Despite its traditional game-day look, this glorious spread is not your average stack of nachos. In a huge win for vegetarian sports fans, we swapped ground beef for meaty tempeh stewed with tomatoes and a winning mix of seasonings. Black beans, punchy radish, creamy avocado, and melty cheese round out a dish that could not be more fun to eat. If you want these nachos to be fully plant-based you can use shredded dairy-free cheese. To go a little more traditional, regular tortilla chips can be used instead of the sweet potato variety.
No beef with tempeh
You might be surprised at how versatile crumbled tempeh can be. Use the crumbles as a meaty meat-free option in grain bowls, tacos, burritos, pasta sauces, lasagna, chili, nachos, and in countless other ways. And it’s easy to modify them to fit any flavor profile: Mexican, Asian, or Italian, for example.
- Bring medium pot of shallow water to a simmer. Add block of tempeh and simmer for 5 minutes per side. Drain tempeh and pat it dry. Allow block to cool, and when cool enough to handle, crumble it into small pieces.
- In skillet, heat oil over medium. Cook tempeh and mushrooms for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tempeh is darkened. Stir in tomato paste and heat for 1 minute. Stir in canned tomatoes, corn, chipotle chili, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder; simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in black beans.
- Preheat oven broiler. Spread half the sweet potato chips out on rimmed baking sheet. Top with half of tempeh mixture, cheese, radish, red onion, and pickled jalapeno, if using. Repeat layering with other half of these ingredients. Scatter on cilantro. Broil for 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Be careful not to burn chips.
- Scatter on avocado before serving and squirt lime juice overtop.
Per serving: 610 calories; 31 g protein; 32 g total fat (9 g sat. fat); 57 g total carbohydrates (13 g sugars, 14 g fiber); 365 mg sodium