Author: These vegan nachos are loaded with crispy chips, savory taco-seasoned protein, and rich, gooey vegan nacho cheese. Perfect for parties, game day, or an easy crowd-pleasing dinner, they're endlessly customizable and best enjoyed hot from the oven.
Vegan nachos might be considered an appetizer, but let's be honest… they make a pretty perfect meal too. The secret to truly great vegan nachos is the cheese, and this homemade nacho cheese sauce is smooth, ultra-cheesy, and perfectly melty (yes, it actually gets stretchy!). It's easy to make, super reliable, and gives you that classic nacho cheese experience without relying on store-bought options.
For the topping, I usually go with vegan ground for that classic "meaty" bite, but you can easily swap in black beans for a lighter, budget-friendly option. Just mash and season them the same way and you're good to go. Piled high with crispy chips, savory toppings, and plenty of that gooey cheese sauce, these easy vegan nachos are a total crowd-pleaser and and easy to customize. Perfect for game day, parties, or a fun weeknight dinner.
Why This Vegan Nachos Recipe Works
- Loaded with Tex-Mex flavor: The vegan taco meat is cooked with taco seasoning to give it some bold, savory flavor (without being spicy).
- Homemade or shortcut options: Make the cheese from scratch (highly recommended!) or use store-bought to get your vegan nachos on the table fast.
- Layered for maximum coverage: Everything is built in layers so every chip gets toppings (no sad, plain chips), then baked until warm and lightly toasted.
Ingredients for Vegan Nachos
Vegan Taco Meat
- Light oil: Like canola or vegetable oil.
- Vegan ground meat or black beans: Use your favorite. Vegan ground gives a classic "taco meat" texture, while black beans are a simple, budget-friendly option.
- Taco seasoning: Adds bold, smoky, and savory flavor.
- Salt and pepper: To taste. If you use store-bought taco seasoning, you might not need it.
Vegan Nacho Cheese
- Raw cashews: Soften if needed for smoother blending if you don't have a high speed blender.
- Plant-based milk: I like to use oat or soy milk; just make sure it's plain.
- Nutritional yeast: Adds cheesy, savory flavor.
- Tapioca starch: Gives the cheese that stretchy, gooey texture.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds tang for a classic nacho cheese flavor.
- Seasonings: Paprika, salt, garlic powder, and turmeric.
For the Nachos
- Toppings of choice: Diced tomatoes, jalapeños, red onion, cilantro, olives, avocado crema, vegan sour cream, guacamole, salsa, hot sauce, or beans.
- Tortilla chips: The base of it all. Choose sturdy chips that can stand up to all of your epic toppings.
How to Make Vegan Nachos
- Prepare the Taco Meat: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegan ground meat and cook, breaking it into crumbles. Stir in taco seasoning, salt, and pepper, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until browned. (If using black beans, heat them with oil, mash slightly, and cook with taco seasoning until warmed through.)
- Make the Cheese Sauce: Add the cashews, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, tapioca starch, vinegar, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and turmeric to a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Heat the Sauce: Pour into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and gooey.
- Assemble the Nachos: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread half the chips in an even layer on a baking sheet, top with half the taco meat and cheese, then repeat with remaining layers.
- Bake: Bake for 5 to 10 minutes until everything is heated through and the chips are lightly toasted.
- Finish and Serve: Remove from the oven and immediately add your favorite toppings. Serve right away.
Tips and Variations
- Don't skip the layering: This ensures every chip gets toppings, not just the top layer.
- Use sturdy chips: Thin chips can get soggy quickly, so go for thick, restaurant-style tortilla chips.
- Shortcut option: Use about 2 to 2½ cups of store-bought vegan cheese if needed. For best melt, grate block-style cheese instead of using pre-shredded. If using pre-shredded, give it a quick rinse in a strainer and pat dry to remove some of the starchy coating. This helps it melt more smoothly.
- Make it ahead: Prep the taco meat and cheese sauce in advance, then assemble and bake just before serving.
- Adjust the cheese consistency: If the sauce thickens too much, stir in a splash of plant-based milk to loosen it.
How to Serve Vegan Nachos
These nachos are perfect:
- As a party appetizer
- For game day spreads with other favorites like Vegan Chicken Wings
- As a fun weeknight dinner
Storage
Nachos are best enjoyed fresh. For meal prep, prepare the taco meat and cheese ahead of time, then assemble and bake just before serving.
If you do have leftover vegan nachos, transfer them to an airtight container and reheat in a 400ºF oven.
If you try this vegan nachos recipe, let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Nachos
These vegan nachos are loaded with crispy chips, savory taco-seasoned protein, and rich, gooey vegan nacho cheese. Perfect for parties, game day, or an easy crowd-pleasing dinner, they're endlessly customizable and best enjoyed hot from the oven.
Servings: - 6
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Ingredients
Vegan Taco Meat (Optional but Recommended)
- 1 tablespoon light oil, (such as canola or vegetable)
- 12 oz vegan ground meat, or 1 can black beans (15 oz / 398 ml), drained and rinsed
- 4 teaspoons taco seasoning
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Vegan Nacho Cheese (or use store-bought, see Notes)
- ½ cup raw cashews, (softened, if needed)
- 1 ¼ cups plain plant-based milk, (such as oat or soy)
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch, (also called tapioca flour)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
For the nachos
- 1 large bag tortilla chips
- Toppings of choice: diced Roma tomatoes, fresh or pickled jalapeños, chopped red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, black olive slices, vegan sour cream, guacamole, salsa, hot sauce, or black beans (if not already using them as the taco meat)
Instructions
Prepare the Taco Meat:
- Cook the ground: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegan ground meat and break it up into crumbles. Stir in the taco seasoning and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-8 minutes, until browned and flavorful. Remove from heat and set aside.If using black beans: Heat the oil in a skillet, add the beans, and mash about half with the back of a spoon or potato masher for a crumbled texture (or leave whole if preferred). Stir in taco seasoning and cook for 3–5 minutes, until heated through.
Make the Vegan Nacho Cheese:
- Soften the cashews (optional): If using a high-powered blender, you can skip this. Otherwise, boil the cashews for 10 minutes, or soak in water for 4 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before using. (Softening the cashews helps the sauce blend completely smooth.)
- Blend the sauce: Add the cashews, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, tapioca starch, vinegar, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and turmeric to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
- Cook the cheese sauce: Pour into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick, smooth, and gooey. Remove from heat. If too thick, stir in a splash of plant-based milk or water.
Assemble & Bake the Nachos:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Layer the nachos: Spread half of the tortilla chips on a large baking sheet or oven-safe platter. Top with half of the taco meat (or beans) and drizzle with half of the nacho cheese. Repeat with remaining chips, protein, and cheese. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until warmed through and the chips are lightly toasted.
- Finish and serve: Remove from the oven and immediately add toppings of choice. Serve right away with guacamole and salsa on the side.
Notes
Shortcut Cheese Option
You can substitute about 2-2½ cups (200-250 g) store-bought vegan cheese in place of the homemade sauce. For best melting:- Use a block-style cheese and grate it yourself (pre-shredded doesn't melt as well).
- If using pre-shredded, give it a quick rinse in a strainer and pat dry to remove some of the starchy coating. This helps it melt more smoothly.
- Loosely tent the nachos with foil for the first few minutes of baking to trap heat and steam, then remove the foil to finish heating and lightly crisp the chips.
Party Tip
Nachos are best served immediately. For a crowd, prep all components in advance and assemble just before baking.Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving (makes 4 servings) | Calories: 722kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1165mg | Potassium: 1001mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 671IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 322mg | Iron: 7mg
Mia says
Hey Sam thanks for the recipe these nachos are pretty freaky deaky good!!!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Haha love it!! Thanks so much Mia!! 🙂
Leana Lovejoy says
Perfect for every nacho lover! As you know, everyone of Sam's recipes are absolutely perfection
Madi Mac says
Delicious nacho sauce and toppings but I found the time in the oven unnecessary and might have stopped the chips from getting soggy so quick.. Still perfect for other vessels of food!
Terri says
What would you suggest to replace nutritional yeast? My family doesn’t care for the taste no matter how little I use. It isn’t just in this recipe but in others I’ve tried. My spouse took one bite and asked if it had nutritional yeast in it.
Sam Turnbull says
There isn't a great substitute so I would just skip it. The nacho cheese won't taste the same obviously but in your case, I guess that's a good thing!
Shannon says
Im going to make this and also put your vegan tofu taco crumbles!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome!
Isabel says
yes! love it! gonna fall into a food coma now because I ate way too much but I enjoyed every single bite! thank you so much for this recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, you're very welcome 🙂
Kristi says
Goodness, giving this a try for game night! By the way, your nacho cheese sauce is also good with steamed broccoli on a baked potato.
Sam Turnbull says
Oh yes, it absolutley would be! Glad you enjoyed it so much, Kristi!
Karen Williams says
When I do nachos, I mix salsa with refried beans and put over the nachos as well as everything else.
Sam Turnbull says
Sounds great!
Nicole L Milsap says
Hello Sam where can I find the cheese recipe for the nachos, when I click on the link it takes me back to the nacho link. Thanks so much.
Sam Turnbull says
So sorry about that! I fixed the link, but you can also find the recipe right here. Enjoy!
Tam @ Sproutly Stories says
Hi Sam!
Thanks so much for the awesome recipe. Really enjoyed the vegan nacho cheese especially!
I usually try to make my nachos a bit healthier by replacing store bought chips with oil free home made tortilla chips. Let me know if you want to link to my recipe as a healthy alternative for your fans and I'll shoot through the URL.
Cheers,
Tam @ Sproutly Stories
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed the nachos and vegan cheese Tam! 🙂
Rebecca says
So good!! Next time, I'm going to try to assemble and cook enough for just 1 serving and set the rest aside as, like any other nacho recipe, I found that this meal did not re-heat well.
Sam Turnbull says
Yeah, re-heated nachos are not great! Always make them fresh. So happy you enjoyed them!
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners says
Hi Sam,
How fun to find your beautiful blog! These nachos are truly inspired and they are going on my regular Friday night menu.
I'd love to feature your dish on my Healthy Weeknight Meal Plan this week. I would use a pic and all links and credit back to you of course. Fabulous recipe 🙂
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Sam says
So fun to have you here Robyn!! Aww so happy you love them so much. Absolutely, feel free to share pics with links, very much appreciated 🙂
Ali says
We aren't even vegan, but we made this when I had to go dairy free for medical reasons. We still make this all the time! Soooooo good lol
Sam says
Oh I love that!!! It isn't often that you can woo omnivores with non-dairy cheese! That's so amazing. 🙂
Jemma says
These look amazing ! Pinned too:)
Sam says
Thank you!
Keelan says
Don't just pin it. MAKE THEM THEY'RE DELICIOUS!!!
Sam says
Haha! Thank you 🙂
Ali A says
These look amazing! I LOVE nachos, and don't think they necessarily even need meat to be delicious. Intrigued by the vegan cheese- will need to try it out!
Sam says
Thanks so much Ali! I hope you like them 🙂
Kathy Sturr says
I love me a plate of Vegan nachos! I like to add beans for sure and red onion and pepper and tomato and ... your cheese recipe! In fact I made these for dinner last week! YuuuumME!
Sam says
Can you even go wrong with nachos!? All of your toppings sound amazing too. I am going to eat nachos every day now. Haha!