These vegan pumpkin nachos are finished with an unforgettable avocado queso — once you try it, you may never go back to traditional queso.
Hello everyone — I’m excited to share this recipe as part of the Virtual Pumpkin Party. Each year bloggers contribute their favorite pumpkin recipes, and this year I’m bringing you a fun, savory take: vegan pumpkin nachos topped with a creamy avocado queso.
In previous years I’ve shared a few pumpkin recipes:
2015: Vegan Pumpkin Gnocchi
2016: Chipotle Pumpkin Hummus
2017: Epic Pumpkin Tacos
For this year’s entry I wanted something that felt indulgent but still relied on whole-food, plant-based ingredients. The star here is the avocado queso — a bright, silky sauce that sits somewhere between guacamole and a vegan cheese sauce. Most vegan queso recipes use cashews; avocado keeps the texture rich while letting the savory, cheesy notes shine through without the extra soaking and blending cashews require.
I’ll also mention the pumpkin: I chose to use fresh pumpkin rather than canned purée for texture and flavor. I broke down a small sugar pumpkin by cutting the top off, removing the seeds, peeling with a vegetable peeler, and cubing the flesh. It’s a bit labor-intensive, but it prevents an extra roasting step. If you prefer, you can substitute roasted sweet potato or another squash to save time — adjust roasting time as needed.
Vegan Pumpkin Nachos w/ Avocado Queso
20 minutes
40 minutes
1 hour
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 of Garlic
- 1 1/2 Tbs 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
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Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
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Prepare the pumpkin: cut the top off, scoop out seeds, halve it, and peel the skin with a vegetable peeler. Cube the flesh until you have about 4 cups.
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Toss the pumpkin cubes with a light drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
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Spread the pumpkin on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast 30–40 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
Avocado Queso
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While the pumpkin roasts, make the queso. Combine all avocado queso ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy. Add a little more water if needed to reach your desired consistency, but avoid diluting the flavor.
Putting It All Together
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Arrange tortilla chips on plates. Drizzle or dollop the avocado queso over the chips, then top with roasted pumpkin, chopped green onions, parsley or cilantro, and pumpkin seeds.
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If you prefer everything warm, layer the assembled nachos on a baking sheet and return to the oven at 400°F for 5–10 minutes.
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Enjoy!
Notes
P.S.
If you make these nachos and share them on Instagram, tag @wellandfull and use #wellandfull so I can see your photos — I love seeing your versions of my recipes!