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Protein-Packed, Plant-Based Nachos With Cashew Crema

Author:

Toni Okamoto

February 09, 2023

Recipe Developer

By Toni Okamoto

Recipe Developer

Toni Okamoto is the founder of Plant-Based on a Budget, the popular website and meal plan that shows you how to save dough by eating veggies. She’s also the author of the Plant-Based on a Budget Cookbook, and the co-host of The Plant-Powered People Podcast.

Image by Toni Okamoto / contributor

February 09, 2023

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These Sheet Pan Nachos come together quickly for a filling lunch, festive appetizer, or even a main course at dinner. If you're skipping the store-bought vegan cheese, try the Nacho Sauce recipe below instead for an old-school nachos experience—just drizzle it on after baking.

Sheet Pan Nachos

Ingredients:

Serves 4 to 6

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.25-ounce) can corn kernels, drained
1½ tablespoons taco seasoning
1 (12-ounce) bag tortilla chips
⅓ cup jarred sliced nacho jalapeños, drained

Optional additions:

Add 2 cups shredded vegan cheese in step 3 after laying down the tortilla chips
Add vegan meat crumbles in step 3
Garnish with a handful of minced fresh cilantro
Garnish with avocado slices or a dollop or two of guacamole
Garnish with a dollop of store-bought vegan sour cream or a drizzle of Cashew Crema (recipe below)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
With a clean kitchen towel or several paper towels, blot the tomatoes, beans, and corn to remove excess moisture. Combine them in a large bowl and stir in the taco seasoning. (Removing excess moisture is very important to avoid soggy nachos.)
Spread out the tortilla chips on a rimmed baking sheet. Evenly top with the bean mixture and sliced nacho jalapeños.
Bake for 8 minutes. Serve immediately.

Add on: Cashew Crema

For an ultra-rich and creamy sauce, nothing beats the humble cashew. When soaked in water and blended until smooth, the nuts are transformed into a decadent cream that you can use exactly as you would sour cream: on baked potatoes, stirred into noodles, or as a dipping sauce for vegetables.

Ingredients:

Makes about 1 3/4 cups

1 cup raw cashews, rinsed, soaked overnight, and drained
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Optional addition:

To make it a little sourer, add an extra 1/4 teaspoon salt

Method:

Combine the soaked cashews, salt, water, and lemon juice in a high-powered blender or food processor. Blend until creamy, about 5 minutes. (You can alternatively use a standard blender, but it will take longer depending on your blender’s strength. Keep blending until the crema is smooth and there are no bits of cashew left.)
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Toni's tip:

If you’re shopping in the bulk section and have the option of cashew pieces or whole cashews, choose the pieces, which are almost always less expensive and work just as well in this recipe.

Add on: Vegan Nacho Cheese

This recipe made its debut appearance in my first book, The Super Easy Vegan Slow Cooker Cookbook. Since then, I’ve tweaked the measurements. Consider this the improved 2.0 version.

Ingredients:

Yields 3 cups

2 cups peeled and diced russet potatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Optional Additions:

1/4 cup salsa added in step 2

Directions:

Fill a large pot with water and add the potatoes and carrots. Over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil and keep cooking for 10 minutes or until the veggies are soft. Remove from the heat and drain the water.
In a blender, blend the boiled potatoes, carrots, water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt until completely smooth.

Excerpted from PLANT-BASED ON A BUDGET QUICK & EASY: 100 Fast, Healthy, Meal-Prep, Freezer-Friendly, and One-Pot Vegan Recipes (March 2023) by Toni Okamoto with permission from the publisher.