Cheesy Game Day Black Bean Nachos

These vegetarian black bean nachos are topped with a creamy cheese sauce to ensure tasty goodness in every bite! 

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Game Day or Sunday Funday is one of my favorite things about the fall and winter season.  It’s really just an excuse to get together with friends, have a few cocktails in the middle of the day and watch football!   What could be better for an afternoon of football watching than some nice cheesy nachos?!!  Nachos are the perfect game day food – bit sized,  easy to make in large batches and easily shareable too.

I’m a massive cheese fan.  Seriously, I might have a problem with cheese.  I don’t think a day goes by where I don’t have cheese in some form.  I know I’m not the only one…right?!?

A lot of nachos are made with shredded cheese, which is great when it’s piping hot, however not as great when it starts to cool and get hard.  Also, you never seem to get enough cheese to cover all the chips,  especially the ones at the very bottom of the pile.

So, what’s the answer?  Cheese sauce!!  When you think of nachos with cheese sauce do you think of being at a sporting event eating slightly stale tortilla chips topped with some type of processed cheese sauce?  No more – there is no sign of processed cheese here!!  I’m talking about creamy, smooth, velvety cheese sauce.  The kind that stays warm for a while and covers all the chips – even if it’s just a little taste of it.

I like to layer in beans for extra protein and fiber.  These seasoned black beans that will remind you of ground beef.  You’ll finish these nachos off with a tangy cilantro-lime sauce, some pico de gallo and diced avocados giving you the perfect vegetarian nachos!

So, invite some friends over, whip up some of these black bean nachos and turn on the game.  It will be a great Sunday Funday!

additional notes from the kitchen

• To serve these nachos any dish with sides will work – you want to be sure the cheese isn’t running off the plate.  I prefer splitting it into two or three servings so I can easily replenish throughout the afternoon or evening without much extra effort.
• The cheese sauce will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days.  I store it in a glass container and then either slowly heat in a pan of simmering water or use the microwave, heating 30 seconds at a time and stirring in between each heating to keep the cheese smooth and creamy.

things you may want for this recipe

Mini Gratin Pans – These little pans are one of my kitchen favorites.  They are great for individual frittatas, pasta dishes or for breaking servings of things like these nachos into multiples so you can place at different spots or serve at different times without too much additional effort.

OXO Good Grips Potato Masher – I like this masher with the open wire curves as it works for mashing everything from potatoes to beans to cauliflower.

Cheesy Game Day Black Bean Nachos

★★★★★ 5 from 6 reviews

• Author: Kathryn | FoodieGirlChicago
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 -8 servings
• Category: Appetizers
• Cuisine: American

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Description

These vegetarian black bean nachos are topped with a creamy cheese sauce to ensure tasty goodness in every bite!

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Ingredients

For the black beans:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• juice from 1 lime
• 1/2 cup fresh salsa

For the chips:

• 10 – 16 oz tortilla chips
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon lime zest

For the Cilantro-Lime Sauce:

• 1/4 cup greek yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
• 1/2 teaspoon green minced green onion
• 1/4 teaspoon finely minced jalapeno
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar
• pinch of salt

For the cheese sauce:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup milk, I recommend using 2%
• 1 1/4 cups shredded cheese, I use a combination of sharp cheddar and Mexican blend
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, minced

To serve:

• 1/2 cup pico de gallo
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Prepare the beans:

1. Heat oil in a 10″ skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook for 5 minutes. Add the beans and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
2. Add the spices, cook until fragrant. About 30 seconds. Using a potato masher, lightly mash the beans. Add the salsa and stir until well blended. Cook for 5 minutes until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat until ready to serve nachos.

Prepare the chips:

1. Spread the chips on a baking sheet with sides. Sprinkle with salt and lime zest. Bake for 5 minutes.

Prepare the Cilantro-Lime sauce:

1. Mix the yogurt and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare the cheese sauce:

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Add milk and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until small bubbles form at the edges of the pan. Stir in the cheese and continue cooking until cheese is melted and the sauce becomes smooth. Turn off heat and keep warm until ready to serve.

To serve the nachos:

1. Add the warm chips to a serving dish or dishes. Top with black beans, cheese sauce and Cilantro-Lime sauce. Add pico, avocado and cilantro. Serve immediately.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4 oz
• Calories: 550

Keywords: vegetarian appetizer, game day snacks