These Sweet Potato Nachos are a fun twist on traditional nachos! They're made with crispy sweet potato chips topped with seasoned black beans, melty pepper jack, and all of your favorite nacho toppings!
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Is there anything better than digging into a heaping plate of nachos? I don't think so! And these healthy nachos are the perfect way to satisfy your nacho craving with a little bit of a flavor twist!
When I originally wrote this recipe I topped it with my citrus shredded beef and dairy-free avocado sauce. But feedback from readers is they wanted a vegetarian nacho option and real cheese. So after retesting this recipe, I hope you enjoy the update!
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📖Why This Recipe Works
Crispy Sweet Potatoes- Most sweet potato nacho recipes used baked sweet potato wedges. But even if you air-fry, they are going to be soggy after you add the toppings. I always use sweet potato chips, preferably the ones cooked in coconut oil or avocado oil because they are still healthier than regular nachos but they stay so crispy!
Ready in minutes. These nachos make the perfect easy and quick meal or simple appetizer. They're ready in 15 minutes from start to finish!
Perfect flavor balance. You get the subtly sweet flavor of sweet potatoes, the tangy citrus flavor of lime, and the spicy creaminess of pepper jack cheese...it really is the perfect combination of flavors all in one delicious dish. Follow the recipe listed or get creative with all of your favorite toppings.
🧾Ingredient Notes
Sweet Potato Chips - I use a bag of store-bought sweet potato chips to keep this recipe extra easy but feel free to make homemade sweet potato chips if you're feeling extra ambitious.
What are the best chips for sweet potato nachos?
My two favorite brands of sweet potato chips are Jackson's Chips, which I used for these photos, and Terra Chips. Terra makes a beet and sweet potato chip that is a fun option.
Black beans - You'll need one can of black beans, drained. You can also use pinto beans or refried beans.
Lime Juice - I recommend fresh lime juice for the best flavor.
Seasonings - We're seasoning our beans with a simple mix of cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Feel free to add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes if you like a little extra heat.
Cheese - The creamy texture and slightly spicy flavor of shredded pepper jack is perfectly melted over sweet potato chips. You can also use Monterrey jack, cheddar cheese, or a Mexican cheese blend.
Toppings - I like to finish these nachos off with avocado, cilantro, red onion, and sour cream. You can also lighten things up a bit by swapping the sour cream out for plain Greek yogurt.
Or you can combine the avocado and sour cream and make a simple avocado crema to drizzle on top. Chopped tomatoes and homemade salsas are also options.
In addition to shredded beef, you can use chipotle chicken or BBQ beef on top.
Dairy-Free Variation
To make these dairy-free and vegan you can substitute vegan cheese or make my dairy-free horseradish cream and use that in place.
💭 Nacho Topping Ideas
There are so many options for healthy nachos. Avoiding cheese, sour cream, and other calorie-laden low-nutrient toppings is key.
Here are some of my favorite nacho toppings:
- Avacado
- Cilantro
- Jalapenos
- Tomatoes
- Sunflower Seeds
- Cashew cream
- Bacon
- Guacamole
- Hot Sauce
- Black Olives
- Scallions
- Black Beans
- Salsa or Pico de Gallo
- Sweet Peppers
- BBQ Sauce
⏲️How to Make Sweet Potato Nachos
This sweet potato nacho recipe is the perfect light meal, snack, or appetizer ready in a total of 15 minutes!
Step 1 - Assemble
The first step is the beans! To make your beans, combine the black beans, lime juice, and spices in a mixing bowl. Microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time.
I generally don't salt the beans because the chips are always plenty salty.
Next, spread the sweet potato chips on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Be sure to spread them in a single so they cook evenly. Top the chips with the beans, then layer than evenly with shredded cheese.
Step 2 - Cook, Garnish, and Serve
Next, preheat the broiler in your oven and cook the nachos for 3-6 minutes, checking at 3 minutes, then adding time as needed. It is super important that you watch them carefully so as not to burn the cheese or chips! I prefer to cook them on the lowest rack to ensure the bits and pieces do not burn!
Once the cheese is melted, pull the nachos out of the oven, layer on all your favorite toppings, then serve immediately!
🥗What to Serve with Nachos
These nachos are plenty hearty to be enjoyed all on their own. However, you can totally serve them as part of a larger meal. Serve with Fajita Veggies and Salmon with Pineapple Salsa.
As part of a game day snack bar, I like to serve other vegetarian appetizer recipes like spicy mango salsa, warm or cold cream cheese stuffed peppers, and grilled corn ribs.
And, of course, you can't go wrong with a vodka lemon lime margarita or mezcal grapefruit paloma to sip on!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tip
Want to make your own sweet potato chips? Use a mandolin slicer or a sharp knife to give yourself very thin sweet potato rounds. Be sure you slice them as evenly as possible so they all cook at the same rate.
Once the chips are cut, toss them in a little bit of oil and salt, spread in an even layer on a baking sheet, and bake at 300ºF for 1 ⅕ hours or until the chips are nice and crispy!
From there, you can assemble your nachos immediately or let the chips cool and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
🌡️Storing Leftovers
Fully assembled nachos are best served immediately as the nacho toppings will make the chips soggy the longer they sit.
However, if you do have leftovers and want to save them, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. To reheat, spread back out on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until heated through.
🥗More Sweet Potato Recipes
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
It is pretty much unavoidable that nachos get soggy as they sit. So, the real and true secret to crispy nachos is to just serve them immediately after assembling them! This way, you can enjoy that perfectly crispy texture totally uncompromised.
The key is to create a barrier between the crispy chips and the wetter nacho toppings such as salsas or creams. In this case, we layer the chips with beans and melted cheese. The melted cheese in particular separates the toppings from the chips just enough that they stay crispier for longer.
📖 Recipe
Loaded Sweet Potato Nachos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 bag sweet potato chips
- 1 cup black beans drained
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1½ cups pepper jack cheese shredded
- 1 avocado diced
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup red onion diced
- optional toppings- jalapenos, tomatoes, sour cream, scallions
Instructions
- Pre-heat broiler. Line sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Arrange sweet potato chips in a single layer.1 bag sweet potato chips
- Mix together the black beans, lime juice, and spices in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 to 2 minutes in the microwave, stirring halfway through.1 cup black beans, 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Top the sweet potatoes with the beans and top with the shredded cheese. Broil for 3-6 minutes. Keep a close eye, don't let the chips burn.1½ cups pepper jack cheese
- Top with the avocado, cilantro, onion, and sour cream or other toppings as desired.1 avocado, ¼ cup cilantro leaves, optional toppings- jalapenos, tomatoes, sour cream, scallions, ¼ cup red onion
Carol says
The beef that is on this recipe is absolutely delicious. I would make that again on its own. Using sweet potato chips made this recipe fast and easy. Would make again, next time maybe with a cashew cheese.