If you love Mexican-inspired food as much as we do, make yourself a fizzy lime margarita and also try our Mexican quinoa soup or loaded food truck Mexican nacho fries! While nachos are typically served as an appetizer or snack, this healthier crowd-pleasing version using sweet potatoes makes a great light meal or side dish. They’re every bit as crunchy and cheesy but instead of using traditional tortilla chips, we love the added flavor of sweet potatoes. You can use store-bought sweet potato chips or make your own; either way, they make a delicious base for layering on all the toppings. Enjoy them vegetarian or add your favorite protein like grilled chicken, or pork carnitas to make them a heartier meal. There are endless ways to serve them, they’re quick to make in under 30 minutes, and this one-pan dish means clean-up is a breeze!
How to make sweet potato nachos
These sweet potato nachos are really simple to make in just a few easy steps:
Sweet potato chips (store-bought or homemade) – see note below for instructions on how to make your own. Cheddar cheese – use any kind of cheddar cheese. We love the flavor of aged cheddar, but mild or medium works, too. Corn – frozen or canned will work well. Make sure to dry the corn well so the nachos don’t turn soggy! Black beans – you could also use pinto beans. Red onion – for added flavor. Your favorite toppings like cilantro, pickled jalapeños, chopped tomatoes, minced bell pepper, or diced avocado. Optional dips such as sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or our popular taco sauce.
Make it a heartier meal by adding sliced grilled chicken breast, Mexican pork carnitas, ground beef, sliced sausage, or vegetarian ground round. Add other toppings like sliced black olives, pickled red onion, sliced radishes, green onion, and thinly sliced green or purple cabbage. Serve it with sour cream or drizzled with a creamy sauce like taco sauce with pickled jalapenos. Make them vegan by swapping the cheddar cheese for a similar vegan cheese or leave it off completely.
To bake your own sweet potato chips, thinly slice a couple of sweet potatoes, preferably using a mandolin. Then, toss the slices in a little oil and salt and slow-bake them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 ½ hours. Remove any that are crispy then continue to bake them, checking and removing any crispy chips every 10 minutes until they are all cooked. You can also make the sweet potato chips ahead of time; once they are fully cooled, store them in an air-tight container for 3-5 days.
Slice the sweet potatoes as thinly as possible. If you don’t have a mandolin, use a sharp knife. The thinner they are, the crispier they will be. Use your hands to coat the sweet potatoes in oil. Evenly coating them helps them crisp up! Try adding some spice to them. This is totally optional but adding cayenne, chili powder, cumin, and curry would all add some nice flavor. Watch them closely while cooking because they go from done to burnt very quickly. Remove any from the pan as they begin to brown. Allow them to cool completely before adding toppings. They will crisp up as they cool.
Serve them to a crowd on game day, as a light meal for movie night, or as an easy afternoon snack. Everyone will love the taste of sweet potato nachos!
Did you make this?
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