with cashew queso, and garnish with avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño.
07 - Serve immediately with lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It hits that perfect moment where food feels indulgent but you know it's actually nourishing your body.
  • The cashew queso is so ridiculously creamy that no one will believe there's no dairy involved.
  • You can prep everything ahead and just assemble when guests arrive, which means you get to actually enjoy the party.
  • It works as an appetizer for crowds or a satisfying light dinner when you're eating solo.
02 -
  • Don't oversoak the cashews or they'll become waterlogged and the queso will taste bland; 20 minutes in hot water is genuinely the sweet spot.
  • Assembling everything right before serving keeps the sweet potatoes crispy and the avocado from browning, which is the difference between fresh and sad.
03 -
  • Make your cashew queso up to 4 days ahead and store it in a container in the fridge; it actually tastes better after the flavors have had time to get to know each other.
  • If your blender is struggling with the queso, soak the cashews in warm water instead of hot water and blend in batches rather than forcing everything through at once.
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