Loaded Veggie Nachos (with Vegan Taco Meat)

Loaded Veggie Nachos are topped with a spicy vegan taco meat made from a blend of walnuts and mushrooms. They’re hearty and flavourful, with a dose of fibre, protein and healthy fats. Perfect for weekend snacking or even dinner!

This post was originally published in April 2018. It has been updated with new photos and text, including helpful tips for readers. The recipe remains the same. (An original photo is included at the end of this post so be sure to check out the before and after).

Week six of physical distancing, and I feel like a bit of a routine is forming. While the days seem to blend together, we’re trying hard to clearly define the weekends. And part of that is how we spend our Friday and Saturday nights, and doing our usual things like snacks, pizza and movies.

While our pizza game has been strong – hello, healthy homemade pizza – our nacho game has been off. That is, until I broke out this recipe for meatless nachos from the Crumb Top Baking archives, and now our nacho game is on point.

Loaded Veggie Nachos

If you’re anything like my husband, you’re going to be a bit skeptical as I start to describe these nachos. That’s because they aren’t vegetarian in the sense that they’re loaded with lots of lentils, black beans or chick peas (although that would be super delicious too).

No, these nachos are actually loaded with a spicy walnut and mushroom mixture that resembles the taste and texture of ground beef.

Seriously, I was even skeptical when I started making these a few years ago, but I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious and convincing walnuts and mushrooms can be as taco meat. And my husband is now completely sold on it too!

Details on a few ingredients to make meatless nachos

Walnuts: It’s best to use raw walnuts in this recipe – so avoid roasted and salted. I went with walnut halves, but you can also use walnut pieces. If you only have chopped walnuts, I suggest blitzing the mushrooms in your food processor first and then just stirring in the walnuts.

Mushrooms: While the recipe calls for cremini mushrooms, you can also use bella or white mushrooms. Just make sure they are firm and well cleaned. I usually cut the mushrooms in half before adding them to the food processor, but avoid cutting them into smaller pieces as they blitz up faster than the walnuts and the mixture gets mushy.

Veggie toppings: For these nachos, I added red and orange peppers and corn, but you can use other veggies and plant-based toppings such as green peppers, green onions, radishes, tomatoes, jalapeños, black beans or pinto beans.

Tortilla chips: You can use store-bought or homemade tortilla chips. If using store-bought, I usually go for unsalted corn tortilla chips. But you can use whatever kind and brand you like. You can also use homemade tortilla chips such as these air fryer tortilla chips (pssst…..the recipe includes five different flavour options)!

How to make this vegetarian nachos recipe

Making the taco ‘meat’

• Pre-heat some oil in a large skillet over medium-heat.

• Place your walnuts and mushrooms in a food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture is crumbly.

• Add the mixture to your skillet and stir in chopped red onion, chopped jalapeño pepper, lime juice and a mix of salt and spices (detailed in the recipe card). Cook on medium-low until the onions and peppers have softened (about 7-8 minutes).

Assembling and baking the nachos

• Arrange your tortilla chips on a baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet, and top with the faux taco meat, veggies and cheese.

• Bake on 400F for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

• Serve immediately.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of cheese goes well with nachos? Go for cheeses that melt well. Cheddar and Monterey Jack are common choices, and we also enjoy mozzarella. I actually like to use a mix of cheeses, and while I normally go for light cheese, full fat cheese tends to melt better.

Can these nachos be made vegan? Absolutely! This is easy to do since the taco ‘meat’ is already vegan. Just use vegan cheese shreds in place of the dairy cheese.

Are vegetarian nachos healthier? Not necessarily. It depends on your toppings and chips. While these nachos are topped with plant-based protein, they are still high in calories. If you don’t need these nachos to be vegetarian, lean meats such as ground chicken or turkey are a great choice. I also like to load mine up with extra veggies and limit the amount of cheese. You can also go for no salt added or low sodium chips for a healthier option.

How do you re-heat leftover veggie nachos? Just spread out the leftover nachos on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake on 350F until heated through and crispy.

What to serve with nachos

• You can’t go wrong with guacamole, salsa and sour cream.

• Dairy-free queso is always delicious, as is this vegan jalapeño dip.

• And you can always get adventurous and add some vegan chili to the top of your nachos before serving.

Recipe tips and substitutions

• To avoid mushy taco ‘meat’, try not to cut your mushrooms too small or over-process the walnut/mushroom mixture.

• I like to prepare these nachos in a cast iron skillet, and you can do this in two different ways. You can create multiple layers of chips and toppings, which ensures most of the chips are covered in toppings. Or you can bake all the toppings in your skillet, and then use the chips to scoop it out.

• You can also make these nachos in a more traditional way by spreading the tortilla chips out on a sheet pan and loading on the toppings.

• While I love these nachos with homemade corn tortilla chips, if you want crispier nachos, I suggest using thick cut store-bought tortilla chips that can withstand lots of toppings.

If you make these loaded vegetarian nachos, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!

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Loaded Veggie Nachos (with Vegan Taco Meat)

★★★★★

5 from 17 reviews

Loaded Veggie Nachos are topped with a spicy vegan taco meat made from a blend of walnuts and mushrooms. They’re hearty and flavourful, with a dose of fibre, protein and healthy fats. Perfect for weekend snacking or even dinner!

• Author: Leanne
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 18 minutes
• Total Time: 38 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Appetizers
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the vegan taco meat:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups raw walnuts, halves or pieces
• 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced in half
• 1/2 medium-sized red onion, diced
• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the nachos:

• 8 cups no salt added corn tortilla chips
• 1/2 cup chopped red and orange peppers
• 1/2 cup cooked corn
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (mix of cheddar, mozzarella and Monterey Jack)

Instructions

• Pre-heat oven to 400F and line an oven safe skillet or baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Pre-heat the oil in another large skillet over medium heat. (Ensure the oil coats the bottom of the pan).
• Add the walnuts and mushrooms to a food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture is crumbly.
• Add the walnut/mushroom mixture to the pre-heated skillet and stir in the onion, jalapeño, lime juice, spices and salt. 
• Cook on medium-low until the onions and peppers have softened (about 7-8 minutes). Stir frequently to ensure the mixture doesn’t burn onto the skillet.
• Arrange tortilla chips in the prepared skillet or pan, and top with the taco meat, veggies and cheese (see notes).
• Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Notes

1. While the recipe calls for cremini mushrooms, you can also use bella or white mushrooms.
2. To avoid mushy taco ‘meat’, try not to cut your mushrooms too small or over-process the walnut/mushroom mixture.
3. I like to prepare these nachos in a cast iron skillet, and you can do this in two different ways. You can create multiple layers of chips and toppings, which ensures most of the chips are covered in toppings. Or you can bake all the toppings in your skillet, and then use the chips to scoop it out.
4. You can also make these nachos in a more traditional way by spreading the tortilla chips out on a sheet pan and loading on the toppings.
5. Be sure to check out the FAQ as well as the tips and substitutions section above the recipe for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.

Recipe inspired by Pinch of Yum’s Cauliflower Walnut Taco Meat.

Keywords: vegetarian nachos, meatless nachos, loaded nachos