These healthy but oh so good summer nachos are our favorite! The kids love helping me out; they cut all the veggies, load the sheet pan, grate the cheese. And they are in charge of the sides (guacamole and refried beans). It is so much fun to make these nachos together!
These summer nachos are made with lots of summer produce like fresh corn, zucchini, bell pepper and cherry tomatoes. And the walnut chorizo is SO good. I was so happy when the kids said they liked it (they thought it was ground beef!). With all the garnishing this sheet pan of nachos is a true treat (for dinner!).
How to make these healthy but oh so good summer nachos?
These healthy summer nachos comes together so quick and easy. And it is so fun to do; layer after layer of colorful ingredients all piled on top of (homemade whole wheat) tortilla chips.
Pickle the red onions and/or radishes
If you don’t have a jar in your fridge already (which you should, believe me!), make some pickled red onions and/or radishes. Within 30 minutes they are ready! Just combine all ingredients in a jar, give it a shake and refrigerate.
Make the walnut chorizo
To make the walnut chorizo for these vegetarian nachos, I pulse all the ingredients except for the water in a high speed blender into a coarse crumbly consistency. Then I add a tablespoon of water and pulse again. Now it will have the consistency of ground chorizo! All the spices give this walnut chorizo so much flavor and the texture is so good! I even convinced my kids to eat it. WIN!
‘Build’ the nachos
To start, I divide all the tortilla chips over a sheet pan. To give them some flavor and a kick, I sprinkle some homemade Mexican spice mix over them. But you don’t have to. You can leave it out; totally optional.
I divide half of the cheese over the chips. This I cover with the walnut chorizo, black beans, fresh corn, halved cherry tomatoes, diced zucchini and bell peppers. Now I add the rest of the cheese to it. Splitting up the cheese will divide it better and have both soft melted cheese and some crunchy bits on top.
I bake these healthy nachos in a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese has fully melted and is getting crunchy on the top.
In the meantime I make the cilantro crema by combining sour cream, freshly chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Garnish the nachos… add lots of color!
I take the nachos out of the oven and place the sheet pan on a cooling rack. I garnish the nachos with sliced avocado, pickled red onion and/or pickled radishes, freshly chopped coriander leaves and a drizzle of cilantro cream. You can also add some sliced jalapeños if you like some heat.
To make it an even bigger feast I often times make a bowl of guacamole, refried beans and pico de gallo to serve on the side.
Make it vegan
No meat in these nachos. So the only thing you have to do is use vegan cheese and you’ll have vegan nachos!
Keep it gluten free, how?
Just make sure you use corn tortilla chips and this meal is gluten free. Gluten free summer nachos!
This is such a feast! My kids come running into the kitchen to help me make these nachos. I actually think I could let them make them on their own by now…! WE ALL LOVE these healthy but oh so good summer nachos. We hope you do too. They are
healthy – so colorful – packed with flavor and texture – fun to make together – quick and easy to prepare – & OH SO delicious!
Love Mexican food? Check out all my taco recipes! Or this papaya black beans salad as a side makes it even more colorful!
Healthy but oh so good summer nachos
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- food processor or strong blender
Ingredients
Walnut chorizo
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½-1 tsp ground chipotle
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1-2 tbsp water
Nachos
- 1 large bag tortilla chips (enough to fill a 13×18' sheet pan)(OR make tortilla chips yourself*)
- 1-2 tsp Mexican spice mix** (optional)
- 1 cup grated (vegan) cheese (of choice)
- 1 batch walnut chorizo (see above)
- 1 can black beans (drained)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 cobb corn (boiled, corn cut off the cobb)
- ½ cup zucchini (cut into mini cubes)
- ½ cup red bell pepper (cut into mini cubes)
Garnishing
- ½ cup pickled red onions***
- ⅓ cup pickles radishes
- ½ avocado (in slices)
- 1 handful cilantro leaves (roughly chopped)
- 1 jalapeño (sliced, optional)
- ¼ cup cilantro-lime crema****
- extra guacamole***** (on the side, optional)
- 1 cup pico de gallo****** (on the side, optional)
Instructions
Walnut chorizo
- Add all the ingredients for the walnut chorizo (except water) in a food processor and pulse into a coarse crumbly consistency. Add 1 tbsp of water and pulse again. Set aside.
The nachos
- Preheat the oven to 360F/180C.
- Divide tortilla chips over the sheet pan. Optionally sprinkle some Mexican spice mix** over them.
- Divide half of the cheese over the chips. And divide walnut chorizo, beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, zucchini and bell peppers over the chips. Now add the rest of the cheese.
- Bake the nachos in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese has fully melted.
- Take the sheet pan out of the oven and divide the garnishing over it. Place sheet pan in the middle of the table. And place (optional) extra's (guacamole, refried beans, pico de gallo) around it. Enjoy!
Notes
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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