Sheet Pan Salsa Verde Veggies (Printable version)

Crispy chips with roasted vegetables, salsa verde, and creamy cashew queso create a flavorful vegan Tex-Mex dish.

# What you need:

→ Cashew Queso

01 - 1 cup raw cashews, soaked 2 hours or in hot water for 15 minutes, then drained
02 - 2/3 cup water
03 - 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
05 - 1 small garlic clove
06 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

→ Vegetables

11 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
12 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
13 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
14 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
15 - 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
16 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
17 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
18 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
19 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
20 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Assembly

21 - 8 to 10 ounces tortilla chips, gluten-free if needed
22 - 1 cup salsa verde
23 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced, optional
24 - 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
25 - 1 avocado, diced
26 - Lime wedges for serving

# Steps to follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, toss bell peppers, onion, zucchini, and corn with olive oil, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Spread vegetables evenly on the prepared sheet pan.
03 - Roast for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring halfway through, until just tender and slightly caramelized.
04 - While vegetables roast, combine soaked cashews, water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, turmeric, and Dijon mustard in a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Add extra water if a thinner consistency is desired.
05 - Remove roasted vegetables from oven. Push vegetables to one side of the pan. Spread tortilla chips in a single layer on the other side, or transfer vegetables to a plate and layer chips, then vegetables.
06 - Spoon salsa verde evenly over the chips. Top with roasted vegetables. Drizzle generously with cashew queso.
07 - Return the sheet pan to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, just until everything is hot and the queso is slightly golden.
08 - Remove from oven. Top with jalapeño slices, cilantro, and diced avocado. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • One pan means cleanup is honest work instead of a kitchen nightmare.
  • The cashew queso is genuinely creamy and tangy, not a sad cashew paste pretending to be cheese.
  • Roasted vegetables get sweet and caramelized, making this feel like real food, not just a vehicle for toppings.
  • It feeds a crowd or makes an impressive solo dinner without fussing around for hours.
02 -
  • If your cashew queso is too thick, thin it with water one tablespoon at a time while blending; too thick and it won't pour properly over the chips.
  • Don't assemble the nachos until you're ready to bake them, or the chips will get soggy sitting with salsa on them.
  • The avocado goes on after baking, not before, so it stays creamy and doesn't brown at the edges.
03 -
  • Keep your ingredients organized and measured before you start roasting vegetables, because once things are hot, you're moving fast.
  • The queso is honestly so good you'll want to make it extra and serve it alongside with chips as an appetizer before the nachos even come out.
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