Loaded nachos are a delicious appetizer or main dish that can be made according to any taste preference. Consider making this dish for a Super Bowl party, the holidays or really any night of the week for dinner. Lentils are not only a versatile plant based protein, they are also very affordable for those watching their budget. They can be used in soups, sloppy joes, tacos, and of course, nachos. Substituting plant based protein in the place of animal protein is a great way to add variety to your diet.
I love this recipe and all of it’s delicious flavors. Even though this recipe is made using lentils instead of ground beef, the delicious taco flavor and texture is still so good. One way to improve heart health is by decreasing saturated fat consumption and substituting plant based protein for animal protein is one great way to do that. Of course you can still enjoy animal protein, but serving the occasional meatless meal can be a great first step toward improving cholesterol, and overall heart health. Lentils are also a great source of fiber. As we know, fiber is great for maintaining gut health, staying full longer and improving cholesterol levels. Many think that enjoying meatless meals will be less filling, well that is definitely not the case, with 8g fiber per serving, this recipe is very rich in fiber and will keep your family full.
Nachos are very easy to accommodate to any taste preference, you can spice it up with jalapenos, hot sauce and cayenne pepper or cool it down with plain greek yogurt and avocado. If your family loves colorful toppings such as lettuce, tomato, onion, peppers, cilantro, black olives or only lentils and cheese, either way this recipe is great for one and all!
This recipe is super easy to make. Start by getting the lentils boiling in water. You can also use low sodium chicken broth to cook your lentils for added flavor. You want to make sure the lentils are cooked but not over cooked because then they won’t hold their shape when you mix them in with the taco seasoning.
I like to multitask while I cook, so while the lentils are cooking slice the onions and peppers. Saute in olive oil until they are tender and are slightly browned. Once the peppers and onions are almost done add the garlic and cook until fragrant (1-2 extra minutes).
Now that your lentils are done and your peppers and onions are ready, drain the lentils and add to the cooked peppers and onions. Stir in the taco seasoning and 1/2 the amount of water called for on the seasoning pack. I prefer to use low sodium taco seasoning to help reduce sodium intake. Stir until the seasoning is well incorporated and the water has all evaporated. If the water evaporated before the seasoning was well incorporated, add an additional 1/4 cup water to help mix in the seasoning.
With the oven preheated to 350, spread tortilla chips out on a baking sheet. Top with the lentil, pepper, onion mixture and cheese of course. Don’t be shy on the toppings, hearty nachos are always best. Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
The fun part about nachos is everyone gets to top them how they like them. You can leave it with just lentils, peppers, onions, and cheese or get more creative. I like my nachos with lettuce, tomato, onion, plain greek yogurt (or sour cream), fresh lime juice and extra cilantro. Mmm so good.
Loaded Lentil Nachos
Ingredients
- 2 Onions small ( or 1 large), chopped
- ½ Green pepper chopped
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Garlic minced
- ½ cup Dried Lentils
- 2 cups Water
- 1 packet Low Sodium Taco Seasoning
- ½ cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 5 oz Tortilla Chips
- 1 Tomato diced
- 1 cup Lettuce coarsely chopped
- Lime, cilantro, nonfat plain greek yogurt, jalapenos, black olives, salsa, hot sauce, etc garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Add water and dried lentils to sauce pan and turn to high heat. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- While lentils are cooking, dice onions and green pepper and sauté in olive oil until tender and golden brown.
- Add garlic when the onions and peppers are almost done cooking
- When lentils are tender but not over cooked, drain and add to the cooked onions, peppers and garlic
- Stir in the taco seasoning and 1/2 the amount of water called for on the seasoning packet. Let simmer for ~2 minutes
- Spread chips out on a baking sheet
- Top with a hearty amount of the lentil mixture and cheese
- Bake for 5 minutes to allow for the cheese to melt
- Garnish with lettuce, tomato, cilantro, lime, jalapeno, salsa, nonfat plain greek yogurt, hot sauce as desired and serve hot
Notes
