Oven Roasted Zucchini Nachos

These Oven Roasted Zucchini Nachos are the perfect recipe to use up all your zucchini from the garden! Zucchini makes the perfect substitute for tortilla chips in this recipe. These Zucchini Nachos are easy and simple to make and taste extraordinary!

Name someone who doesn't love nachos and I will come knocking on their door with a plate of these Zucchini Nachos. I promise that their mind will be blown. I love nachos, they are one of my favorite fun dinners to make. My husband and I still talk about this restaurant we used to go to all the time when we lived in Monterey, Peter B's. They had the most amazing nachos on the planet. The plate of nachos was bigger than your head. It was so good. Fast forward to five years ago when I started to develop crippling stomach pain and digestive issues. I was able to trace most of the issues back to dairy and my heart broke in two. Not my beloved nachos!

Never fail, I wasn't going to give up that easily. I went on a quest to perfect the best dairy-free nachos. Two years ago I went vegan as a continuation of ongoing health issues so these nachos got adapted again. These vegan zucchini nachos are so amazing and delicious, you won't even miss the real thing. Also, the vegan "taco meat" is made from lentils. Lentils are super nutrient-dense and packed with protein, I couldn't even finish my whole plate. Try these nachos out, you won't regret it!

What's the Background on Nachos Anyways?

Okay, so nachos first made their appearance in 1943 in the small town of Piedras Negras which is a small town in Mexico that is close to the US border and close to Fort Duncan in Texas. It is said that a group of military wives, whose husbands were stationed at the Texan base, spent the day shopping in Eagle Pass which is a city in Texas.

After shopping, they chose to stop for some dinner but they found out that all the restaurants were closed. Ignacio Anaya, chef at the old Victory Club in Piedras Negras felt bad for them and decided to cook something out of what was left in the kitchen. He sliced and fried some tortilla chips, covered them with shredded cheddar and sliced jalapeños, and put it all in the oven for a couple of minutes. He then served the snack to the ladies, naming it after himself, Ignacio, or rather his nickname Nacho. The dish was called, ‘Nachos Especiales.’ This recipe was later recorded in an Eagle Pass church cookbook and gives Ignacio the credit for creating the dish. Thus, nachos were born.

How to make these Oven Roasted Zucchini Nachos

These nachos couldn't be easier to make. They are perfect for Summer when your garden is overflowing with Zucchini. I love to use up my zucchini this way because you can taste the flavor of the zucchini. Homegrown zucchini has such an amazing flavor compared to store-bought.

Zucchini Prep

To start these nachos, you are going to first prep your zucchini. Slice your zucchini into rounds and toss with a little olive oil. Lay flat on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes in a 425-degree oven.

Lentil Taco Meat Prep

To cook the lentils, rinse one cup of uncooked lentils well. Add the lentils to a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes are up, you will want to drain your lentils. One cup of uncooked lentils will make about 2 cups cooked. To make the taco meat, you are going to chop up one onion and saute it in a pan over medium heat. Once the onion is translucent, you will add two cups of cooked lentils and stir to combine. Add in your chili powder, cayenne powder, paprika, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder. Stir everything up and then add about half a cup of water and stir well. Set your taco meat aside while you prep the cheese sauce.

Cheese Sauce Prep

To prep, the cheese sauce, bring a pot of water to boil. Add one roughly chopped carrot, one chopped potato, and half a cup of cashews. Boil on high for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes are up, you will remove and drain the pan. Add the potato, cashews, and carrot to a high-speed blender along with the nutritional yeast, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, almond milk, and salt and pepper. Blend on high until everything is combined and your sauce is smooth.

How to assemble the Zucchini Nachos

To assemble the nachos, first layer your zucchini then top with the taco meat and cheese sauce. Feel free to add any additional toppings that you like. I added black beans, jalapeños, tomatoes and guacamole.

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OVEN ROASTED ZUCCHINI NACHOS

kaydimaggio

These Oven Roasted Zucchini Nachos are the perfect recipe for those trying to lighten up and cut out some carbs. Zucchini makes the perfect substitute for tortilla chips in this recipe. These Zucchini Nachos are easy and simple to make and taste extraordinary!

5 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Course Entree

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 servings

Calories 585 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 medium zucchini
• 1 cup uncooked lentils
• 1 carrot
• 1 russet potato
• ½ cup cashews
• 1 onion
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Diced tomatoes-optional
• 1 cup black beans-optional
• 1 cup jalapeños- optional
• Guacamole for topping- optional

Instructions

 

• Zucchini PrepSlice the zucchini into rounds and toss with a little olive oil. Lay flat on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes in a 425-degree oven.
• Lentil Taco Meat PrepTo cook the lentils, rinse one cup of uncooked lentils really well.
• Add the lentils to a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.
• After the 30 minutes are up, you will want to drain your lentils.
• Chop up one onion and saute it in a pan over medium heat. Once the onion is translucent, you will add two cups of cooked lentils and stir to combine.
• Add in your chili powder, cayenne powder, paprika, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder.
• Stir everything up and then add half a cup of water and stir well. Set your taco meat aside while you prep the cheese sauce.
• Cheese Sauce PrepBring a pot of water to boil.
• Add one roughly chopped carrot, one chopped potato, and half a cup of cashews. Boil on high for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes are up, remove and drain the pan.
• Add the potato, cashews, and carrot to a high-speed blender along with the nutritional yeast, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, almond milk, and salt and pepper. Blend on high until everything is combined and the sauce is smooth.
• Nacho PrepLayer the zucchini, taco meat and cheese sauce on a plate. Top with black beans, jalapeños, tomatoes and guacamole. Serve warm. 

Notes

• This is best served immediately, if you want to store leftovers, store everything separately. 
• This recipe is gluten free and vegan

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 585kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 31gFat: 13.5gSaturated Fat: 2.4gSodium: 102mgFiber: 28.8gSugar: 11.3g

Keyword cheese sauce, mexican, nachos

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