Ultimate Paleo Nachos (gluten-free, dairy-free)

Paleo tortilla chips on a long white platter covered with nacho toppings.

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Ultimate Paleo Nachos (gluten-free, dairy-free)

These Ultimate Paleo Nachos are like a party on a platter! Grain-free chips, seasoned ground beef and an easy cashew nacho "cheese" sauce are piled high with your favorite toppings. And it's gluten-free and dairy-free!

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Servings: servings

Calories: 651kcal

Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

For the seasoned beef:

1 teaspoon arrowroot flour/starch
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt plus more as necessary
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon onion powder
⅛ teaspoon ground chipotle
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 medium onion yellow, white or red, peeled and diced
1 pound lean ground beef
⅓ cup water

For the nacho "cheese" sauce:

1 cup water
1 cup raw cashews
¼ cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder

For the nachos:

1 (5 oz.) bag grain-free tortilla chips (such as Siete) or plantain chips
salsa
1 avocado peeled and diced
1 tomato diced
black olives sliced
green onions sliced
shredded iceberg lettuce
radishes sliced
cilantro chopped
lime wedges

Instructions

For the seasoned beef:

In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, chili powder, arrowroot, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and ground chipotle.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
Add the beef and break it up with a heat-proof spatula as it browns.
Once the beef is almost completely browned (about 5-8 minutes), add the spice mix and stir it all together for about 1 minute.
Stir in the water and let the mixture simmer until reduced and thickened, stirring occasionally, about 4-5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary, then remove the pan from the heat.

For the nacho "cheese" sauce:

In a blender, add the water, cashews, nutritional yeast, salt, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy, about 3-4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender jar if necessary.
If you want to warm up the sauce, pour and scrape it into a small saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently until warmed through. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Assemble the nachos:

Arrange the chips on a large platter. Spoon the beef on top, then whatever toppings you like, finishing with the sauce. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Dig in and enjoy!

Notes

Servings note: The nachos can feed about 4 people as a main dish and 4-6 as a snack.

Substitutions

You can use ground turkey or bison in place of beef.
You can use tapioca flour/starch in place of the arrowroot.
You can use two minced garlic cloves in the beef and/or two minced garlic cloves in the sauce.
You can omit the diced onion from the beef mixture.
You also don't have to make everything from scratch!
- You can use t his Paleo-friendly taco seasoning mix from Siete
- You can use any store-bought salsa you like (just check ingredients to make sure it's Paleo friendly, if necessary)
- You can use store-bought guacamole in place of the avocado
- You can used canned sliced black olives
- You can use a Paleo-friendly dairy-free cheese sauce, such as any of these:
  - Sabor Mexicano Home Made Plant-Based Queso
  - Primal Kitchen No Dairy Plant Based Queso
  - Core and Rind Cheesy Cashew Sauce (especially the Bold & Spicy or Rich & Smoky flavors)

Make ahead

You can store the beef mixture in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm through in a medium skillet over low heat, stirring frequently.

You can store the sauce in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Warm through in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently.

Once fully assembled, the nachos are best eaten right away.

Freezer instructions

You can freeze the beef mixture in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Warm through in a medium skillet over low heat, stirring frequently. You might need to stir in a bit of water if it looks dry.

You can freeze the sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Warm through in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. If it's too thick, stir in a bit of water until it loosens and becomes pourable.

Nutrition