Sweet potato nachos have a base of soft, tender sweet potato slices that are loaded up with beans, cheese and your favorite nacho toppings for a healthier appetizer or easy meal.
Who can resist a big plate of nachos?
My son especially loves these loaded chicken nachos. He always dives right in.
I myself find nachos hard to resist and sometimes they just hit the spot.
Other times, I want to enjoy them, but really want to healthify them or add some veggies or just generally give them a bit of a makeover.
And here we are.
As we all know, sweet potatoes are incredibly versatile, as well as being super nutritious.
Sweet potato toast took the internet by storm a few years ago, and it’s still a great gluten-free swap on regular bread to use for breakfast toast or even for piling on lunch items.
So in that vein, today I’m making sweet potato nachos.
They have a base of soft, tender sweet potato slices that are loaded up with all of our favorite nacho toppings and fixings.
Each bite has a sweet and savory flavor, with plenty of cheesy goodness to hold it all in.
They’re a great healthy appetizer or low-key dinner.
Today’s dish also features one of my favorite combinations: sweet potatoes and black beans.
Previously, I’ve shared sweet potato and black bean enchiladas, which I could eat for days and days and never get sick of.
For a really quick and easy vegetarian dinner, I make this sweet potato, black bean and spinach saute. And this sweet potato and black bean chili is perfect for a cozy, hearty vegetarian meal.
Such a good combo!
OK, let’s get back to the nachos today and let’s get cooking.
Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make sweet potato nachos. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes:
- Sweet potatoes: I like using pretty large, round sweet potatoes for nachos so you get good sized slices. Also, be sure to slice them about ¼-inch thick so they are thin enough to cook through and get tender in the oven.
- Chicken: It helps to chop the chicken into pretty small pieces, so it scatters better over the sweet potatoes. You can use a rotisserie chicken or leftover baked or grilled chicken. You can also use Instant Pot shredded chicken or crock pot shredded chicken, just be sure it’s shredded or chopped in small pieces.
- Meat: You can skip the chicken if you want a vegetarian nacho, or you could sub pulled pork if you have some on hand. Or use cooked ground turkey or ground beef.
- Beans: Black beans are my favorite, but you could substitute pinto beans if you prefer.
- Cheese: I love using a Mexican blend cheese, but a sharp cheddar cheese would work too. You could also do a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese.
As written, this serves about 4 people, maybe 3 if you’re making it a full dinner and everyone is hungry.
But of course, you can adjust the ingredients up or down to make more.
I would recommend, however, that you keep the sweet potatoes in a pretty even layer to cook them in the oven. They are soft and tend to melt together, so you don’t want to stack them up in layers like you might with tortilla chips for regular nachos.
OK, let’s talk toppings.
It’s one of my favorite subjects. And it’s what takes nachos over the top.
I’ve got tons of topping ideas for you here, as well as in the recipe card below, and I’ve also got a few tips and tricks for serving this up.
First, you can set out your toppings in separate bowls or as part of a toppings spread and let everyone serve themselves.
You can also layer your toppings right onto the baking sheet. It’s a fun way to serve to a group and just let everyone dive in.
It’s also a good way to have nachos if you’re watching a game or a movie. Just plop it right on the coffee table and eat up!
This method really only works though if you know everyone likes the same toppings. (Or you could do something like pickled jalapeños on just half of the tray to break it up.)
But either way you go with the toppings, follow this tip.
Tip: Make sure your toppings are ready to go. When the nachos come out of the oven, they need to be served immediately. They cool off quickly so you want to be sure everything else is set.
Now, let’s call out some of our lovely topping ideas. This is where you have the opportunity to make your nachos SUPER loaded.
Topping Ideas:
- Salsa or pico de gallo
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Avocado or guacamole
- Shredded lettuce
- Pickled jalapeno slices
- Sliced green onions
- Sliced or pickled red onions
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Olives
Now, if you’re like me and use a TON of toppings, that makes these nachos pretty much a meal in and of themselves. Nothing else needed.
But, if you want to add some sides, you could also serve a side salad, this avocado salad or some Mexican coleslaw to go with nachos. This black bean and mango salad would be a pretty and fresh addition, too.
If you’re having a tailgate party or a game day party, you could also serve up some hummus and veggie roll-ups, healthy spinach dip, pizza sliders, spicy roasted shrimp or other appetizers to keep your friends and family happily snacking away.
No matter the occasion, I hope you give these sweet potato nachos a try soon.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Sweet Potato Nachos
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- ¾ cup diced, cooked chicken
- ½ cup black beans
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese
- ½ cup salsa
Optional toppings:
- Sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, Greek yogurt or sour cream, avocado or guacamole, pickled jalapeño slices, shredded lettuce, sliced or pickled red onions, olives, hot sauce, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easy clean up. Place the sliced sweet potato rounds on the parchment paper in an even layer and bake at 400 for 20 minutes, until tender. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
- Add the chicken (if using), black beans and cheese over top of the sweet potato rounds and return the sheet pan to the oven for 10-15 more minutes.
- Add salsa and any additional desired toppings and serve immediately.
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