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Making loaded veggie nachos has never been easier! Layers of chips, melty cheeses, and the best toppings come together to make the perfect side dish or main dish. These nachos are easily customizable making them great for the whole family. Enjoy them for cinco de mayo, game day, get togethers, or movie nights – this no meat nachos recipe is delicious any time of year!
As a huge nacho fan, I am always looking for the very best nacho recipe, and I think I’ve found it! This easy vegetarian nachos recipe comes together quickly, with just 15 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes of baking.
It is loaded with healthy vegetables and fiber-rich beans making it a perfectly acceptable full-blown meal! It combines some of my favorite foods like fresh guacamole, sweet red bell pepper, and juicy tomatoes. You will get delicious flavor in every single bite.
These oven cooked nachos will come out perfectly crisp every time. They are like a copycat vegetarian nachos supreme – but so much tastier! A layer of tortilla chips is loaded with all of your favorite things and served fresh and warm. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Believe it or not, real authentic nachos are only made with tortilla chips, cheese and jalapeños. Adding beans and other toppings are considered a spinoff of the original. That said, I think these additions just make the original recipe even better!
And the best part: this healthy vegetarian nachos recipe tastes just like the traditional recipe but can be enjoyed completely guilt-free. We loaded it up with fresh veggies, beans, guac, salsa, sour cream and more, but you can try any of the variations (see below), or switch up the salsa by using my Pineapple Pico De Gallo and Roasted Chili Corn Salsa.
I think you will love this ultimate vegetarian nachos recipe as much as we do! Try it as an appetizer, a healthy snack, or a quick dinner for the whole family!
???????????? Why This Recipe Works
- Gluten-free friendly
- Great source of dietary fiber
- High-protein snack
- Packs a hearty dose of vegetables in every bite
- Takes less than 30 minutes to make
- Easy to make
- Perfect for large gatherings
- Best vegetarian nachos recipe ever!
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???? Ingredients
Nachos without meat doesn’t have to be boring. These simple vegetarian nachos are full of healthy, fresh, and flavorful ingredients! Check out the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Tortilla Chips: Use any bag of tortilla chips you’d like for your bean and cheese nachos. Switch things up by using blue corn chips for a fun twist! You can also use homemade air fryer tortilla chips if you want to make your own. Note: To make these healthy loaded nachos gluten-free, be sure to use gluten free tortilla chips or your favorite gluten-free chips.
- Red Bell Pepper: Bell peppers are a must for these vegetable nachos. I suggest using red bell pepper, as it is the sweetest!
- Red Onion: Add more flavor with chopped red onion. You can use raw onions, sauteed, or even caramelized onion for a leveled up nacho experience.
- Corn Kernels: Use your choice of frozen or canned corn kernels. Any form of sweetcorn will be perfect in these loaded veg nachos.
- More Veggies: Black olives, green onion, jalapeno, tomato and fresh cilantro will take these homemade vegetarian nachos to the next level!
- Beans: The beans will replace the ground beef that is in traditional loaded nachos. You can use any kinds of beans you like. I chose a Mexican bean mixture of black beans and pinto beans, but you can also use kidney beans or refried beans! Canned beans are the easiest and quickest choice for this meatless nacho recipe.
- Cheese: Use Mexican shredded cheese for these tasty vegetarian nachos. A Mexican blend usually consists of monterey jack cheese, cheddar, asadero cheese, and queso quesadilla. I also love to use a mature cheddar, like sharp cheddar cheese, for a boost in the flavor intensity.
- Sour Cream & Guacamole: Top the loaded veggie nachos with sour cream for the perfect blend of textures and tastes. For a healthier option, you could use an unsweetened plain Greek yogurt! Guacamole is the perfect way to add healthy fats to these oven nachos. You can also go with an avocado crema drizzled on top of the nachos!
- Optional Toppings: Adding additional toppings like fresh lime, cherry tomatoes, or cotija cheeses is the perfect way to enjoy your veggie loaded nachos. Diced sweet potatoes also pair amazingly with black bean nachos! Feel free to add your favorite salsa like pico de gallo or fresh tomato salsa.
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???? Instructions
If you have ever wondered how to make vegetarian nachos that taste great and require minimal effort, I have laid it all out for you!
Preheat Oven, Start With A Layer Of Chips: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 180 C. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. Arrange the tortilla chips over the prepared baking sheet in an even single layer for the optimal cheese-to-crunch ratio.
Add Cheese And Veggies: Sprinkle half of the cheese over the tortilla chips. Top with diced bell pepper, red onion, corn kernels, tomatoes and beans. If you want to make two layers, start with half of your toppings for the first layer, and use the other half in the second layer (see below).
Repeat Layering: Finish with remaining grated cheese. You could add a second layer and repeat, if desired.
Bake The Nachos: Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and chips are lightly golden.
Add Fresh Toppings: Remove and top with black olives, green onion and jalapeno slices. Drizzle with sour cream and dollop guacamole over top. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.
Serve: Serve this meatless nachos recipe immediately with salsa and pico de gallo, or other add-ons of your choice!
???? Expert Tips
- Enjoy fresh out of the oven. Nachos are best enjoyed immediately while still hot and cheese is melted.
- Dice all the veggies the same size. For the perfect bite, dice bell pepper, onion and tomatoes into small cubes. Make sure to also defrost the corn (and drain the kernels) if you’re using frozen corn for this recipe.
- Prevent sticking: Lining the baking sheet with parchment or baking paper helps to prevent the nachos from sticking to the tray. It also helps with easy cleanup!
- Prep ahead to save time. Prepare the toppings ahead of time and keep them covered in the fridge for up to 2 days to save time when assembling the nachos.
- Be sure to choose thicker cut tortilla chips to prevent cracking when loaded with toppings.
- To avoid soggy nachos, Add any fresh or “wet” toppings (like cilantro, green onions, salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, etc.) immediately before serving.
- If you’re serving a crowd with different preferences, or making this for kids, divide your baking sheet into 4 “quadrants” and add different toppings to each section! Loaded veggie nachos are so versatile that you can add favorite toppings to some of the chips, and leave the rest of the chips more minimal for younger kids or picky eaters. Everyone will be happy with this tasty nacho platter!
???? Variations
- Vegan Loaded Nachos: Make these meatless loaded nachos vegan by using vegan cheese and vegan sour cream. You can use a cashew queso for a creamy and delicious vegan nacho option! Add a sauteed mushroom mixture for a meaty texture, if you’d like.
- Vegetarian Chili Nachos: Add extra flavor by turning these easy vegetarian loaded nachos into chili nachos! You can use pre-made chili or mix whatever kind of beans you have on hand with chili powder, salt, garlic powder, cumin, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Top with loads of cheese and bake until beans are heated and cheese is melted.
- Roasted Vegetable Nachos: Bring out even more flavor and aromas by roasting your vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil and lime juice in the oven or on stove top. Mix veggies with taco seasoning over medium heat in a large skillet. You can play around with different flavors and spices.
- Nachos Without Cheese: Omit the cheese entirely for a no cheese nachos option. Use creamy toppings like sour cream and guacamole to pair with the crispy tortilla chips.
- Healthy Nachos Without Chips: It may seem odd to make sheet pan nachos without chips, but if you are looking for a healthier option give it a try! Try this veggie nachos recipe with thinly sliced sweet potatoes, cauliflower, or zucchini instead of tortilla chips!
- Nachos With Doritos: For a more indulgent loaded veggie nachos, try using Doritos instead of tortilla chips. Siete chips, SunChips, or pita chips are also great options! You can make these nachos an individual serving, using one single serving size bag of chips!
Vegetarian Nacho Toppings
There are so many great topping choices for this vegetarian nachos recipe! Here are some of our favorites:
- Standard Toppings: You can’t go wrong with traditional jalapeno, sour cream, guacamole, black olives, salsa, and pico de gallo!
- Different Cheeses: Try a sprinkling of creamy feta, cojita, or goat cheese, or different hard cheeses like cheddar, pepperjack, regular jack cheese!
- Different Veggies: Try crisp radishes, jicama, sauteed mixed veggies, roasted squash, sweet potatoes, or roasted corn. Or try one of these 50 vegetarian taco toppings that also work great for nachos!
- More Drizzles: Add heat with a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce, this smoky red pepper crema, or add more spice using this old el paso taco seasoning recipe.
????️ Serving Suggestions
This loaded veggie nachos recipe is perfect on its own, but can be served as a side with other Mexican cuisine. Try it with your favorite salsa and this tomato avocado cucumber salad for a light main meal, or make it part of a bigger spread like alongside these keto enchiladas, this Mexican bean soup, these Mexican street corn fries, and these vegan empanadas!
❓Recipe FAQs
The answer is, it depends! Not all nacho recipes are healthy, because it depends on what toppings you use and what types of chips you use. Nachos that use processed chips, tons of cheese, sour cream and other high fat ingredients with no veggies are typically not healthy for you. But these loaded vegetarian nachos are a healthier choice! The beans add extra protein and fiber while the guacamole adds healthy fat, making this a relatively balanced meal! We also use real organic corn tortilla chips, less cheese than traditional nachos, and load up on the veggies which provides fiber and tons of nutrients!
Nachos are so versatile that you can use any beans depending on the desired flavor. Black beans, pinto beans, and refried pinto beans are the most commonly used in a vegetarian nacho recipe. You could also try refried black beans!
Typically, you can bake nachos in the oven for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and ready to go. These vegetarian bean nachos will bake in the oven for 10 minutes as well. 350 degrees is the perfect oven temp for nachos, allowing the chips to get lightly golden without burning.
The key to avoiding soggy loaded veggie nachos is to add any “wet” toppings like salsa and guacamole immediately before serving, or, if the nachos are going to sit for a while, keep the wet toppings on the side and let people add them as they’re eating. This will also make it easier when storing leftovers!
Adding cheese first helps the other toppings to stick to the chips. I recommend using half of the cheese first, then adding your veggies and beans, and finishing off with the rest of the cheese!
As far as what type of cheese to use for nachos: you will want to use a shredded Mexican blend or freshly shredded pepperjack, jack and cheddar cheeses. Look for an organic, non-GMO cheese from pasture-raised cows, if possible. Avoid the overly processed nacho cheese sauce – don’t use this instead of the shredded cheese! The shredded cheese melts way better in this vegetarian baked nachos recipe, is more flavorful, and makes the nachos slightly crispier too. Even though ballparks and stadiums still use nacho cheese, I’d go with the original recipe on this one and stick to real, shredded cheese. It’s better for you, less processed, and much more satisfying!
Yes! The best way to store vegetarian sheet pan nachos is to store all of the ingredients separately in airtight containers in the fridge. They will keep for up to 5 days when stored separately. Assemble and bake right before serving.
If you have leftover nachos that have already been baked, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge as well, but they will only keep for about 1 day since all of the toppings have already been added. To reheat, bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Add any extra fresh toppings like guacamole, salsa, and sour cream before serving.
This recipe doesn’t freeze well – the chips and toppings will all change texture when frozen and defrosted so I don’t recommend freezing this dish!
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???? Recipe Card
Loaded Veggie Nachos
Making loaded veggie nachos has never been easier! Layers of chips, melty cheeses, and the best toppings come together to make the perfect side dish or main dish. These nachos are easily customizable making them great for the whole family. Enjoy them for cinco de mayo, game day, or movie nights – this no meat nacho recipe is delicious any time of year!
Servings: 8
Calories: 386kcal
- To make it easier to drizzle the sour cream, mix with 2-3 tbsp of cold water.
- Nachos are best enjoyed immediately while still hot and cheese is melted.
- To make these nachos gluten-free be sure to use gluten free tortilla chips.
- Substitute the cheese and sour cream for a vegan friendly option.
- Mexican cheese can be substituted with shredded cheddar or American cheese.
- Dice bell pepper, onion and tomatoes into small cubes.
- If using frozen corn be sure to defrost and drain the kernels before adding to the nachos.
- Lining the baking tray with baking paper helps to prevent the nachos from sticking to the tray.
- Prepare the toppings ahead of time and keep them covered in the fridge for up to 2 days to save time when assembling the nachos.
- Be sure to choose thicker cut tortilla chips to prevent cracking when loaded with toppings.
- Black beans and pinto beans add extra fiber and protein to this recipe and taste delicious!
- Any variety of tomato can be used in this recipe.
Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 690mg | Potassium: 480mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g
