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These cheesy, loaded, vegetarian, late night nachos are super satisfying and ready in under 30 minutes! And the best part: they taste just like the traditional recipe but can be enjoyed completely guilt-free!
There is just something so satisfying about nachos. That gooey, cheesy goodness over crispy tortilla chips: it's indulgent and tasty, the best type of late-night snack. But honestly, these nachos taste so good you'll pretty much want them anytime of the day!
My husband absolutely loves nachos - but was super skeptical that I could actually make them healthy and still taste as good as the traditional recipe.
Challenge, accepted.
Enter: these loaded, late-night, vegetarian nachos. With a few simple swaps you're able to enjoy a GIANT plate of nachos for only about 400 calories, 12g of filling fiber, and 22g of protein - with all of the richness of what nachos are all about!
What makes these late night nachos healthy?
- Using real, organic, corn tortilla chips instead of a processed alternative. These chips only have 3 ingredients: corn, olive oil, salt. You can also make your own at home using cut up corn tortillas, baked in the oven with olive oil cooking spray and salt!
- Adding vegetarian refried beans (either pinto beans or black beans will work well). The key here is that the beans should only have 3 ingredients: beans, salt, and water.
- Adding in TONS of veggies! I chose tomatoes, bell peppers, baby spinach and onions - but you can really add in any veggies you like. The key is to load up the nachos with veggies to amp up the fiber and nutrients.
- Using less cheese. You don't need cups of cheese to make nachos cheesy - that's the beauty of melted cheese! I used about 1/2 cup for 2 servings and that was more than enough!
- Using Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream - that's a healthy swap that adds in more protein, which makes these nachos even more filling.
How to make these guilt-free late night nachos - Step by Step
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. While the oven is preheating, heat the refried beans in a pot over medium heat. Stir in taco seasoning. Cook on low for 5 minutes until combined.
Once the beans are done, add corn chips to the baking sheet. Top with beans, onions, bell peppers, spinach and then cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and top with tomatoes and Greek Yogurt. Serve Warm.
Are Nachos with Cheese still healthy?
Absolutely! The key here is: how much cheese are you using? In this recipe, we only use 1/2 cup of cheese for two giant portions - which only amounts to about 200 calories total. If you're using real, shredded cheese in moderation and are adding extra veggies and other high fiber, high nutrient ingredients (like beans) to your nachos - they are still healthy!
Do traditional nachos usually have beans?
Believe it or not, real authentic nachos are only made with tortilla chips, cheese and jalapeños. Adding beans and other toppings are considered a spinoff of the original. That said, I think these additions just make the original recipe even better! 🙂
Should you use nacho cheese instead of shredded cheese in this recipe?
I wouldn't recommend it! Nacho cheese, technically, isn't even considered a "food" by the FDA. It doesn't meet their standards for real cheese! Plus, shredded cheese just melts so wonderfully over these nachos and makes them slightly crispier too. So, while ballparks and stadiums still use nacho cheese, I'd go with the original recipe on this one and stick to real, shredded cheese. It's better for you, less processed, and much more satisfying!
Can you make these nachos vegan?
Yes! Just omit the cheese and greek yogurt and they are vegan-friendly!
Can you make these nachos gluten-free?
The good news is, they already are gluten free! As long as the corn chips you use aren't made in a facility that also processes wheat, you should be good to go.
Top Tips for Making These Guilt Free Late Night Nachos
- Load up your nachos so you can get as many ingredients on each chip as possible. The more the merrier here!
- If you're adding any of the extra fresh toppings like cilantro or green onions, sprinkle them on after the nachos come out of the oven.
- If you want to add any extra "wet" toppings like salsa, guacamole, etc. serve it on the side of your nachos so you don't end up with a soggy mess!
- Use foil on your baking sheet for easy cleanup.
More Healthy Snack Recipes
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