About this recipe
This healthy vegan Frito pie is just what you need! Imagine crispy Fritos topped with a smoky, hearty vegan black bean chili, drizzled with a creamy roasted poblano cashew crema, and finished with fresh toppings. It’s Tex-Mex comfort food with a delicious Mexican twist—and it’s (almost) super healthy!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✅ Easy to make – Uses simple pantry staples.
✅ Full of flavor – Smoky, creamy, crunchy, and spicy in every bite.
✅ Customizable – Swap toppings and spice levels to make it your own.
✅ Great for sharing – Perfect for game nights, parties, or casual get-togethers.
What Makes This Frito Pie (Almost) Super Healthy?
Everything in this dish is homemade, from the vegan black bean chili to the poblano cashew crema—except for the Fritos! And that’s okay because balance is key. We follow the 80/20 rule: 80% of meals are clean, nutritious food, and 20% is for indulgence—this recipe fits right in!
Ingredients to make vegan-black-bean-chili
- Olive oil or neutral flavor oil, I usually use avocado
- Onion, finely chopped, and you can use the onion that you want, yellow, red, or white
- Garlic, finely chopped or pressed with a garlic presser
- Chili powder, you can use ancho chili, chipotle chili, or chili mix
- Cayenne pepper, a pinch
- Ground cumin
- Tomato puree
- Water
- Black beans cooked at home or canned, drained, and rinsed
- Dried oregano and if you find Mexican oregano better.
Ingredients for Poblano Cashew Crema
- Poblano Peppers – Roasted, peeled, and deseeded
- Cashews – Soaked in hot water
- Onion – Adds depth
- White Wine Vinegar – Or rice vinegar for a mild tang
- Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed
🔥 TIP
If you want a more traditional Frito pie flavor, swap the crema for vegan sour cream or homemade Mexican vegan crema!
Or you can go with queso!
How to serve the vegan Frito pie
Choose your favorite way to enjoy it:
- 1️⃣ Classic Bowl Style – Layer Fritos in a bowl, top with chili, drizzle crema, and add toppings.
- 2️⃣ Bag Style (Walking Taco Method) – Cut the side of an individual Fritos bag, add chili and toppings, and eat straight from the bag! Perfect for picnics, tailgates, or parties.
Topping Ideas
- ✨ Pickled Jalapeños – For extra heat
- ✨ Cilantro – Fresh and zesty
- ✨ Chopped Chives or Scallions – Mild oniony bite
- ✨ Guacamole or Diced Avocado – Creamy goodness
Healthy Vegan Frito Pie
Almost super healthy vegan Frito pie with vegan black chili, cashew poblano pepper crema, and chopped fresh cilantro and scallions. This is the perfect party dish at home or at an outdoor venue.
Ingredients
For the vegan black bean chili
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or neutral tasting oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 3 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons chili powder mixture
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1-2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 cups black beans or 2 cans rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Poblano cashew crema
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked in two cups of hot water for two hours or overnight
- 2 roasted poblano peppers seeded and stemmed
- 3/4 -1 cup water
- 1/4 onion small * optional
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For serving
- Fritos
- pickled jalapeños
- chopped cilantro
- sliced chives
- diced avocado or guacamole
Instructions
Step 1: Soak the Cashews
- Soak cashews in 2 cups of hot water for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Step 2: Make the Vegan Chili
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add onion and sauté until translucent (about 3-4 minutes).
- Stir in garlic, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add tomato purée, black beans, and oregano. Stir well, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Step 3: Make the Poblano Cashew Crema
- Drain the soaked cashews.
- In a blender, combine cashews, roasted poblano peppers, optional onion, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt.
- Add ½ cup water and blend until smooth. Gradually add more water until desired consistency is reached.
Step 4: Assemble the Vegan Frito Pie
- Place a generous amount of Fritos in a bowl or open an individual bag (walking taco style).
- Spoon the black bean chili over the chips.
- Drizzle with poblano cashew crema.
- Top with cilantro, scallions, pickled jalapeños, and avocado or guacamole.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Prefer a more traditional Frito Pie flavor?
- Use vegan sour cream or queso instead of poblano crema.
- Like it spicy? Add extra pickled jalapeños or a pinch of chipotle powder to the chili.
- Want more toppings? Try diced tomatoes, shredded vegan cheese, or lime juice for extra zing!
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 13gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 602mgPotassium: 788mgFiber: 11gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 748IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 5mg
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Soy Ale Graf, mexicana en Texas y la creadora de AleCooks y Piloncillo&Vainilla, donde comparto recetas fáciles, deliciosas y para toda la familia — algunas mexicanas, en su mayoría basadas en plantas — pensadas para disfrutarse todo el día, todos los días. Con una licenciatura en Historia del Arte y una Certificación como Chef Profesional en Cocina Basada en Plantas, llevo más de una década creando contenido donde se unen mis dos pasiones: la comida y el storytelling.
Mi enfoque está en recetas que reúnen a las personas alrededor de la mesa, haciendo de cada comida un momento sencillo, delicioso y significativo. También soy autora de Yo Cocino Latino, y mis recetas han sido destacadas en varias revistas y publicaciones en línea.
¡Sígueme en mis redes sociales para inspiración diaria, tips y recetas deliciosas! Y si alguna vez pruebas una de mis recetas — o tienes una receta familiar favorita — ¡me encantaría saberlo! Mándame un DM en Instagram y hablemos de comida. 🍽️✨
Mi enfoque está en recetas que reúnen a las personas alrededor de la mesa, haciendo de cada comida un momento sencillo, delicioso y significativo. También soy autora de Yo Cocino Latino, y mis recetas han sido destacadas en varias revistas y publicaciones en línea.
¡Sígueme en mis redes sociales para inspiración diaria, tips y recetas deliciosas! Y si alguna vez pruebas una de mis recetas — o tienes una receta familiar favorita — ¡me encantaría saberlo! Mándame un DM en Instagram y hablemos de comida. 🍽️✨
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