Honestly though, who doesn't love Nachos?
These homemade vegan nachos are SO good, and because everything is made from scratch from fresh ingredients, you don't have to feel quite so bad about eating them either!
I often make these when I have friends or family over as they are a real crowd-pleaser, and they make a great accompanying dish with something like tacos or fajitas. If you'd like to add vegan cheese on top, you can, but honestly, there's already so much going on with this meal that you really won't miss it if you leave it off. The other flavours more than make up for it!
Ingredients (serves 4-6)
200g tortilla chips
1 white onion
300g cherry/plum tomatoes
2 ripe avocados
1 tin kidney beans
100g cashews
6-8 tbsp plant-based milk
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
A handful of fresh coriander
A handful of fresh chives
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2-3 tbsp tomato puree
juice of 1 lime
juice of 1 lemon
salt & pepper
1 tbsp oil for frying
A sprinkling of vegan cheese (optional)
Method:
Start by preheating the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan.
In a small bowl, soak the cashews in boiling water and set to one side.
Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Dice the onion and add half of it to the frying pan. Fry for 5-10 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the paprika, cayenne pepper, tomato puree and a sprinkling of salt to the pan. Mix, and fry for a few more minutes.
Chop the tomato into fine pieces and add half (150g) to the frying pan, along with the tin of kidney beans (drained and rinsed). Combine with the onion and spice mixture and leave to simmer for 5 minutes, before removing it from the heat and setting to one side.
Once the bean mixture is ready, begin making the salsa. Take the remaining chopped onion and tomato and combine in a small bowl. Finely chop the fresh coriander and add it to the bowl along with the juice of half a lime, salt, and pepper. Combine.
Next, begin preparing the sour cream by draining the water from the cashews and adding to a food processor, along with the plant milk, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and some salt and pepper. Mix on high speed for about 10 minutes until the mixture is completely smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add additional milk. Finish by finely chopping the fresh chives and stirring them in.
Spread out the tortilla chips in a large baking dish. Top with the bean mixture (and vegan cheese if using) and place into the oven for 5-10 minutes, until the chips are warm and begin to toast slightly.
Whilst that is in the oven, make the guacamole by combining the avocado with the juice of the remaining 1/2 lime. Add salt and pepper and mash until it reaches your desired consistency (I like it to remain a bit chunky).
Remove the baking tray from the oven and cover the tortilla chips with the sour cream, salsa, and guacamole. Sprinkle over additional coriander if desired.
Serve immediately and enjoy!