Vegan Sweet Potato Nachos (Printer-Friendly)

Baked sweet potatoes with black beans, fresh veggies, and creamy cashew queso in a flavorful, colorful Tex-Mex style.

# What You Need:

→ Sweet Potato Base

01 - 2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Black Beans

07 - 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
10 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - Pinch of salt

→ Cashew Queso

12 - 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes then drained
13 - 1/2 cup water
14 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
15 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
16 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
17 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
18 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
19 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
20 - 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, optional for color
21 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Toppings

22 - 1 small avocado, diced
23 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
24 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
25 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
26 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced, optional
27 - Lime wedges for serving

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato rounds with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp around the edges.
04 - While the sweet potatoes bake, combine the black beans, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Add soaked cashews, water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, turmeric if using, and smoked paprika to a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Add additional water for a thinner consistency if desired.
06 - Arrange baked sweet potato rounds on a platter. Top evenly with warm black beans, drizzle generously with cashew queso, and add avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño.
07 - Serve immediately with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cashew queso tastes so buttery and luscious that nobody will believe it's dairy-free, trust me on this.
  • Crispy edges meet creamy centers, and every bite has a different texture that keeps things interesting.
  • It comes together in under an hour and looks like you spent all day in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking the cashews—I learned this the hard way when my queso came out gritty instead of silky, and it completely changed how I think about prep work.
  • The sweet potatoes will continue to crisp up slightly as they cool, so don't leave them in the oven longer than 30 minutes or you'll end up with chips instead of nachos.
  • Make the queso first or last, never in the middle—it stays creamy longer that way and you won't be stressed about it cooling down.
03 -
  • If your blender struggles with thick mixtures, pour the soaking water in first before adding the drained cashews—it makes blending smoother and takes less time.
  • Taste the queso before serving and adjust seasoning aggressively; it should taste almost alive on your tongue, not mild or distant.
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