Vegan Nachos with Chickpea “Cheese” Sauce

by | Updated: June 1st, 2017 | Read time: 1 minute

A failed attempt at making cheesy vegan hummus lead to this spicy, chickpea-based “cheese” sauce. Easy to make and less expensive than cashew cheese, this creamy, allergen-friendly condiment is perfect for anyone looking for a soy- and nut-free version of vegan cheese. Try it on a plate of nachos! Pile your favorite toppings on tortilla chips, spread on this sauce and a bit of cashew cream and dig in!

Plate of Nachos with Vegan Chickpea-Based Cheese and Cashew Cream | Vitacost.com/blog

Ingredients

Cheese sauce

1 (15-oz.) can garbanzo beans
1/3 cup diced roasted red bell pepper
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp. tahini
2 tsp. mustard
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/8 cup diced green chilies
3 Tbsp. minced jalapeños
Salt & pepper, to taste

Nachos

Tortilla chip rounds
Cooked quinoa
Black beans
Red pepper, diced
Jalapeños, diced
Cashew cream

Directions

  1. Prepare cheese sauce. In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine all cheese ingredients and process until smooth, adding water to reach desired consistency.
  2. Assemble nacho ingredients over tortilla chips and drizzle with cheese sauce and cashew sour cream.

Margaret’s note: Store cheese sauce in the fridge for up to 5 days.