Butternut Black Bean Cauliflower Nachos

Did you know you could use crispy roasted cauliflower as a base for nachos? It’s a great way to ditch some of the excess calories and carbs in nachos and add extra nutrients and fiber.

These cauliflower-based nachos feature sweet roasted butternut squash, hearty black beans, and sweet or spicy peppers over crispy roasted cauliflower with melty mozzarella cheese, these low-carb, plant-based cauliflower nachos are so satisfying you won’t miss the chips! They’re naturally gluten free and totally customizable so you can add any “extra” toppings you choose.

For the meat lovers, you can sprinkle on some crumbled bacon and shredded chicken or pork … for the vegans, use vegan cheese, for those who want it spicy, add extra hot peppers on top or serve with a zesty salsa or a drizzle of sriracha. Add some chunks of ripe avocado and a drizzle of Sriracha ranch if you like. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, sprinkle on some sliced green onions or parsley. Totally make these your own!

Just don’t leave out the black beans and butternut squash because that sweet-spicy combination, along with the crispy roasted cauliflower, is what makes these cauli-nachos sooooo good.

Be forewarned: some of the ideas for customizing these nachos will take cauliflower nachos right back into high-cal, un-healthy territory, so choose wisely and sprinkle with care. A little bit of bacon, chicken or pork won’t hurt, but keep it light … if you pile on a bunch of high-fat meat, it’s no longer heart healthy OR low calorie.

The idea for these yummy cauliflower nachos came about when I made my butternut black bean soup. Hey, if the two play nicely in soup together, I thought, they should definitely be good partners for nachos, right? Sometimes my crazy ideas lead me to strange places, but you know my hunches were correct on this one because I’m posting the recipe! I am totally smitten with this recipe and have already made it three times, just for me. I was tempted to make these yummy nachos again for my parents when they were visiting, but I opted to make them (thin crust whole wheat) pizza and (butternut) brownies instead. And then, LOL, I made up a big batch of nachos again for myself just after they left, so I have some fun things to eat to get me through the work week.

Which brings me to the other great thing about these cauliflower nachos: you can make them ahead of time, store them in the fridge in a covered container, then reheat and they’re still marvelous. With “regular” nachos, the chips would go totally soggy and limp and fall apart. Cauliflower keeps its shape (and flavor) beautifully!

I didn’t include instructions for roasting the cauliflower and butternut squash in this recipe, but if you’re looking for good recipes for roasting up your veggies, I recommend these:

• Garlic Rosemary Roasted Cauliflower – leave out the rosemary for these nachos
• Rosemary Sage Roasted Butternut Squash – swap out the rosemary and sage for some chipotle powder or cayenne

And for delightful drizzles or dipping sauces, try one of these:

• Sriracha Ranch
• Lactose Free Ranch
• Grilled Chipotle Walnut Salsa
• Cilantro Almond Salsa
• Copycat Chili’s Salsa
• Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce

Print Nutrition facts are estimated. For the analysis, I included 1 cup squash, 1 cup black beans, 6 oz. cheese and 1 jalapeno. Optional toppings and oil used for roasting will add calories and alter the totals.