These sweet potato nachos are loaded with healthy ingredients like black beans, corn and avocado. Customize this healthy appetizer to make it vegan, paleo or top with whatever you have in the pantry. This recipe makes a great appetizer or creative dinner!
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I've been working on a collection of healthy appetizers for you and these sweet potato nachos are another in that list. They're easy, heathy and everyone loves them! They make a great party food and they fit into so many diets, especially gluten-free.
Why We Love Sweet Potato Nachos
- Gluten-free: they're naturally gluten free and can easily be made dairy free with our cashew queso.
- Easy to customize: nachos can take the form of whatever you have on hand in the pantry. Throw some shredded chicken, ground beef, beans, salsa, cilantro, guac or tomatoes on top.
- Makes dinner exciting: switch up taco night and make a big batch of sweet potato nachos instead. The kids will love it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can definitely eat sweet potato skin! In fact, the skin is really good for you. It's filled with vitamins, fiber and potassium. I recommend thinly slicing the sweet potatoes with the skin on for this recipe.
Traditionally nachos are made with tortilla chips. However, this nacho recipe is made with sweet potatoes instead! The bottom is a layer of sweet potatoes seasoned with paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. The sweet potatoes are topped with traditional nacho toppings including: corn, black beans, onion, jalapeno, tomato and cilantro.
Why are my sweet potato chips not crispy?
I have to give you a heads up, these sweet potato nachos won't be quite as crispy as traditional nachos because they're made with sweet potatoes. But you won't be lacking flavor at all. To help get them crispy, here are a few tips:
- If you have time, soak the sweet potatoes in water to remove surface starches.
- Toss the sweet potato chips in a little cornstarch prior to drizzling them with oil.
- Arrange the sweet potatoes in an even layer and bake them first.
- Broil for a little bit at the end of cooking
- Eat them while they're fresh and hot
How to Make Sweet Potato Nachos
- Prep the sweet potatoes: Peel sweet potatoes and thinly slice them using a knife or mandoline. If you have time, soak the sweet potatoes in a bowl of water for at least one hour to remove extra surface starch and help them crisp up in the oven. Remove them from the water, pat them dry and place them in a large bowl.
- Bake the sweet potato chips: Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. Carefully remove them from oven and add the black beans, corn and cheese if using. Do not add the cashew queso during this step if you're using it.
- Add the warm toppings: Once they're cooked, add the black beans and cheese (if using) and put them back in the oven.
- Add the cold toppings: Finally, top the sweet potato nachos with jalapeno, tomato, guacamole, avocado, and corn before serving. Eat right away!
Make Them Vegan
Instead of baking these sweet potato nachos with traditional shredded cheese, make this vegan cashew queso and put it on top. Top the sweet potato nachos with the vegan queso after the warm toppings are heating through, but before you add the cold toppings.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, don't forget to follow me on Instagram and tag me with @what_mollymade so I can see it and feature you.
More healthy appetizers:
- Creamy avocado dip
- Healthy spinach artichoke dip
- Crock pot healthy buffalo chicken dip
- Cauliflower buffalo wings
Sweet Potato Nachos
Ingredients
Nachos
- 3 medium sweet potatoes thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can corn
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend see notes for dairy free*
- ½ red onion diced
- 1 jalapeno sliced
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes seeded and diced
- Fresh cilantro, salsa and guacamole to serve
Recommended Equipment
- Sheet Pan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set aside.
- Peel sweet potatoes and thinly slice them using a knife or mandoline. If you have time, soak the sweet potatoes in a bowl of water for at least one hour to remove extra surface starch and help them crisp up in the oven. Remove them from the water, pat them dry and place them in a large bowl.
- Sprinkle the sweet potato chips with the corn starch, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss one more time. Dump the sweet potato chips out onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer, doing your best not to overlap any so they crisp up.
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. Carefully remove them from oven and add the black beans, corn and cheese if using. Do not add the cashew queso during this step if you're using it.
- Reduce heat to 350°F and place back in the oven for 7-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and heated through.
- When the nachos are done, remove from oven and top with onion, jalapeno, avocado and tomatoes. Top with cashew queso if using. Garnish the nachos with chopped cilantro and jalapeno lime ranch.
Madison says
Love all of the WMM recipes I’ve made so far and this one is no different! Can’t wait to make these again for cinco de Mayo tomorrow!
Molly Thompson says
Thank you, Madison!! Hope you had a great cinco de mayo!