Vegan Sweet Potato Nachos (Printable Version)

Baked sweet potato rounds layered with black beans, fresh veggies, and creamy cashew queso in a vibrant Tex-Mex style.

# 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

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat the 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. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - Bake the sweet potatoes for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp around the edges.
04 - While the sweet potatoes bake, combine the 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 - Blend soaked cashews, water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, turmeric if using, and smoked paprika in a high-speed blender until completely smooth and creamy. Add more water for a thinner consistency if desired.
06 - Arrange baked sweet potato rounds on a platter. Top evenly with warm black beans, drizzle generously with cashew queso, and add avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño.
07 - Serve the nachos immediately with lime wedges.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The sweet potatoes get genuinely crispy in the oven, not soggy or rubbery like you might expect.
  • That cashew queso tastes so buttery and rich that no one will realize there's zero dairy involved.
  • You can throw it together for a casual dinner or impress people at a party without stress.
02 -
  • If you don't flip those sweet potatoes halfway through baking, the bottom side steams instead of crisping and you lose half the textural magic of the whole dish.
  • Soaking the cashews in hot water matters because it softens them enough to blend into something creamy, raw cashews will just become grainy bits no matter how long you blend.
03 -
  • Pat your sweet potato slices dry with a clean towel before tossing with oil so they brown properly instead of steaming and turning soft.
  • The turmeric in the queso is optional but it adds a subtle earthy note and makes the sauce look more like real cheese instead of beige cashew puree.
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