The Best Cauliflower Nachos

Name: The Best Cauliflower Nachos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 8 cups large cauliflower florets, cut into ½ inch thick slices ((about 1 large head cauliflower)); 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon chili powder; ¾ teaspoon ground cumin; ½ teaspoon onion powder; ⅛ teaspoon cayenne powder; ⅛ teaspoon salt; 1 cup chopped tomato; 1 avocado, diced; ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro; 2 tablespoons finely minced jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed; 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion; 1 tablespoon lime juice; ⅛ teaspoon salt; 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained ((from a 15 oz. can)); 2 cups shredded cooked chicken ((rotisserie chicken works great)); 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend ((or sharp cheddar)); ¾ cup finely shredded cabbage ((or lettuce))

By Rachel Gurk

4.67 from 6 votes

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Piled with crisp cabbage, melted cheese, shredded chicken, black beans, diced avocado, and tomatoes, roasted cauliflower nachos have the best of everything!

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: If you’re a fan of nachos (and who isn’t?) but are trying to eat healthier foods, you have to try this alternative.

How long it takes: 50 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large rimmed sheet pan
Servings: 4

Cauliflower nachos with chicken, cilantro, cabbage, pickled red onions.

I just can’t wait until you try these cauliflower nachos! They are the best cauliflower nachos! You may be saying cauli-what? Really? Cauliflower nachos? YES! Believe me, they are so good!

Crispy spicy roasted cauliflower slices take the place of more traditional tortilla chips. Trust me, you won’t miss the chips. The roasted cauliflower is so flavorful and delicious, making the perfect base for all the delightful toppings of nachos.

Why, you might ask, cauliflower? Well, besides the fact that it’s delicious, cauliflower is actually quite good for you. It’s very low in calories and carbs yet high in vitamins and fiber, and a good source of antioxidants.

Need more persuasion? Cauliflower doesn’t have any fat; that’s right, zero fat. Can you say that about tortilla chips? Didn’t think so.

I’ve been making roasted cauliflower for ages, roasted cauliflower with Parmesan, air fryer buffalo cauliflower bites, roasted cauliflower steaks, and even a whole roasted cauliflower, but the inspiration for this recipe comes from one of my favorite magazines, Eating Well. Thanks, Eating Well, for a fabulous good-for-you recipe!

Cauliflower nachos being served with a large spatula.

How To Make cauliflower nachos

Although the list of ingredients may look a bit intimidating at first glance, cauliflower nachos aren’t difficult to make. Read through the recipe and make sure you have everything on hand.

Prep and roast the cauliflower. Begin by preparing the cauliflower. Slice the florets into half inch slices. Don’t worry if your slices are a little uneven. Rinse them and then dry thoroughly. A salad spinner works great for this if you have one. The drier the cauliflower, the more crispy it will be when you roast it. Toss the cauliflower slices with olive oil and a mixture of southwestern spices. Roast the cauliflower on a rimmed sheet pan.

Make the salsa. While the cauliflower is roasting, you can put together the fresh salsa ingredients: tomato, cubed avocado, cilantro, jalapeño pepper, and red onion. Squeeze a little lime juice over it to keep it fresh and give it even more flavor. Of course, you could skip this step and use pico de gallo or salsa instead.

Prep additional toppings. Shred green cabbage for the topping. Lettuce is a good substitute if you’re not wild about cabbage. Decide which additional toppings you want to use and prep them.

Add the toppings to the cauliflower and bake. When the cauliflower is browned and crispy, remove it from the oven. Top with black beans, shredded chicken, and cheese and bake until the cheese is melted.

Serve with toppings. Serve the cauliflower nachos with the fresh salsa and sprinkled with shredded green cabbage. Oh, so yummy! There’s lots of satisfying crunch, gooey cheese, and fresh flavor. If you want, drizzle on some homemade jalapeño ranch dressing or creamy cilantro lime drizzle.

Nachos with cauliflower, chicken, cilantro, red onions, avocado, tomato.

Make It Your Own

Use the roasted cauliflower as a base and customize the toppings to make these cauliflower nachos perfect for you. Here’s some ideas:

Vegetarian: Omit the chicken, use the whole can of black beans.
Vegan: Omit the chicken, include the beans, use a vegan cheese.
Paleo: Include the chicken, omit the cheese and beans.
Low Carb/Keto: Omit the beans.
More topping ideas: fresh jalapeño slices, pickled jalapeño, fresh red onion, pickled red onion, creamy jalapeño ranch dip, etc. Give the nachos a barbecue spin (take a look at my BBQ chicken nachos, substitute cauliflower for the chips).
Air fryer: Your air fryer works well to make the crisp cauliflower “chips.” Use your oven or toaster oven to bake the nachos, once you top them with the chicken, cheese, and beans.

Nachos on sheet pan with assorted toppings.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Refrigerate: If you have leftovers, wrap them well and refrigerate, storing the fresh salsa separately from the rest of the nachos.

Reheat: When ready to serve, reheat the nachos in the microwave or oven. I like to use my toaster oven (and I add a little more cheese). Cauliflower nachos are surprisingly good reheated.

better-for-you Tex-Mex recipes

Take a look at these exciting takes on traditional recipes:

Sheet Pan Breakfast Tostadas (complete with a “fried” egg)
Crispy Sweet Potato Tacos
Vegan Tacos with Roasted Carrots, Mushrooms, Quinoa, and Black Beans
Sheet Pan Fajitas with chicken
Cauliflower Tacos with Chickpeas
Mushroom Tacos
Vegetarian Nachos with Creamy Cilantro Lime Drizzle