Easy Sweet Potato Nachos

These sweet potato nachos are a delicious, healthier spin on nachos using sweet potatoes instead of corn chips. They're loaded with good for you toppings like black beans, corn, and avocado, then smothered in cheese, and oven-baked to a crisp, easy-to-make meal. Serve them to a crowd or enjoy them as a quick meal that's ready in under 30 minutes!

If you love Mexican-inspired food as much as we do, make yourself a fizzy lime margarita and also try our Mexican quinoa soup or loaded food truck Mexican nacho fries!

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This recipe was originally published in 2016. We've updated the post with some new photos and more information.

While nachos are typically served as an appetizer or snack, this healthier crowd-pleasing version using sweet potatoes makes a great light meal or side dish. They're every bit as crunchy and cheesy but instead of using traditional tortilla chips, we love the added flavor of sweet potatoes.

You can use store-bought sweet potato chips or make your own; either way, they make a delicious base for layering on all the toppings. Enjoy them vegetarian or add your favorite protein like grilled chicken, or pork carnitas to make them a heartier meal. There are endless ways to serve them, they're quick to make in under 30 minutes, and this one-pan dish means clean-up is a breeze!

How to make sweet potato nachos

These sweet potato nachos are really simple to make in just a few easy steps:

1. Spread half of the sweet potatoes chips on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (for easy cleanup!) and then top them with half the cheese, corn, black beans, and red onion.
2. Make your second layer by adding the other half of the sweet potatoes on top and the remaining cheese, corn, black beans, and red onion.
3. Bake your nachos for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese has just melted then add your favorite fresh toppings before digging in!

Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.

Sweet potato nachos ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make these easy sweet potato nachos:

• Sweet potato chips (store-bought or homemade) – see note below for instructions on how to make your own.
• Cheddar cheese – use any kind of cheddar cheese. We love the flavor of aged cheddar, but mild or medium works, too.
• Corn – frozen or canned will work well. Make sure to dry the corn well so the nachos don't turn soggy!
• Black beans – you could also use pinto beans.
• Red onion – for added flavor.
• Your favorite toppings like cilantro, pickled jalapeños, chopped tomatoes, minced bell pepper, or diced avocado.
• Optional dips such as sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or our popular taco sauce.

Variations to try

Sweet potato nachos are super easy to customize. Use what you've got on hand, and use more of the ingredients you love, and less of those you don't love. Here are some ideas to mix it up:

• Make it a heartier meal by adding sliced grilled chicken breast, Mexican pork carnitas, ground beef, sliced sausage, or vegetarian ground round.
• Add other toppings like sliced black olives, pickled red onion, sliced radishes, green onion, and thinly sliced green or purple cabbage.
• Serve it with sour cream or drizzled with a creamy sauce like taco sauce with pickled jalapenos.
• Make them vegan by swapping the cheddar cheese for a similar vegan cheese or leave it off completely.

Sweet potato chips for making nachos

When it comes to sweet potato chips, you've got two options: use store-bought bags or make your own from thinly sliced sweet potatoes. The store-bought bags have a wonderful crunch and are convenient to use when time is a factor. If you have a bit of time to make your own, it's a healthier option and well worth the effort.

To bake your own sweet potato chips, thinly slice a couple of sweet potatoes, preferably using a mandolin. Then, toss the slices in a little oil and salt and slow-bake them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 ½ hours. Remove any that are crispy then continue to bake them, checking and removing any crispy chips every 10 minutes until they are all cooked. You can also make the sweet potato chips ahead of time; once they are fully cooled, store them in an air-tight container for 3-5 days.

Tips for homemade sweet potato chips

Making sweet potato chips for nachos is really simple and extras make a delicious snack. Here are a few tips for making them extra crispy and flavorful:

• Slice the sweet potatoes as thinly as possible. If you don't have a mandolin, use a sharp knife. The thinner they are, the crispier they will be.
• Use your hands to coat the sweet potatoes in oil. Evenly coating them helps them crisp up!
• Try adding some spice to them. This is totally optional but adding cayenne, chili powder, cumin, and curry would all add some nice flavor.
• Watch them closely while cooking because they go from done to burnt very quickly. Remove any from the pan as they begin to brown.
• Allow them to cool completely before adding toppings. They will crisp up as they cool.

FAQS

What to serve with sweet potato nachos

These sweet potato nachos are hearty enough as a meal on their own, but sometimes we like to eat them alongside tacos like best carnitas tacos or best shrimp tacos with creamy pickled jalapeno.

Serve them to a crowd on game day, as a light meal for movie night, or as an easy afternoon snack. Everyone will love the taste of sweet potato nachos!

More popular sweet potato recipes

• Hot Honey Sweet Potatoes
• Baked Sweet Potato Latkes
• Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Walnuts and Pomegranate
• Pretty Sweet Potato Casserole with Peppery Pecan Topping
• Maple Bourbon Sweet Potato Ribbon Casserole

This recipe is part of our Healthy Super Bowl Recipes series.