Holy guacamole! If you don’t like nachos then I’m a nacho friend (get it?!). Okay, in all seriousness, this nacho recipe has vegan taco meat made from delicious walnuts and is loaded with toppings that make this the perfect snack for game-day, great for after school, or perfect for a movie or date night.

You can really make these vegan nachos however you like with whatever toppings you have on hand. Isn’t that the best part about nachos? I’ll give you some of my recommended toppings below, but feel free to get creative with your plant-based nacho masterpiece!

❤️ Why You’ll Love Vegan Nachos

• Quick: Make them in just 40-minutes from start to finish.
• Crowd-Pleaser: The whole family will love them, vegans and non-vegans alike.
• Nutritious: Packed with healthy walnuts and vegetable toppings.

🍲 Ingredients

Walnuts – A plant-based best friend when it comes to making fake meat that has a meat-like texture. Walnuts are the critical ingredient to make this taco meat seem like taco meat, so it’s essential not to substitute them for another nut. They’re rich in antioxidants, a super plant source of Omega-3s, can decrease inflammation, promote a healthy gut, may reduce the risk of some cancers, and can help with blood pressure. I like to use California Walnuts for the best quality.

Spices – The combination of tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, cumin, paprika, red chili flakes, and cayenne pepper transforms simple walnuts into a flavor-packed taco “meat” alternative that’s bursting with traditional Mexican flavors without any animal products.

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👩‍🍳 How to Make Vegan Nachos

1. Preheat your oven to 400F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. For the Spicy Walnut Meat, add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend till well combined and crumb-like.  It will resemble and smell like taco meat. The texture will feel slightly moldable and easy to remove from the processor.
3. Transfer the walnut mixture to a bowl and begin preparing your nachos.
4. Start by adding a layer of tortillas, a little bit of refried beans, cheese of choice, and walnut meat.  Repeat for one more layer of chips.  Bake for around 15 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and gooey.
5. Once cooked, garnish with the nachos with tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, pickled onion, sour cream, lime, jalapeño, hot sauce, cilantro!  Remember to have fun with your garnishes! Enjoy!

🗒 Tips and Tricks

• Processing: Pulse the walnut mixture instead of continuously blending for better texture control.
• Layering: Create multiple layers of chips, walnut meat, and toppings for even distribution.
• Heating: If using dairy-free cheese, broil for 1-2 minutes at the end for better melting.
• Serving: Use a wide, shallow dish rather than a deep bowl for more even topping distribution.

🗒 Variations

Nacho time is the best time because it means using up all the extras in the pantry and fridge! Try these delicious variations:

• Base: Use sweet potato slices instead of tortilla chips for a different twist.
• Beans: Black beans, pinto beans, or refried beans all work well as alternative protein sources.
• Cheese: Try different vegan cheese varieties or make your own cashew cheese sauce.

🗒 Best served with

• Vegan Taco Stuffed Avocado with Jalapeno Ranch
• Vegan Taco Salad
• Easy Tortilla Soup
• 5-Minute Recipe for Mango Salsa

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store components separately when possible. Keep the walnut taco meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For best results, assemble fresh nachos with leftover components rather than storing fully assembled nachos, which can become soggy.

🤔 Common Questions

Vegan Nachos

5 from 5 votes

💃 These vegan nachos will make you say "holy guacamole!" Featuring walnut taco "meat" that's packed with flavor and good-for-you Omega-3s, these loaded nachos come together in just 40 minutes for the ultimate plant-based snack attack!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Vegan Meals

Cuisine American-Inspired

Servings 4 -6

Calories 334 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Spicy Walnut Meat:

• 1 1/2 cup walnut
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp. Tomato paste
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp basil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• Up to 2 tbsp. Water

For the Nachos:

• Tortilla Chips
• Refried Beans
• Vegan or Regular Cheese
• Walnut Meat all of it
• Garnish: tomatoes avocado, cilantro, pickled onion, sour cream, lime, jalapeño, hot sauce, cilantro

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Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 400F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
• For the Spicy Walnut Meat, add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend till well combined and crumb-like.  It will resemble and smell like taco meat. The texture will feel slightly moldable and easy to remove from the processor.
• Transfer the walnut mixture to a bowl and begin preparing your nachos.
• Start by adding a layer of tortillas, a little bit of refried beans, cheese of choice, and walnut meat.  Repeat for one more layer of chips.  Bake for around 15 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and gooey.
• Once cooked, garnish with the nachos with tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, pickled onion, sour cream, lime, jalapeño, hot sauce, cilantro!  Remember to have fun with your garnishes! Enjoy!

Video

Notes

The walnuts are crucial for this meat recipe to have the right texture.

Feel free to play around with the spices and make them your own.  This can also be used in tacos etc.

Have fun with the cheese varieties, anything that melts will work!

Nutrition

Serving: 6 | Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 22.6g | Protein: 7.8g | Fat: 25.5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 571.4mg | Fiber: 4.5g | Sugar: 2.2g

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