7-Layer Vegan Nacho Dip

Refried black beans, avocado mayo, sweet potato nacho cheese, shredded vegan chick'n, fresh pico de gallo, zesty sliced green onions, and tangy hemp seed sour cream are piled high in this 7-layer vegan nacho dip.

This post is sponsored by Gardein™ in conjunction with the Meet Chef campaign; however, all opinions are my own.

Making this layered stack of goodness requires a handful of steps, but I promise that the effort is completely worth it in the end, as it's seriously the most satisfying nacho dip ever (vegan or otherwise). Plus, you can prepare most of the layers ahead of time, which makes it easier to toss together before serving.

This dip earned not one but two thumbs up from Dan. He's always been my toughest recipe critic -- in a constructive, kind, fun-loving way -- so, a two-thumbs-up rating from him is kind of like earning an A on a Chemistry exam during my sophomore year of high school; it only happens occasionally (okay, rarely) but it's a total confidence booster.

To make this crowd-pleaser, you'll start by sprinkling two Gardein Chick'n Scallopini with a mixture of smoked paprika and chili powder. Then, you'll toss them into a skillet to cook, let them cool, and shred them into bite-sized pieces.

Next, you'll make a simple, homemade version of refried beans by simmering black beans until they're tender and easily mashed with a fork. These refried black beans become the first layer. One down, six to go!

The second layer is an avocado mayo, which is just avocado, a splash of lime juice, a clove of garlic, and a pinch of salt that's been processed into a smooth cream in a food processor. The third layer is this sweet potato nacho cheese, which is brightly-hued, plant-based, and packed with Vitamin A thanks to the steamed sweet potatoes. The fourth layer is the seasoned and shredded chick'n. The fifth layer is a quick and easy pico de gallo that you'll make by combining quartered cherry tomatoes, cilantro, and sea salt. The sixth layer is a quick sprinkling of sliced scallions. And the seventh and final layer is a drizzle of hemp seed sour cream that packs a kick of omega-3, omega-6, and complete protein.

Check out this layering action...

Sink a chip in it, I'm done.

📖 Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

7-Layer Vegan Nacho Dip

Refried black beans, avocado mayo, sweet potato nacho cheese, shredded vegan chick'n, fresh pico de gallo, zesty sliced green onions, and tangy hemp seed sour cream are piled high in this 7-layer vegan nacho dip.

Course Appetizer, Dip, Snack

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8

Author Ashley Melillo | Blissful Basil

Ingredients

For the Refried Black Beans

• 1 15- ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the Avocado Mayo

• 1 avocado, halved
• ½ lime, juiced
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the Sweet Potato Nacho Cheese

• ½ batch of Sweet Potato Nacho Cheese

For the Shredded Chick'n

• 2 Gardein Chick'n Scallopini
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• ½ tablespoon chili powder

For the Pico de Gallo

• 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• scant ⅛ teaspoon salt or to taste
• ⅓ cup sliced green onions

For the Hemp Seed Sour Cream

• ⅓ cup hemp hearts
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon sea salt or to taste

For Serving

• Tortilla Chips
• Sliced Veggies

Instructions

To Make the Refried Black Beans

• Add the rinsed and drained black beans to a medium sauce pan along with the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Use the back of a fork to mash the black beans and season with sea salt. If needed, add in an additional 2-4 tablespoons water to thin.

To Make the Avocado Mayo

• Scoop the avocado into a food processor along with the lime juice, garlic, and sea salt. Process for 3-4 minutes or until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
• Transfer to a small bowl until ready to assemble and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it up against the surface of the avocado mayo to prevent browning.

To Make the Sweet Potato Nacho Cheese

• Either half the cheese recipe or make the full recipe and simply use half of it when assembling this dip.

To Make the Shredded Chick'n

• In a shallow bowl, whisk together the smoked paprika and chili powder. Add the chick'n scallopini to the bowl and toss to coat in the mixture.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and place the chick'n scallopini in the pan. Cook for 4 minutes, flip, and cook another 3-4 minutes or until tender.
• Transfer to a plate or bowl and use two forks to shred into bite-sized pieces.

To Make the Pico de Gallo

• Add the cherry tomatoes, cilantro, and salt to a small bowl and toss to combine.

To Make the Hemp Seed Sour Cream

• Add the hemp hearts, water, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, and sea salt to a high-powered blender. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Transfer to an airtight jar and refrigerate until ready to use.

To Assemble

• Use a shallow baking dish or bowl to serve the dip.
• Layer it by spreading the black bean mixture out evenly over the bottom.
• Next, smear the avocado mayo evenly across the black beans.
• Dollop the sweet potato nacho cheese on top and smooth out with a spoon.
• Sprinkle on the shredded chick'n.
• Scatter the pico de gallo.
• Sprinkle the green onion over the pico.
• Lastly, drizzle the hemp seed sour cream on top.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

To make the preparation easier, I recommend making the refried black beans, sweet potato nacho cheese, chick'n, and hemp seed sour cream ahead of time (the day before works great). Then, simply reheat each element (adding water to the cheese and black beans, if needed) and before layering and serving.
Also, the assembled dish can be prepared the morning of and served later in the day. Simply cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Gardein . The opinions and text are all mine.