This recipe is perfect for a game day afternoon, a loungy Friday night movie marathon, or even a weeknight dinner. The combination of crunchy tortilla chips, lentil-walnut taco meat, and melty cheese sauce will leave you obsessed! You can use as many or as little add-ons as you want and it'll be a vegan nacho party for your taste buds!

Loaded Nachos With Lentil Walnut ‘Meat’ and Cheesy Sauce [Vegan]

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Ingredients

  • Tortilla chips of your choice

For the Cheese Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup vegan butter
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 3 cups non-dairy milk
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon agave nectar

For the Lentil-Walnut Meat:

  • 1 cup dry lentils
  • 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 3/4 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • Taco seasoning

For Toppings:

  • Tomatoes (optional)
  • Jalapeños (optional)
  • Black beans (optional)
  • Salsa (optional)
  • Sour cream (optional)
  • Guacamole (optional)
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Preparation

To Make the Cheese Sauce:

  1. In a medium saucepan, melt the vegan butter. Once it is melted, whisk in your flour to form a roux.
  2. Add in remaining ingredients except for the agave nectar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and simmer a few minutes to thicken.
  3. After it thickens, stir in agave nectar and lemon juice. Set aside.

To Make the Lentil-Walnut Taco Meat:

  1. In a medium pot, add 1 cup dry lentils and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, tilt lid, and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until desired tenderness is achieved.
  2. Drain any excess water off the lentils and place in a large saucepan.
  3. Finely chop your walnuts and add to the pan with your lentils.
  4. Add your taco seasoning spices and about 1 cup of water.
  5. Simmer and stir until the water boils off, and the lentil mixture is thick like taco meat

To Assemble:

  1. Assemble chips, cheese, and "meat." Add with desired toppings.
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