Black Bean Nachos

Name: Black Bean Nachos
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons avocado oil; 1 small onion, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon chili powder; ½ teaspoon paprika; 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 (12 ounce) bag tortilla chips (350 grams); ½ cup frozen corn; ½ cup black olives, sliced; 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded; 1 cup tomatoes, diced; 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or scallions, chopped; 2 tablespoons sour cream; lime wedges (optional, for serving)

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These loaded Black Bean Nachos are the ultimate vegetarian snack! They are warm, crunchy, and so easy to make. Simply add your toppings to a layer of tortilla chips, bake until the cheese melts and bubbles, and garnish with more toppings. Serve this vegetarian dish for a fun game day snack or an easy dinner on those busy weeknights!

These loaded Black Bean Nachos are the ultimate vegetarian appetizer or snack — warm, crunchy, gooey, and so easy to make. | aheadofthyme.com

Nachos are comfort food at its best - warm, cozy, and covered with ooey gooey cheese. There's nothing like grabbing the perfect chip with just the right amount of beans, cheese, and toppings. I promise you will not be able to stop eating these tasty black bean nachos, and you'll find yourself making them again and again!

Fortunately, these vegetarian nachos use everyday pantry staples, so they're convenient to make even between trips to the grocery store. Serve them as an appetizer with these Vegetarian Enchiladas or Mushroom Fajitas, or make a big batch to enjoy as a complete meal on its own!

Why You'll Love These Black Bean Nachos

Ready in a hurry. These vegetarian nachos are so quick and easy to make! And it's totally worth it to take a few extra minutes to season the black beans - to give them a savory, meaty flavor. When you're ready, spread out a single layer of chips, add your toppings (beans, corns, and olives), and bake for about 10 minutes until the cheese melts. Add your garnishes and enjoy!
Naturally vegetarian. This black bean nacho recipe does not contain any meat products, so it's perfect for vegetarians or people celebrating Meatless Mondays. You won't even miss the taco meat when you try these spicy black beans! Plus, you can make them vegan by using vegan cheese.
Easy to customize. I've shared my favorite toppings here, but you can certainly adjust them to your preferences. Add guacamole, different salsas, pickled jalapenos, and anything else you'd like to make them your own. You can also scale the serving up or down to make a single or to feed a crowd!

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious Black Bean Nachos, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

oil - we use avocado oil to sauté the aromatics. Olive oil or coconut oil works well, too.
aromatics - dice an onion and mince fresh garlic cloves for lots of flavor.
canned black beans - be sure to drain and rinse the beans well first. You can also use dried black beans. Use ¾ cup dry beans if making your own. Note that you will need to soak them overnight before cooking, so plan ahead. See our post on How to Cook Dried Beans for tips.
tortilla chips - grab your favorite tortilla chips.
corn - this adds extra texture and color with a pop of sweetness.
black olives
cheddar cheese - sprinkle shredded cheese generously to glue the toppings to the chips. Monterey Jack cheese or a Mexican cheese blend would be great alternatives.
seasonings - season the beans well with chili powder, paprika, ground cumin, salt, and ground black pepper.

Nacho Toppings

tomatoes - garnish with diced tomatoes or your favorite pico de gallo.
cilantro - for a fresh flavor. You can use scallions or green onions as an alternative.
sour cream - for a creamy note.
lime wedges - a little lime juice will cut the richness of the cheese and sour cream.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a large skillet, half sheet baking pan, and a cutting board and knife.

How to Make the Best Black Bean Nachos

Sauté aromatics. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1-2 minutes. Add onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add beans and seasoning. Add black beans, salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, and ground cumin. Stir constantly and cook until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.

Assemble nachos. Arrange tortilla chips evenly on a half sheet pan. Top with the black beans mixture. Add corn, black olives, and cheddar cheese on top.

Bake. Bake in a 375F preheated oven for 10 minutes until the melted cheese turns golden brown and bubbly.

Add toppings. Sprinkle with tomatoes and cilantro. Drizzle sour cream on top. Add some lime wedges on top or on the side, if desired. Serve warm.

Recipe Variations

Make refried black beans. Instead of sauteing the beans with the onion and garlic, make Refried Beans by mashing the beans into a thick paste or pulsing them together in the food processor.
Serve with queso. Cheesy nachos are the perfect vehicle for rich, creamy queso! I have the most amazing Queso Mexican Cheese Dip recipe, or you can make my Vegan Queso to reduce the amount of dairy.
Try different beans. Pinto beans are a fantastic alternative to black beans.
Load up on toppings. Grab your favorite salsas, sauces, and toppings to make your own loaded nachos! Try using homemade Pico de Gallo or my Black Bean Salsa, dollop some homemade Guacamole, pickled jalapenos or onions, and anything else you'd like!

How to Serve

These Black Bean Nachos are delicious served on its own, or paired with some of my favorite Mexican inspired dishes including:

For more recipe inspiration, see our 30 Mexican Recipes for Cinco de Mayo.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Don't burn the chips. It's very easy to look away for a second and then come back to overly browned chips. Watch the timer and keep a close eye on things.
Watch your proportions. Spread the bean mixture and the cheese as evenly over the chips as you can to prevent some sections from becoming soggy and other sections from being too dry.
Make them in the microwave. You won't get the same toasty crunch to the chips this way, but this is very handy when you need to make a small batch. Just arrange the chips, cheese, and beans evenly on a dinner plate, and microwave for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Nachos taste best straight from the oven, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days. Avoid extra toppings like sour cream or salsa, as they will make the chips soggy and won't reheat quite as well.

How to Reheat

I prefer to re-bake the nachos on a sheet pan at 350 degrees for about 5-10 minutes. Add a little extra cheese to help everything melt together again.

FAQ

Can you make dairy free nachos?

I find that most dairy-free cheeses don't melt nearly as well as regular cheese, so it's best to make a vegan cheese sauce instead. This vegan queso is a great option as it will stay soft and spreadable, making it easy to drizzle over a tray of nachos.

What toppings are best for vegetarian nachos?

There are so many options! I like to keep it simple with black beans, cheese, corn, and olives, then add some diced tomato, sour cream, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. But that's just the start! You can add any type of homemade salsa, guacamole, vegan taco meat, cotija cheese, diced red onion, pickled onions or jalapenos, and so much more.

Do nachos store well?

Nachos have a short lifespan. The tortilla chips absorb the moisture from all the toppings and become soggy, and the cheese never quite melts the same after the first time. It can also be hard to store leftover homemade nachos once they're topped because the sour cream, salsa, and other toppings can be tricky to reheat. It's best only to make what you know you can enjoy, but you can follow the tips above to reheat them if needed.

More Recipes with Black Beans

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Why You'll Love These Black Bean Nachos