Vegan Sweet Potato Nachos (Print Version)

Baked sweet potatoes with black beans, fresh vegetables, and creamy cashew queso for a bright, flavorful dish.

# What You'll 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 fresh 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, toss sweet potato rounds with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange coated sweet potato rounds in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy around edges.
04 - While sweet potatoes bake, combine drained 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 - In a high-speed blender, combine soaked cashews, water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, turmeric if using, and smoked paprika. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Add more water if thinner consistency is desired.
06 - Arrange baked sweet potato rounds on serving 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 on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Sweet potatoes turn ridiculously crispy and golden when roasted right, giving you that satisfying crunch that makes you reach for another bite without hesitation.
  • The cashew queso is genuinely creamy and rich without any dairy guilt, and honestly tastes like you spent hours perfecting it in a kitchen lab.
  • It's one of those dishes that looks impressive enough for company but takes barely an hour from start to table.
02 -
  • If you skip flipping the sweet potatoes halfway through baking, the bottom side will steam instead of crisp, and you'll lose half of what makes these special.
  • Soaking the cashews in hot water actually matters for blending them smooth, and cold water won't soften them enough no matter how powerful your blender is.
  • Make sure your queso is still warm or room temperature when you drizzle it on the potatoes, because it thickens up in the fridge and won't coat as beautifully.
03 -
  • The cashew queso actually keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days, so you can make a double batch and use it throughout the week on other dishes without feeling like you wasted ingredients.
  • If someone at your table has a nut allergy, swap the cashews for sunflower seeds and adjust the liquid slightly, and honestly the queso still tastes incredible.
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