Name: Roommate Nachos with Coconut Queso
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 13½-ounce can full-fat coconut milk; ¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil (with about ¼ cup of the oil); ½ cup nutritional yeast; 2 tablespoons red miso paste; 2 tablespoons hot sauce; 1 tablespoon mild chili powder; 2 medium tomatoes; 1 small red onion; Handful fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems (about ½ cup loosely packed); Big pinch of salt; 1 lime; 10 ounces tortilla chips; 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 6-ounce can black olives, drained; 6 scallions; ½ cup pickled jalapeños; Sour cream (optional); Chili flakes for sprinkling (optional)

Serves 4 to 6

^{Photo by Anna Sergeeva}

These vegan nachos are from my new cookbook, The 29-Minute Vegan, and yes, you really can pull off a full nacho spread in under 30 minutes. This easy vegan nacho recipe has everything: bubbly coconut queso, quick pico de gallo, black beans, olives, and pickled jalapeños piled high on crispy chips. It’s perfect for when the sudden urge to throw a party hits. It’s also gluten-free and the homemade vegan queso is not made with cashews. Good news for those with a cashew allergy!

The recipe takes me back to my roommate days, when life revolved around late-night snacks and movie rentals that would definitely be returned late. We’d whip up a huge tray of nachos, spread blankets on the floor, and settle in for a nineties movie marathon. Because it was the nineties and apparently no one owned a table or chairs.

These vegan nachos deliver all the classic nacho energy: warm chips layered with melty, spicy vegan queso, beans that just belong there, sliced olives (from a can, of course) for a salty pop, and pickled jalapeños for a little kick. Lettuce? Nah. Napkins? Who needs ’em?

The coconut queso comes together in about a minute in the blender: sun-dried tomatoes, miso, and nutritional yeast do all the work and it bakes up bubbly and browned right on the chips. Scatter on the rest of the goodness and you’ve got vegan loaded nachos ready to go. Cue up your Parker Posey marathon and let the cheesy goodness commence.

Additional Nacho Add-Ons

These nachos are great as-is, but if you want to pile on even more, here are some ideas.

Vegan sour cream (as pictured)! Storebought is totally fine but you can use this recipe for Homemade Vegan Sour Cream.
Lentil Mushroom Meat from the Pinwheel Lasagna
You could try chili instead of beans! Meaty Beany Chili or Tempeh Chili Con Frijoles.
Sautéed Homemade Seitan, maybe add some spices (cumin, cilantro, smoked paprika) or not
A sliced Chick’n Tofu Cutllet to keep things gluten-free, breaded and delish
And of course the usual suspects: plenty of guac and hot sauce!

Vegan Nachos FAQ

Can I make the coconut queso ahead of time? Yes, but I don’t really see the point? However, you totally can, just warm it up in the microwave with some water because it really thickens as it cools. It won’t be pourable cold.

Can I use a different kind of bean? Pinto beans are the classic swap. Refried beans work too if you want to dollop them on instead.

What if I don’t like olives? Weirdo! Leave them out. More room for jalapeños.

Can I make this on a sheet pan instead of a casserole dish? Yes. A rimmed sheet pan works great and gives you more surface area, which means more browned, bubbly queso spots.

What kind of tortilla chips should I use? Find restaurant style if you can. Nice, sturdy ones that have curves to hold stuff.

Is the coconut flavor strong in the queso? No. The sun-dried tomatoes, miso, and chili powder take over. You won’t taste coconut.

Can I use light coconut milk? Full-fat is best here. Light coconut milk will make the queso thinner and less creamy.

Is this recipe in The 29-Minute Vegan? Ok, I know no one will ask this. But just thought I’d mention; you can find it along with over 100 other recipes that all come together in 29 minutes or less.