Vegetarian Nachos

These vegetarian nachos are made with plant based ground beef, corn, tomatoes, black beans, Monterrey Jack cheese and baked on a bed of tortilla chips.

I have been trying to eat less meat so I stumbled upon plant based meat at the grocery store. I decided to make these nachos and they were to die for. You need to start off by cooking the meat with the tomato, corn and beans and baking with the rest of the ingredients.

If you love this recipe, feel free to try my Pork Birria Tacos and my Nopales Salad.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tip
• Vegetarian Nachos
• Food safety

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

• Olive oil
• Plant Based Ground beef
• Garlic
• Cumin
• Chili powder
• Garlic powder
• Corn kernels
• Diced tomatoes
• Black beans
• Tortilla Chips
• Monterrey Jack cheese
• Jalapeno
• Cilantro
• Sour cream

See recipe card for vegetarian nachos quantities.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Add oil on medium heat and wait for it to shimmer. Stir in the plant based ground beef as well as the garlic. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder. Cook for 4-5 minutes, tossing frequently. Stir in the corn, tomato, black beans and keep cooking until the meat is fully cooked, about another 4-5 minutes.

Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Add the tortilla chips onto the prepared baking sheet. Place the “meat” on the bed of tortilla chips. Sprinkle the cheese and add the slices of jalapeno.

Bake for 6-8 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese melts.

Take the baking sheet out of the oven. Garnish with cilantro and serve with sour cream.

Substitutions

• Plant Based ground beef: You can buy plant based ground beef almost in all US grocery stores. Some good brands are Pure Farmland, Crave House and Nature’s Fynd.
• Tortilla Chips: High quality store bought tortilla chips are best for this recipe. The thicker they are, the better.
• Garlic: Using fresh garlic for this recipe is best for a high quality taste.
• Corn: I used corn from a can since it requires less cooking time. IF you use fresh corn, add it at the same time as the plant based ground beef since it will need more cooking time.
• Tomato: I used diced tomato from a can without the juices. You can use fresh tomatoes and diced them fine, but you will need to add it at the same time as the meat.
• Black beans: I love using black beans from the can. If you are feeling adventurous, you can cook dried black beans, but that will take a lot of extra time beforehand.
• Cheese: You can use Monterrey Jack or Colby Jack cheese for this recipe. Other cheeses that melt well are Mozzarella, cheddar, Pepper Jack, or American. If you are vegan, feel free to make this recipe vegan and use vegan cheese.

Variations

Cooking is a chance to be creative! Have fun with it and feel free to make your own variation.

• Spicy - add chili pepper flakes before adding in the oven, or hot sauce at the end.
• Deluxe - add guacamole, crispy onions or fried pickles.
• Kid friendly - omit spicy seasoning or sauces.

Check out these Spicy Beef Empanadas.

Equipment

Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Stone bakeware takes longer to heat up than metal pans, and also retain heat for longer, which could make the recipe more watery, or burnt on the outsides.

I love using my Caraway pots, pans and baking sheets for best quality. Get yourself a discount by clicking here!

Storage

This will be good in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

These vegetarian nachos ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.

Top tip

Make sure to watch closely to prevent burning.

Print

Food safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.