Black Bean Nachos

Vegetarian | Gluten Free*  | Under Half-Hour | Child-Friendly
Serves:
4-6 (depending on size of portions)
Total Time:
Prep time: 15minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes. 
Notes:
Gluten-free if using tortilla chips that are certified gluten-free. 
Can also be vegan if using vegan cheese or no cheese.

Ingredients: 
½ bag of tortilla chips
1 can of black beans
1 can re-fried beans
½ bag of shredded cheddar cheese
1 can sliced jalapeños or 1 can of sliced black olives
Barbecue sauce or hot sauce
Side salad: lettuce, tomato, avocado.

---

​Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Place tortilla chips on the parchment paper, forming a single layer. Chips will overlap.
4. Rinse and drain black beans and pat dry with paper towel.
5. Pour evenly over the tortilla chips.
6. Evenly place spoonful scoops of refried beans on the tortilla chips.
7. Sprinkle cheddar cheese evenly.
8. Optional: Add sliced jalapeños or sliced black olives (or both!)
9. Optional: Drizzle barbeque sauce or hot sauce on top.
10. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is just melted.  Be careful it does not burn.
11. Let cool for a few minutes.
12. Serve over a bed of lettuce, tomato and avocado.
13. Top with sour cream or Greek yogurt.
14. Enjoy! 

What is better than tacos?  Nachos!  
When my husband and I were dating, one of our favorite restaurants had amazing barbecue nachos.   Since having our son, it has been difficult for us to dine out at restaurants either as a family and especially the elusive date night with just the two of us.   Therefore, many of the recipes that I make are those which have been inspired by our favorite restaurant meals that we can enjoy at home.   Not to mention, we also save a good amount of money by mostly eating at home.
This black bean nacho recipe is something that is not only easy to make but delicious.  When served over a bed of lettuce and tomato it can also be very healthy.  Let’s also not forget that since this is a meatless recipe it is perfect for every Friday, if you are an all-year meat avoider like me, or for Ash Wednesday and Fridays in the Lenten season! 
Children, especially toddlers, can be picky eaters and getting nutritious food into their bellies is top priority for parents.  Since this black bean nacho recipe is so versatile, I can customize it so that our entire family can enjoy it.  I typically put jalapeños on one half of the nachos and then sliced black olives on the rest.  That is, if my son hasn’t eaten all the black olives before I can get them on the nachos!  You can also use different beans rather than black or refried beans.
I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe for black bean nachos. 
Please share this recipe for Black Bean Nachos on social media.  If you post photos of your finished product, be sure to tag us in your pics: @CatholicMomRI (Our handle for all social media).  
​
​Buon appetito! ​