Vegan Refried Lentil Nachos Recipe

What's not to love about nachos? Tortilla chips buried in salty, tangy, warm, and cheesy ingredients make this appetizer an enduring favorite. It's a comfort food that usually features meat and cheese, but this plant-based version featuring lentils is just as fun and delicious.

Recipe developer Michelle Bottalico has created this vegan lentil nacho recipe that's moist, creamy, and bursting with flavor and color. It has all the comfort and interest of traditional nachos while sticking to plant-based ingredients. These nachos are anything but dry and boring.

Bottalico says, "I decided to cook up some refried lentils for this recipe instead of tossing the lentils on the chips plain because plain lentils tend to dry out. This way, they add more flavor and moisture to the dish." The nacho "cheese" sauce is made from blended cashews, which is an easy way to make a creamy alternative to cheese. The layered nachos are topped with red onion, tomato, cilantro, jalapeño slices, and caramelized onion. "The caramelized onions are my favorite part," says Bottalico. "They have such a rich and delicious flavor, and I think those moist and salty bits of onion bring everything together and make the whole dish more fun." Served with guacamole and pico de gallo, these vegan lentil nachos are flavorful, filling, and satisfying. 

To make the vegan nacho sauce, you'll need raw, unsalted cashews. Try not to use roasted or salted ones, because they will change the flavor. A carrot adds color, and garlic, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and salt add savory depth. You'll also use water to get the creaminess just right. If desired, you can add jalapeño pepper for a more traditional nacho flavor, or nutritional yeast, which some vegans like to use. The refried lentils require canned brown lentils, and you'll cook garlic, onion, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and optional chili powder in olive oil with the lentils to infuse them with flavor.

You'll need tortilla chips for the base, of course. Nachos wouldn't be the same without lots of toppings, and this recipe calls for red onion, pickled jalapeño slices, caramelized onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. Caramelized onions are traditionally cooked in butter, so to make this vegan you can make them with oil, or even just with a small amount of water or vegetable broth. Make sure they're warm before you top the nachos with them. Have some guacamole and pico de gallo on hand for serving the dish.

These nachos are customizable, so if you're not a cilantro fan, you can use parsley or other herbs. Mix up the veggies if you prefer. Cabbage, radish, lettuce, and beets are all tasty and unique choices.

To make the vegan nacho sauce, first place the cashews and carrot in a small saucepan and cover with water.

Bring the water to a boil, and then lower the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrot is tender.

Drain the cashews and carrot and place them in a blender or food processor.

Add the remaining nacho sauce ingredients to the blender and blend on high until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set aside.

To make the refried lentils, first heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium heat.

When the oil is hot, add the garlic and yellow onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent.

Add the cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and optional chili powder and cook for 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices release their aroma.

Add the lentils and about ½ cup of water and stir until evenly mixed.

Raise the heat to high until the mixture comes to a boil, and then immediately lower it to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes until most of the water is absorbed.

Mash the lentil mixture with a fork until it reaches the desired consistency. You can make it smooth or leave a rustic texture. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. 

Evenly distribute half of the tortilla chips on a large baking sheet.

Top with half of the vegan nacho sauce and refried lentils (arranged evenly in spoonfuls), red onion, and jalapeños.

Repeat with another layer of chips, nacho sauce, and lentils.

Bake the nachos for 10-12 minutes until the nacho sauce is hot.

Top the baked nachos with warm caramelized onions, tomato, and cilantro.

Serve immediately with guacamole and pico de gallo on the side.

It's important to soak the cashews first. Blending them after soaking will create cashew cream, which is one of the secrets to achieving smooth and creamy vegan sauces. You can make it without soaking them, but the result will be gritty unless you have a high-powered blender that can really break them down.

There are several ways to soak cashews, so you can choose the one that works best with your schedule. The first way is to place them in a bowl, cover them with water, and let them sit for 8-12 hours. Give them a quick rinse before you use them. A quicker way is to pour boiling water over them. This way they only need to soak for an hour or two. The quickest way, which this recipe calls for, is to place the cashews and water in a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil, and let them simmer for 15 minutes.

Many people prefer to cut back on canned foods, perhaps to reduce sodium intake, chemical exposure, or waste. Dried lentils work just as well in this recipe, but you'll need to cook them first. Lentils are one of the easier legumes to cook from their dried versions because they don't need to be soaked first. They'll still cook quickly because they're so small.

Use 1 heaping cup of dried lentils to get about the same amount of cooked lentils as there are in the 2 15-ounce cans that the recipe calls for. To cook them, first rinse the lentils and then place them in a pan with 3 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil, and then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 15-20 minutes. Lastly, don't add salt to uncooked beans because it makes the skins tough. Wait until the lentils are finished cooking before salting them, or just use them unsalted in the recipe and salt the refried lentils to taste.

You can save time by preparing the components of these vegan lentil nachos ahead of time. Just make sure you don't assemble the nachos until you're ready to bake them, or the tortilla chips will get soggy. The same goes for baking — don't bake the final dish ahead of time because these nachos are best enjoyed crispy and hot right out of the oven.

The vegan nacho sauce and the refried lentils can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to use them. If the lentils have become too dense, heat them up with a little water and stir well to restore their creaminess before dressing the chips. Chop the onion, tomato, and cilantro ahead of time and store them in airtight containers in the fridge until you need them. This way you're ready to assemble your vegan nachos in minutes.