These nachos are the healthiest black bean nachos yet. Bake your chips (no frying), and top with good for you protein (black beans), fat-free Greek Yogurt and just a bit of low-fat cheese! Fat-free fresh salsa and good for you avocado round out this delicious snack, appetizer or light lunch. Guilt-free nachos? Yes, please.
I’m always looking for a way to clean up my eating without giving up the things I love. This is a great example of a favorite Mexican appetizer that gets a healthy redo. These loaded veggie nachos have tons of fresh flavors and lots of fresh produce…you are going to love it.
To get started, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and put to the side. Once that is done, you get to “play in the kitchen” and make all kinds of choices when making this recipe.
First, if you’d like to make your own healthy-ish chips, gather all your spices and whip up a spice mix. In a small bowl, mix the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stack your corn tortillas and cut into six sections. Yes, you can use flour tortillas, but corn are just a bit healthier and don’t have all the white flour. Feel free to mix up the types of chili powder you use and/or make your own personal spice mix. Try whatever you like…these are your nachos.
Add the cut tortillas to a large bowl and spray with cooking spray. Toss to coat. Add the seasoning mix and toss again. Spread them out on the prepared baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes, flip and bake another five minutes until golden brown and crisp.
OTHER OPTION: use store-bought corn tortilla chips and save a step. Lightly spray with cooking spray and toss with the seasoning. And bake on the baking sheet. Third option for when you are really busy and just don’t have time, just use the store bought chips unseasoned and move on to the next step. I’m not going to judge.LOL
Let’s talk “beans” for a minute. You have lots of options here. You can certainly use your favorite rather than black beans. Pinto beans are a great substitute and are commonly used in Mexican cuisine in everything from refried beans to bean dips so it is a good substitute for black beans. Are black beans healthier than pinto beans? What’s the difference you ask?
Pinto Beans vs. Black Beans
Here are five biggest differences and benefits of pinto beans versus black beans:
- Appearance and texture:
- Pinto beans: These beans are light brown with speckles on them. They have a creamy texture when cooked. That’s why they are so good in refried beans and dips and they’d work great in this recipe to.
- Black beans: Are a deep black color (hence the name), and have a firmer texture when cooked. I like that in this recipe because it adds some texture.
- Benefit of each: Pinto beans are often preferred for mashing due to their creamier texture, while black beans hold their shape better in salads and soups.
- Flavor profile:
- Pinto beans: These are a bit earthy, nutty, and mild
- Black beans: Have a stronger, slightly sweet flavor with an almost mushroom-like quality
- Benefit: Pinto beans are versatile and take on flavors well, while black beans can stand out more in dishes.
- Nutritional content:
- Pinto beans: Are higher in calories and carbs, and have slightly more fiber
- Black beans: Lower in calories, slightly higher in protein. You can see why I chose these to keep the protein high and the calories low.
- Benefit: Pinto beans may be better for sustained energy, while black beans are good for those watching calorie intake.
- Antioxidant content:
- Pinto beans: These beans have anti-inflammatory properties
- Black beans: Higher overall antioxidant content, especially anthocyanins
- Benefit: Black beans may offer more protection against oxidative stress and related diseases. BUT all beans do the body good so I always aim for variety in my cooking. Use your favorite.
- Culinary uses:
- Pinto beans: Common in Mexican cuisine, often used for refried beans and chili
- Black beans: Are more popular in Caribbean, Latin American, and Southwestern U.S. cuisines, and in my house. LOL
- Benefit: Pinto beans are ideal for dishes where a creamy texture is desired, while black beans are great for adding contrast in colorful dishes.
Both types of beans are nutritious and can be used interchangeably in many recipes, so it comes down to a personal choice – yours!
Back to our recipe. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and create two piles of the chips right on the baking sheet. Top each pile equally with the shredded cheese. Top the cheese with black beans and corn. Put it back in the oven for about five – seven minutes until the cheese is all melted and the veggies are all heated through.
The melted cheese will bind all the chips and veggies together creating this delicious pile of nachos. Using a large oversized spatula, lift each pile to an individual serving plate. Sprinkle chopped green onions over the top. Serve with fresh salsa (see my quick recipe below), smashed avocado and fat-free Greek yogurt or sour cream. Cut up some limes and serve those on the side too.
Ingredients to top these healthy black bean nachos
I used canned black beans that have been rinsed and drained well. You don’t want these watery or they will make your nachos soggy so let them drain.
I love fresh corn for this and when corn is in season, I cut the kernels off the cobs (about 2 ears of corn) and mix with the beans before topping the chips and cheese. Using frozen corn is the perfect substitute. Just let the corn thaw and drain well before topping the chips.
I would not use canned corn. The texture just isn’t crisp and the taste isn’t there. You can really pile on and make these loaded veggie nachos ” veggie loaded” by adding more vegetables than called for in the recipe and/or adding different types of veggies like chopped bell peppers.
When it comes to the toppings, I want fresh, light and healthy choices.
While sour cream is a staple when topping Mexican food, I have long been substituting fat-free Greek yogurt. The taste, texture and look is the same but it is packed with protein, is lighter and better for me so that is my choice. But, feel free to use sour cream, Mexican créma, or different versions of Greek yogurt (1% 2% or full fat). These are your nachos, so make them your own.
I love my guacamole and here is the perfect place for it. I simply smash my avocado with a little salt and pepper. That’s it and it is perfect with the nachos.
When it comes to salsa, you can purchase a fresh, fat-free version right in the deli section of your grocery store or you can make this quick and easy version of salsa that I whip up all the time. Just don’t buy that jarred salsa in the middle of the store. It isn’t fresh nor does it taste very good.
How to make a fast and easy fresh salsa
Chop up about 1/2 cup of fresh tomatoes into small dice.
Slice up two green onions and add to the tomatoes.
Finely mince 1/4 – 1 jalapeno and add to the mix. You decide how hot you like your salsa.
Add a tablespoon of chopped parsley or cilantro (optional) and the juice of one lime. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix.
It doesn’t get easier or fresher than this. You can make this a day in advance and keep covered in the fridge. This is great on all Mexican dishes and I love it on scrambled eggs too. If you want to experiment with different types of salsas, be sure to try my Hatch Chili Salsa with Peaches and Kiwano Salsa recipes too.
And there you have it, delicious, easy and healthy black bean nachos you can make any time with ingredients you probably already have on hand. You can take lots of help from the store so there is no reason you can’t make these all week long. They are the perfect meatless Monday option and perfect for any of your vegetarian friends.
The only thing missing is a pitcher of my margaritas!
Looking for other, healthier Mexican recipes that substitute better for you ingredients? Try some of my other favorites:
Healthier Black Bean Nachos
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 Corn tortillas, each cut into six triangles
- Cooking spray
- 1/4 Tsp. Cumin
- 1/4 Tsp. Guajillo chili powder
- 1/4 Tsp. Granulated garlic
- 1/4 Kosher salt
- 1/8 Tsp. Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 Cup Canned Black beans, rinsed and drained well
- 2 Green onions, chopped and white/light green separated from dark green
- 1/2 Cup Frozen corn, thawed and drained (or 1-2 ears of corn)
- 1/2 Cup Low-fat Mexican cheese mix, shredded
- Fresh salsa, to serve
- Avocado, pit removed and fruit mashed with salt and pepper, to serve
- Fat Free Greek yogurt, to serve
- Lime wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, mix the cumin, chili, garlic powder salt and pepper. Place your cut tortillas in a bowl and lightly spray with olive oil cooking spray. Sprinkle the seasoning all over the chips tossing to make sure they all get some of the seasoning.
- Put the chips on the baking sheet in a single layer so they crisp up. Bake for about 5 minutes. Flip and bake another 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Be sure they don’t burn.
- Take the pan out of the oven seperate the chips into two servings creating a bed of chips for the toppings. Scatter the black beans, corn and white/light green part of onions evenly over each pile of chips. Scatter the cheese evenly over the top of both servings and put back in the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the dark green chopped onions.
- Serve the nachos with salsa, smashed avocado, Greek yogurt and lime wedges. Enjoy.
