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Fully Loaded Sheet Pan Vegan Nachos with Creamy Plant Based cheese

Fully Loaded Sheet Pan Vegan Nachos with Creamy Plant-Based Cheese

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine American, Vegan
Servings 4 (generous portions)

Equipment

  • Sheet pan (rimmed) Essential for baking and layering your nachos.
  • Blender or food processor Needed to whip up the creamy vegan nacho cheese sauce.
  • Mixing bowls For prepping and tossing veggies and beans.
  • Spatula or spoon For drizzling the cheese and layering toppings.

Ingredients
  

For the Nachos

  • 1 large bag of tortilla chips choose sturdy, thick-cut chips to hold all the toppings
  • 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn kernels fresh, frozen, or canned
  • 1 small red onion finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 jalapeño sliced (optional, for heat)
  • 1 avocado diced
  • 1/4 cup sliced black olives
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • Juice of 1 lime

For the Vegan Nacho Cheese

  • 1 cup raw cashews soaked in water for at least 4 hours or boiled for 10 minutes
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or any plant-based milk
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce optional

Instructions
 

Preheat the Oven

  1. Set your oven to 375°F (190°C). While the oven heats, start prepping your toppings.

Make the Vegan Nacho Cheese

  1. In a blender, combine soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, almond milk, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, salt, olive oil, and hot sauce if using. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. This vegan nacho cheese is the heart of the recipe—it brings warmth, richness, and a delicious cheesy tang without any dairy.
  2. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. If it’s too thick, add a bit more plant milk until pourable.

Layer the Nachos

  1. On your sheet pan, spread an even layer of tortilla chips. Scatter the black beans, corn, red onion, bell pepper, jalapeño (if using), and olives on top.
  2. Drizzle half of the vegan nacho cheese generously over the nachos.
  3. Add a second layer of chips, repeat with remaining toppings, and drizzle the rest of the vegan cheese sauce.
  4. This layering technique helps you avoid the dreaded chip-only bottom layer and gives you those truly fully loaded vegan nachos.

Bake

  1. Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for 10–15 minutes, or until everything is heated through and the edges of the chips start to crisp up.

Garnish and Serve

  1. Remove from the oven and top with diced avocado, cherry tomatoes, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve immediately for the best flavor and texture.
  2. Optional add-ons: Add a drizzle of hot sauce, a spoonful of guacamole, or your favorite salsa. This can also pair beautifully with pickled red onions or a quick vegan sour cream.