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Mains, Recipes, Snacks n Sides, Vegan  /  May 31, 2021

Loaded Nachos with Vegan Cauliflower Queso

These loaded nachos with vegan cauliflower queso are the perfect crowd-pleasing snack or meal. So loaded and so delicious that vegans and omnivores alike will adore them and keeping coming back for more. Featuring some nut-free cauliflower queso, black beans, sweet potatoes, avocado, salsa, and walnut meat.

I’m not much of a TikTok user, but I’ve had my moments in the past month. And in one of those moments, I was watching Lizzo make brussels sprouts nachos with walnut meat and they sounded gooood. Unfortunately, I did not have brussels sprouts in my fridge at the moment, so I used tortilla chips and topped them off with some air fried sweet potatoes. Then I used the ingredients she described for the walnut meat and that walnut meat sure was good as hell 😉

Why Cauliflower Queso

I’m obsessed with the natural creaminess of cauliflower at the moment, so I also made my own nut-free cauliflower queso! You always see cashew queso around and I love them, but thought I’d give this veggie-centered queso a try. It’s a winner. My parents asked what it was made of and they seriously couldn’t tell that I snuck an entire head of cauliflower in there.

What’s On My Loaded Nachos

The best part about nachos is you can do them however you’d like. The possibilities are endless, but the messier, the better. Spread the toppings wide, not high. You want everything on every chip for the ideal spread. My loaded nachos with vegan cauliflower queso also feature black beans, sweet potatoes, avocado, salsa, cilantro, and some walnut meat. Some other fire additions would be corn, salsa verde, or some jackfruit.

The various components of this are simple to make and there are only a few key ingredients. My favorite flavors to use whenever I make anything inspired by Mexican cuisine include plenty of lime, cilantro, cumin, cayenne, and black pepper. With just a handful of flavors, you can seriously do so much!

Loaded Nachos with Vegan Cauliflower Queso

Print Recipe
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • tortilla chips
  • 1 cup cooked black beans
  • tons of cilantro
  • 1 avocado

Cauliflower Queso

  • 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp cayenne
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • ½ tsp red chili powder *optional, but recommended for some extra spice
  • salt to taste

Walnut Meat

  • ½ cup walnuts
  • ¼ cup chopped bell peppers
  • ¼ red onion, chopped
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ a jalapeño pepper, chopped *sub ¼ tsp cayenne
  • pinch of cayenne optional
  • pepper to taste
  • salt to taste

Sweet Potatoes

  • 1 small sweet potato, chopped
  • ¼ tsp cayenne
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • drizzle of olive oil

Tomato Salsa

  • 1 tomato, diced
  • ½ red onion, diced
  • lime juice from half a lime
  • ¼ jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
  • black pepper
  • salt

Instructions
 

Cauliflower Queso

  • Heat a pan over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and cook cauliflower for about 5 minutes. Then add 1/2 a cup of water, increase heat to medium high, let it come to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. It should be soft enough to process well.
  • Blend with all other ingredients! Reduce or omit the red chili powder if you anticipate that it will be too spicy.

Walnut Meat

  • Toast walnuts, bell peppers, and onions on a pan over medium heat (no oil necessary) for 5-7 minutes, until walnuts are nicely toasted.
  • Process walnuts, bell peppers, and onions with cumin, jalapeño pepper, black pepper, salt, and cayenne (if using). Do NOT process for long because then it might turn into nut butter consistency. You want the walnuts to have a crumbly texture.

Sweet Potatoes

  • Cube a sweet potato into small ½-inch cubes. Toss with cayenne, salt, pepper, and just a drizzle of olive oil. Air fry for 10-12 minutes at 400 F.

Tomato Salsa

  • Finely chop all ingredients and mix together in a bowl. Add more cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste if necessary.

Assembly

  • Spread tortilla chips on a sheet pan. Add sweet potatoes, black beans, and walnut meat. Drop dollops of cauliflower queso everywhere. Finish off with tomato salsa, plenty of cilantro, and avocado.

For more Mexican-inspired recipes, check out…

BBQ Jackfruit Quesadillas with Kale and Cashew Cream

BBQ Chipotle Sofritas with Rajma

Tags

  • Mexican food

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4 comments

  • Anisha Chandra
    December 3, 2021

    It’s a platter that is sure to satisfy. Thanks Lee!

  • Anisha Chandra
    December 3, 2021

    Cauliflower makes things so creamy! This would make a lovely weekend spread. Thanks Amy!

  • Amy
    November 16, 2021

    Wow, this nacho platter is so impressive! The texture of that cauliflower queso is spot on, and using walnuts to replace a ground beef mixture is fantastic! This is going to be my new weekend indulgence.

  • Lee
    November 16, 2021

    GENIUS!!! I looooooove cauliflower comfort food, and all these toppings are so darn fun.

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Hi there! I’m Anisha. This is where I like to share my favorite plant-forward eats, with joy and flavor being my topmost priorities. When I'm not cooking or photographing my creations, I'm probably running, tuning into a good podcast or book, or doing typical college student stuff. I hope you find something that excites you here!

@upbeetanisha

A few wonderful things I ate at home with my paren A few wonderful things I ate at home with my parents last week!

matar (peas) kachoris with this aloo (potato) sabzi and bhindi (okra)

our fav jackfruit biryani

mushroom matar korma, sarson ka saag (mustard greens), chole, laccha parathas that deserved a close up

makki (corn) ki roti with the same sarson ka saag

dal makhani and a potato scallion sabzi

dessert at this Cambodian place in downtown San Jose (@angkorchef) - jackfruit coconut sticky rice

#indianfood #veganindianfood #homecooking
Good things my window saw lately Soba noodles in Good things my window saw lately

Soba noodles in a shiitake kombu broth that I like to make a lot of and use in different ways for a few days 

Miso mushroom focaccia 

Carrot cake oatmeal for warm winter breakfast 

Chana masala-ish with roasted brussels and cabbage

Khichdi, the ultimate comfort 

My bday cake! Chocolate sweet potato cake from @thekoreanvegan, with orange cream cheese frosting 

Ramen, once again with the broth 

Black bean soyrizo bowl 

Looks like a peanut gochujang stir fry 👍

Rajma rice with baingan (eggplant) bhaja <3

#homecooking #veganfoodshare #plantbasedfood
An epic vegan breakfast sandwich brought to me by An epic vegan breakfast sandwich brought to me by my @toogoodtogo.usa surprise bag at @kitchenmousela! You can use the Too Good To Go app to find restaurants, bakeries, and more near you that offer “surprise bags” of items that may otherwise be wasted at the cost of at least half the price or less. It’s a great way to prevent food waste, get creative with what you get, and try some new spots in your community! I will be revisiting kitchenmouse as well as using the Too Good To Go app to find more gems in my area. Use ANISHA for $5 off your first bag :) #MyTooGoodToGoMoment #ad 

Ok now for the bagel details:
Oyster mushroom ‘bacon’
- 8 oz. oyster mushrooms 
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari 
- 1/2 tbsp maple syrup 
- 1 tsp liquid smoke 
- 1 tsp smoked paprika 

In a pan over medium-high heat, place the oyster mushrooms. Now place a heavy object or another pan on top and apply pressure for a few minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side! Then reduce heat and pour the glaze. 

Silken tofu scramble 
- olive oil 
- 1 350g package silken tofu 
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric 
- 1 tsp kala namak/black salt (I didn’t have it in this video but would recommend for a more “eggy” flavor! If not use regular salt)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper 

Add a little oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the tofu and break it down for a few minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, combine for a few minutes, and adjust to taste!
A perfect little day spent using my talents (walki A perfect little day spent using my talents (walking around and eating) in Brooklyn

A&A 
@passionfruit.coffee 
@tofubox.brooklyn 

#nyceats #veganfoodshare #nycvegan #brooklyneats #trinifood #plantbasedfood
Butternut tikka mac!! I wanted to make this for Th Butternut tikka mac!! I wanted to make this for Thanksgiving last year but didn’t get a chance to and figured that it would also be great in winter. And it would also be great without the butternut squash if you just want a basic tikka mac. You make a tikka masala sauce and blend that with the squash, cashews, and plenty of nutritional yeast.

butternut tikka mac
1/3 cup cashews, quick soaked
1 butternut squash, cubed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch ginger, grated
3 medium roma tomatoes, chopped or quartered (sub 1 cup of crushed tomatoes)
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp kashmiri chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
8 oz. rigatoni or another thick pasta shape of choice, prepared al dente

topping
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder

1. Soak cashews in hot water for at least 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Bake butternut squash for ~ 25-30 min with a touch of olive oil and salt. Until tender and soft. (I ended up baking an entire squash but using half of it in the sauce since it was large.)
3. Add olive oil to a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add ginger and garlic. Cook for a few more minutes. Add tomatoes and a big pinch of salt. Allow the tomato juices to mostly evaporate.
4. Add the spices and kasoori methi. and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool down slightly before blending.
5. Preheat oven to 350 F.
6. Make the panko topping. Add a tsp or so of olive oil to a small pan. Add the panko, black pepper, nutritional yeast, and chili powder. Toast until the panko is golden-brown. 
7. Process the tomato mixture with cashews, half the butternut squash, nutritional yeast, and about a cup of water. Add more water if needed. Process until it’s thick and creamy.
8. In a baking dish, add the pasta, sauce, and breadcrumbs. Bake for 15 min at 350 F!

#veganrecipes #veganuary #indianfusion #fusionfood #plantbased
Shredded tofu quesadillas coming in HOT for nation Shredded tofu quesadillas coming in HOT for national hot sauce day! These are stuffed with crispy shredded tofu and brussels sprouts, and flavored with @tabanero scotch bonnet hot sauce for a fun Caribbean twist. #tabanero #hotsauce #nationalhotsauceday

the recipe
baked shredded tofu
1 14 oz. block of extra firm tofu (pressed for at least 30 minutes to remove any excess liquid)
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt or to taste

Preheat oven to 400 F. Shred tofu with a box grater. Toss with the rest of the ingredients. Bake for 15 minutes. Toss and bake for another 5 minutes or so. It should be golden brown and crisp.

the filling
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp grated ginger
8-10 medium brussels sprouts, thinly sliced (or other greens like cabbage, kale, or collard greens)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 tbsp @tabanero scotch bonnet hot sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
salt to taste
vegan cheese and avocado for quesadillas

- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes minutes, until it starts becoming translucent. Add ginger and garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add brussels sprouts and cook until softer, about 5 minutes. Then add the tofu.
- Add all spices: cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Combine well for a minute.
- Now add the hot sauce and soy sauce. Combine well, taste, and adjust to your preference if needed!
- To assemble a quesadilla: take a large tortilla and pile on vegan cheese, the filling, and some more hot sauce. Cook on a pan with a little oil for a few minutes on each side until crisp on both sides! 

#veganuary #plantbasedrecipes #veganlunch #tofurecipes
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