Sweet potato nachos are the ultimate vegan game day recipe! Crispy sweet potatoes are topped with a refreshing and flavorful black bean salsa and lightly spicy, creamy cashew "queso" in this delicious recipe.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a large baking sheet or line with parchment paper. You will likely need two sheet pans and will need to work in batches unless you have a convection oven.
Wash the sweet potatoes well and pat to dry. Keep the skins on! Slice sweet potatoes into ¼ inch rounds using a very sharp knife or mandolin.
Add the sliced sweet potatoes a large bowl and toss to coat with oil. You can also just coat them directly on the sheet pan.
Layer on a lightly oiled or parchment paper lined baking sheet. The sweet potatoes should not be overlapping. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes total, flipping halfway through for even cooking. The sweet potatoes are ready when firm and crisp. Keep a close eye on them during the last 10 minutes of cooking so that they don't burn.
Black Bean Salsa
Make the marinade/sauce in a small bowl by whisking together the lime juice, apple cider vinegar and agave syrup.
Add the salsa ingredients to a large bowl: black beans, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno, corn, tomatoes. Drizzle the marinade onto the salsa and sprinkle with cumin, chili powder and salt. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cashew Queso
Drain water off of the soaked cashews. Roughly chop the chipotle peppers.
Add all ingredients to a blender: cashews, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, miso, onion powder, garlic powder, corn starch. Blend until very smooth. This will take anywhere from 1-2 minutes depending on the strength of your blender.
Transfer the queso to a small sauce pot and cover with a lid. Cook over medium-low heat until warmed through. Add an extra splash of water to thin as needed.
Serving
Place sweet potato nachos in a large serving dish or on individual plates. Serve black bean salsa from a slotted spoon (this will drain off the excess liquid) and drizzle with cashew queso. Top with fresh chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice and diced avocado. Enjoy!
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Notes
Canola oil makes the sweet potatoes crispy, but any other neutral oil, like olive oil or vegetable, will work here.
Soaking cashews: You don't need a high speed blender to make the cashew sauce. Soaking the cashews helps soften them and makes them easier to blend. Soak cashews in very hot water for an hour (I use my tea kettle) or in cool water overnight or up to 24 hours. The longer they are soaked the easier they will be to blend.
Black bean salsa: Prefer a warm salsa? Transfer the salsa to a medium sauce pot. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Storage: Store components separately. Cover and keep refrigerate for up to 3-4 days for best quality.