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posted on April 20, 2016 by Rachel Gurk
Words cannot express how badly you need these vegetarian nachos in your life. They’re great on their own but the creamy cilantro lime drizzle puts them over the top!
I feel like if you lived a life where you ate vegetarian nachos everyday, you’d be living a pretty good life. Perhaps it wouldn’t be the most low-calorie diet in the world, but it would be tasty!
We’ve had Mexican food three days in a row now. And I’m still looking at these nachos at 9pm and craving them fiercely. Three nights in a row! Oh boy that sounds worse than it actually is….or maybe it doesn’t sound bad? On Sunday, we had to try out a new Mexican place that my in-laws said was better than my current favorite (local) Mexican place. They have a live band on Sundays so we had to take the kids and give it a try. Turns out it doesn’t even hold a candle to the place I like, but it was a fun night out nonetheless. I had bought stuff to make tacos so I did that the next night and then tonight, we had leftovers. OF COURSE.
Tomorrow Ben won’t be home for dinner. So I’ll probably have popcorn. Or maybe I’ll have more leftover tacos. They are the gift that keeps on giving.
I absolutely love these vegetarian nachos – they are packed full of flavor thanks to bell peppers and onions and protein-rich black beans. I toss that whole mixture together with a healthy dose of my homemade taco seasoning. Add in tons of cheese. Please, don’t make nachos without tons of cheese. That’s sinful behavior.
I wanted to add an extra boost of flavor so I blended together this creamy cilantro lime drizzle. It takes less than 2 minutes to make in the blender and brightens up the nachos perfectly. The cheese and chip situation can tend to get pretty rich (not a bad thing), so the super bright and fresh flavors of the lime and cilantro are the perfect touch on these vegetarian nachos. I had a bit of this drizzle left over and it made for a phenomenal salad dressing the next day.
Toppings optional, although highly recommended. What are nachos without toppings? B-O-R-I-N-G. (Actually they’re still pretty darn good but toppings are like icing on the cake. Would you eat cake without frosting?!?)
Want more goodies for a Mexican fiesta? I love these stuffed mini peppers and this southwestern orzo salad is a total crowd-pleaser.
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Words cannot express how badly you need these vegetarian nachos in your life. They're great on their own but the creamy cilantro lime drizzle puts them over the top!
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1 can (15 ounces) reduced sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 bag (9 ounces) tortilla chips
1 1/4 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
Optional garnishes: cilantro, avocado, tomato, salsa, green onions
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 cup tightly packed torn cilantro leaves and stems
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon honey
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add peppers and onions and saute until softened. Add black beans and taco seasoning and stir to combine.
Coat 2 sheet pans with nonstick cooking spray. Spread chips into an even layer on pan. Top half of cheese, then with pepper and bean mixture, then top with remaining cheese.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and melted.
Meanwhile, blend creamy cilantro lime drizzle ingredients together in a blender until combined and no large pieces of cilantro remain. Drizzle over nachos immediately prior to serving. Top with desired toppings.
Print Recipe
Verdict: Chips, cheese, beans, drizzle. I’m a fan. Husband’s take: He devoured these vegetarian nachos. I mean really, who wouldn’t love these? Changes I would make: None! Difficulty: Easy.
Disclosure: I am thrilled to be a dairy ambassador for Milk Means More. I have been compensated by Milk Means More for my time to develop this recipe and write this post. All opinions are as always, my own. Find out more about why Milk Means More on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.
