These vegan pumpkin nachos are finished with a creamy avocado queso — once you try it, regular queso will feel like a distant memory.
I’m excited to share this recipe as part of the Virtual Pumpkin Party. Over the years I’ve contributed a few pumpkin dishes, and this year’s entry is a playful, savory riff: vegan pumpkin nachos topped with a silky, tangy avocado queso. The combination of roasted pumpkin, crisp chips and bright toppings makes these nachos a satisfying whole-food, plant-based snack or appetizer.
Rather than using cashews for the queso, I wanted a lighter, fresher alternative that still delivers creaminess and allows the “cheesy” notes to shine. Avocados fit perfectly — the result is a hybrid between guacamole and a classic vegan queso: rich, smooth and seasoned with garlic, nutritional yeast and warm spices. I found myself dipping tortilla chips into the queso long before the nachos were assembled, and you may want to make extra just for snacking.
For the pumpkin, I opted for fresh sugar pumpkin instead of canned purée to keep the texture and flavor more interesting. Breaking down a whole pumpkin can be a bit of work: I cut off the top, removed the seeds and stringy flesh, peeled the skin and cubed the flesh. If you prefer, you can substitute roasted sweet potato or another squash (see notes in the recipe) to save effort.
Vegan Pumpkin Nachos w/ Avocado Queso
Ingredients
Roasted Pumpkin
- 1 Small Sugar Pumpkin — about 4 cups chopped
- Drizzle extra virgin olive oil
- Salt + pepper, to taste
Avocado Queso
- 2 Avocados, peeled and pitted
- 1/3 Cup water
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 1/2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
The Rest of the Nachos
- Tortilla chips
- Chopped green onions
- Chopped parsley or cilantro
- Roasted pumpkin seeds or pepitas
Instructions
Roasted Pumpkin
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prepare the pumpkin: cut off the top, scoop out seeds and stringy bits, halve it, peel the skin and cut the flesh into 1-inch cubes. You should have roughly 4 cups.
- Toss the pumpkin cubes with just enough olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper.
- Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast 30–40 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork.
Avocado Queso
- While the pumpkin roasts, combine all queso ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Add a little more water if needed to reach a silky consistency, but don’t over-dilute.
Putting It All Together
- Arrange tortilla chips on a serving platter or individual plates. Drizzle with avocado queso, then top with roasted pumpkin, chopped green onions, parsley or cilantro, and pumpkin seeds.
- Alternatively, layer the chips, queso and toppings on a baking sheet and warm in a 400°F oven for 5–10 minutes so everything is heated through.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
P.S.
If you make these nachos and share them on Instagram, tag @wellandfull and use #wellandfull so I can see your creations — I love seeing how you put your own spin on the recipe.