Loaded Vegan Potato Nachos
- salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 pounds baby potatoes (or enough to cover one baking sheet in a single layer) sliced in halves or thirds
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or enough to lightly coat potatoes)
- 8 ounces shredded vegan cheddar (i used daiya cheddar style shreds. use real cheddar cheese if you wish.)
- 15- ounce can black beans drained and rinsed, patted dry
- 1 cup frozen corn cooked, patted dry
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced
- 1/3 cup pepitas toasted
- 1 cup sungold tomatoes or cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 medium-small jalapeã±o, optional minced
- 1 large avocado diced
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1 handful fresh cilantro chopped
- salsa, optional for serving
- hot sauce, optional for serving
- Carbohydrate 55.1662818318726 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 14.8950150352489 g
- Fiber 10.3117797801897 g
- Protein 9.88458649949365 g
- Saturated Fat 2.40072810809988 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (419g)
- Sodium 896.20182734997 mg
- Sugar 44.854502051683 g
- Trans Fat 0.881385222024528 g
- Calories 373 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oven to 425 degrees.
- Toss the potatoes in olive oil and cumin on a rimmed metal baking sheet. Make sure the potatoes are in a single layer.
- Roast the potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender, flipping after 10 minutes.
- Top the potatoes with the shredded cheese, then return the potatoes to the oven for about 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Top the cheesy potatoes evenly with the beans, corn, and red bell pepper, then return the potatoes to the oven for a couple minutes more, or until the toppings are hot.
- Meanwhile, gently toss the cubed avocado with lime juice and salt.
- Right before serving, top the potatoes with the pepitas, tomatoes, jalapeno, avocado, and cilantro.
- Serve with salsa and hot sauce, if you wish.
Starchy tubers replace traditional corn chips as a sturdy base capable of supporting heavy toppings without structural failure. Roasting halved baby potatoes directly on a metal baking sheet at 425 degrees Fahrenheit promotes rapid starch gelatinization inside and crisp lipid contact on the exterior. Achieving the correct doneness relies entirely on visual and textural indicators rather than internal temperature probes.
Judging Doneness and Managing Batch Sizes
Watch for a deep golden-brown crust and a skin that yields completely to the pressure of a metal spatula after 20 minutes of total heat application. Flipping the tubers at the 10-minute mark ensures even browning on both contact surfaces without scorching the cumin seasoning. Melt the shredded vegan cheddar during a brief three-minute secondary oven exposure until the shreds lose their distinct borders and bubble slightly. Scaling this preparation requires maintaining a strict single layer on the sheet pan; crowding the metal surface traps steam, resulting in soft-boiled starches instead of roasted edges.
- Overcrowding the baking pan causes steaming instead of roasting; use two pans if doubling the batch.
- Patting black beans and frozen corn completely dry prevents excess moisture from pooling beneath the melted cheese.
- Tossing diced avocado in lime juice immediately halts enzymatic browning before final assembly.
