bbq nachos

If you follow this blog at all, you know that I don't like to repeat recipes a lot. In fact, it is only the family that makes me cook the same recipes over and over again.

With that in mind, when I was asked to make nachos again, I had to put a spin on it. Here is BBQ Nachos for the win.

This is my southern spin on a typically Mexican-inspired dish. It has homemade Chile con Queso, pulled BBQ seitan, BBQ sauce, collard greens, scallions and pickles. Trust me on this - it sounds odd, but is surprisingly tasty!

The cheese is a simple combination of ingredients and is easy to whip up. It is thick and rich and tangy. This recipe is based on my cheese sauce from Everyday Vegan Eats [AMAZON], which is a book we cook from at least a few times a week. Still a fave.

The pulled barbecue seitan is my recipe from Aquafaba [AMAZON]. It is Memphis-style Pulled Seitan recipe that pulls apart perfectly, complete with a tangy and sweet crust. I love this seitan, but you can use any barbecued tempeh, tofu, legumes or jackfruit. That part is really up to you.

Cook one bunch of collards in plenty of water and drain really well. I mean, squeeze out the excess water to avoid sogging down your chips. If you cook greens in plenty of water then most of the bitterness will leach into the water. Of course, so does a lot of the water soluble vitamins, so keep that in mind. It is a trade-off.

Then assemble:

Warm chips.

BBQ seitan, beans or jackfruit.

Choice of warm BBQ sauce.

Cheese sauce.

Collard greens, scallions and pickles.

Now get to work!

BBQ Nachos
Makes 4 servings

Cheese Sauce:
1 cup mashed soft or silken tofu
3/4 cup unsweetened plain nondairy milk
1/2 cup unsweetened plain nondairy yogurt
3 tablespoons chopped roasted red peppers (jarred is fine)
3 tablespoons tapioca starch
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon onion granules
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with chiles, lightly drained

Warm tortilla chips, as needed
2 cups barbecued beans or other barbecued plant-based protein
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup cooked, chopped and well-drained collard greens
1/2 cup chopped pickles
3 scallions, chopped

1. Combine the tofu, milk, yogurt, red pepper, tapioca, yeast, salt and onion in a blender. Blend very well. Add the mixture to a medium pot. Bring to boil over medium heat. Add the diced tomatoes and return to a light simmer. Cook, stirring often, until thick and the tapioca cooks well, about 4 minutes. Keep warm.
2. Warm the chips in a toaster oven, warm the protein, warm the barbecue sauce and cook the collards. Once the collards are cooked (either steamed or boiled) drain very well, squeezing out excess water. Chop the pickles and scallions.
3. To assemble, layer tortilla chips, add the protein, add some barbecue sauce, add the cheese sauce, add collards, pickles and scallions. Serve immediately. 



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