These tofu nachos came out of a need for a heartier, plant-based dinner (and a deep love for tortilla chips piled high with toppings). Crispy shredded tofu layered with black beans, pickled jalapeños, and melted vegan cheese. Finished with fresh pico de gallo, creamy avocado slices, and fresh cilantro. Vegan, gluten-free, and ready in 25 minutes.
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Ingredients for vegan tofu nachos
Shredded tofu
- Extra-firm tofu: grated with a box grater, seasoned well, and sautéed until golden and crispy. The texture and flavor pairs well with the other ingredients and makes a great meat alternative alongside the beans.
- Avocado oil: used for sautéing the tofu and helps it crisp without drying out.
- Garlic granules and onion powder: savory seasoning for the tofu
- Dried cilantro: adds an herby flavor. Omit if you're not a fan of cilantro.
- Salt: enhances and balances the other flavors.
Nachos
- Tortilla chips: use thick chips as they hold up well with all of the toppings.
- Vegan cheese: Violife Mexican Style Shreds and Follow Your Heart both melt well.
- Black beans: adds protein and meaty notes to the nachos, as well as additional creamy texture.
- Pickled jalapeños: heat and a briny tang that's mild yet addictive. Omit if sensitive to heat.
- Avocado: diced or sliced, added after baking. The creaminess helps mellow out the bold flavors beautifully.
- Pico de gallo (or salsa): store-bought or homemade works.
- Fresh cilantro: optional, but a bright finishing touch.
How to make tofu nachos
1. Shred and season the tofu
Drain and pat the tofu dry. Grate directly into a large mixing bowl using the large side of a box grater. Season with garlic granules, onion powder, dried cilantro (optional), and salt. Toss to coat.
2. Sauté the tofu
Warm a skillet over medium-low heat and add a tablespoon of avocado oil. Add the seasoned tofu and drizzle with another tablespoon of oil. Leave undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, stir, and cook for another 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy. Don't over-crisp, it will continue to cook briefly in the oven.
3. Assemble
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread tortilla chips in an even layer. Top with vegan cheese, black beans, diced red onion (optional), pickled jalapeños, and the sautéed tofu. Add another layer of cheese on top.
4. Bake
Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese has fully melted. If needed, switch to broil for 2-3 minutes to finish melting the cheese, just keep a close eye to prevent the nachos from burning.
5. Finish and serve
Remove from the oven and top with diced avocado, pico de gallo, and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with extra salsa and/or guacamole.
Tips for making the best vegan nachos
- Thick tortilla chips: skip the thin and crispy tortilla chips for this recipe. Thicker chips hold up better under the toppings.
- Layer the cheese: add half the cheese directly onto the tortillas, add the toppings that are getting baked, then the rest of the cheese. This will help keep the toppings in place and create layers of creamy melty cheese.
- Melted cheese: not all vegan cheese melts the same. Follow Your Heart, Chao, and Violife easily melt. If your cheese needs help melting, switch the oven to broil for 2-3 minutes to fully melt and watch carefully to prevent the chips from burning.
- Top and serve immediately: nachos soften as they sit, especially when they're loaded. Have the cold toppings (avocado, salsa, cilantro, etc.) prepped and ready to go before the sheet pan comes out of the oven.
Ways to customize these tofu nachos
- Tortilla chips: sliced sweet potatoes or russet potatoes are a heartier, corn-free base. Check out these sweet potato nachos for a recipe to get you started.
- Pickled jalapeños: fresh (seeds removed for less spice) or candied jalapeños also work. For a milder heat, banana peppers are a great subsitute as well.
- Red onion: scallions, added after baking are a great alternative or feel free to omit since we have red onion in the pico.
- Shredded tofu: marinated tempeh or my walnut taco meat work well.
More toppings to add, only after baking:
- Edamame guacamole or this simple no tomato guacamole
- Diced tomatoes
- Black or green olives
- Vegan queso or sour cream
- Chopped lettuce, spinach, or arugula
- Creamy cilantro jalapeño sauce
How to store
These nachos are best eaten straight out of the oven. As they sit, the chips soften and become soggy and much less appetizing.
For meal prep, the shredded tofu keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The prepped toppings will keep for up to 3 days, stored seperately. Assemble and bake when ready to eat.
The shredded tofu makes about double what you need for one batch of nachos. Use the leftovers in grain bowls, salads, wraps, tacos, and pizza.
📋 Recipe
Vegan Loaded Nachos with Shredded Tofu
Equipment
- baking sheet
- cutting board + knife
- grater and mixing bowl
- measuring cups and spoons
- medium-large non-stick skillet
Ingredients
Shredded Tofu
- 15 oz block extra-firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon each of salt and onion granules
- 1 teaspoon each of garlic granules and dried cilantro
Nachos
- 1 9 oz bag tortilla chips I used Zack's Mighty Organic Sea Salt
- 1 cup Violife Mexican Style vegan cheese shreds
- ½ cup black beans, rinsed and drained or sub pinto
- ¼ cup red onion, diced optional
- ¼ cup pickled jalapeños, diced
- pico de Gallo measure with your heart as you top
- diced avocado I used ½ of a large avocado
- ¼-⅓ cup chopped cilantro or cilantro microgreens
Instructions
- Drain and pat the tofu dry. Grate into a large bowl using the large side of a box grater. Season with garlic granules, onion powder, dried cilantro, and salt. Toss to coat.
- Warm a skillet over medium-low heat and then add a tablespoon of avocado oil. Add the tofu and drizzle with another tablespoon of oil. Leave undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, stir, and cook for another 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy. Don't over cook here, as it will bake/crisp briefly in the oven too.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread chips in an even layer. Add half the vegan cheese (½ cup), then the red onion, black beans, jalapeños, and tofu. Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese has fully melted. Switch to broil for 2-3 minutes if needed, just watch carefully to prevent the chips from burning.
- Remove from the oven and top with diced avocado, pico de gallo, and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with extra salsa, guacamole, or vegan queso.
Notes
Made these for dinner or game day? Leave a rating and tell me how you loaded yours in the comments below.
xo, Morgan
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