Vegetarian Loaded Nachos

This recipe is for the best vegetarian loaded nachos you will ever eat! These nachos are topped with chipotle tofu, spicy queso, shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo and jalapeños. They are the perfect sharing food for your next game day party or film night.

How to make vegetarian nachos

Instead of a classic beef taco mix, often used to make loaded nachos, I chose to make chipotle tofu.

I made this by frying together onion, spices, chipotle paste, tomato paste and grated tofu. This creates a delicious, smokey tofu mix which tastes amazing with nachos.

Loaded nachos with cheese sauce

The best loaded nachos have queso. I made my queso by frying together onions and jalapeños in butter and adding flour, milk and cream to make a roux. I then added Cheddar and pepper jack cheese to create the ultimate cheesy queso sauce.

How to layer loaded nachos

My nacho layering method was inspired by Binging with Babish’s nacho recipe.

First spread half of the nachos onto a large lined baking tray. Top this first with the shredded cheese followed by the tofu mix, queso, tomatoes, onions and jalapeños. Then repeat this with the remaining ingredients.

Once you have baked the nachos you can top with your choice of sour cream, salsa and guac.

If you like, you can do 3 layers instead.

How long to cook loaded nachos

Cook your loaded nachos at 180℃/160℃ fan (355℉/320℉) for 20 minutes. This is enough time to warm through the tortilla chips and toppings as well as melt the cheese.

Always heat your nachos in the oven as opposed to under the grill. If you grill your nachos they may burn.

Always use unseasoned tortilla chips. Seasoned chips, such as Doritos, are more likely to burn in the oven.

What can you put on loaded nachos?

The toppings I used for my loaded nachos without meat were:

• Shredded chipotle tofu
• Queso
• Shredded cheese
• Guacamole
• Pico de gallo
• Sour cream
• Tomatoes
• Onion
• Jalapeños

You could also add:

• Refried beans
• Black beans
• Taco mix with vegetarian mince meat
• Shredded lettuce
• Cotija cheese
• Grilled corn or corn salsa

What cheese goes on nachos?

I used Cheddar alongside a spicy pepper jack cheese. Pepper jack or Monterey jack cheese is melty whilst the Cheddar brings a tangy sharpness.

Vegetarian loaded nachos: similar recipes

If you liked this recipe why not try out some of my other cheesy recipes:

• Cheeseburger loaded fries
• Kimchi and mozzarella dumplings
• Pesto and mozzarella grilled cheese
• Cheese and garlic crescent rolls
• Animal-style loaded fries

Vegetarian Loaded Nachos

5 from 1 vote

Crunchy corn tortilla chips with melted cheese, chipotle tofu, creamy queso, sour cream, guacamole and pico de gallo.

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Prep Time 50 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Course: Appetizer, Party Food

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Calories: 743

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Queso

• 3 tbsp butter
• ¼ brown onion finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1½ cups milk
• ¼ cup double/heavy cream alternatively, add more milk
• 100g/3½oz Cheddar cheese grated*
• 100g/3½oz Pepper Jack/Monterey Jack cheese grated*

Tofu mix

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 brown onions finely chopped
• 7 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 3 tsp ground cumin
• 3 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tbsp chipotle paste
• 450g/16oz extra firm tofu coarsely grated
• 1½ tbsp soy sauce
• ¾ cup water/vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 60g/2oz Monterey Jack / Pepper Jack Cheese grated*
• 60g/2oz Cheddar grated*

For the nachos

• 400g/14oz corn tortilla chips**
• ½ cup sliced pickled jalapenos
• 2 medium tomatoes deseeded and chopped
• ½ white or red onion chopped
• sour cream to serve
• tomato salsa / pico de gallo to serve
• guacamole to serve

Method

 

Queso

1. First prepare the queso. Melt the butter in a sauce pan, add in the onion and fry over a medium heat until translucent, around 3 minutes.
2. Add in the jalapeño and fry for a further minute.
3. Add in the flour and cook for 45 seconds, stirring constantly.
4. Slowly add in the milk and cream, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. You can use a whisk, instead, to help get rid of lumps.
5. Simmer for 2 minutes to thicken before adding in your cheeses and whisking until smooth. Take off the heat and set aside whilst you prepare the tofu mix.

Tofu Taco

1. In a large frying pan heat your oil. Add in the onions and fry on a low-medium heat, stirring often, for 9 minutes until lightly browned.
2. Add the garlic and fry for 2 more minutes.
3. Add the cumin, paprika and coriander and stir fry for 1 minute.
4. Add the tomato purée and chipotle paste and stir fry for a further 2 minutes.
5. Add in the soy sauce, tofu and water/vegetable stock. Fry for 10 minutes, stirring often.
6. Add the honey and season to taste with salt and fry for a further 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Take off the heat and set aside.

Constructing the nachos

1. Preheat oven to 180℃/160℃ fan (355℉/320℉).
2. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
3. Tip half of the nachos onto the tray. Top evenly with half the grated cheese, half the tofu mix, half the queso and, finally, half of the chopped onions, chopped tomatoes and pickled jalapeños.
4. Tip over the remaining tortilla chips and top with the remaining cheese, tofu mix, queso, onions, tomatoes and jalapeños.
5. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Check often to make sure nothing is burning.
6. Serve hot with the guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream.

Notes

*Grate your own cheese. Pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents in it which prevents it from melting properly

**For the best taste you can deep fry your own corn tortilla chips, but to make things easier I used pre-made corn tortilla chips