Recipe: Healthy Nachos with Buffalo Jackfruit
Photo by Asia Bradlee
Is there a more tempting snack than nachos? They’re cheesy, they’re crunchy, they’re flavorful, and they’re addicting—which means before you know it, you’ll have eaten your body weight in greasy chips and sour cream.
Not with this healthy nachos recipe. We cleaned things up by using organic, baked tortilla chips, a light sprinkling of cheese, and plenty of vegetables. And that’s not all: These nachos are topped with jackfruit, not meat.
When cooked and pulled, jackfruit makes an incredibly convincing—not to mention low-calorie and vegetarian—replacement for chicken or pork. (Yes, really.) Just be sure to buy cans of young jackfruit in brine or water, and drain and rinse before using.
Ingredients
Serves 8-10
- 1-2 bags of tortilla chips, preferably baked and/or whole-grain. We used these.
- 2 cans young jackfruit
- 1 yellow pepper
- 1 avocado
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 bunch green onions
- 1/2 cup chopped purple cabbage
- 1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup blue cheese (optional)
- 1/2 cup to 1 cup buffalo sauce, to taste
- Other optional toppings, such as black beans, corn, etc.
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Chop the yellow pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and avocado. Set aside.
Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Use two forks to pull the jackfruit apart. It should resemble pulled pork or chicken when you’re finished.
Coat a large pan with cooking spray and warm over medium heat. Add the jackfruit and buffalo sauce to the pan. Cook for eight to 10 minutes, or until the jackfruit is soft. Set aside.
Spread the tortilla chips over a baking sheet. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the chips, and place the pan in the oven for two to three minutes, until the cheese is melted.
Spread the buffalo jackfruit and all of the vegetables and additional toppings on top of the chips. Sprinkle with blue cheese, if using. Serve hot.
