Chili Cheese Fries Vegan
Vegan Chili Cheese Fries are plant-strongly amazing! Crispy oil-free fries, topped with layers of tangy spicy chili and creamy vegan cheese sauce. The ultimate heart-healthy comfort food!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 402kcal
Ingredients
Potato Fries
- 4 medium potatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt to taste
Vegan Chili
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1/2 cup veggie broth
- 1 cup dry uncooked bulgur (or 2 cups cooked)*
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce without anchovies
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon season salt
- small pinch cayenne pepper optional for spice
Vegan Cheese Sauce
- 1 cup potatoes peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup onions diced
- 1/4 cup carrots diced
- 1 cup broth from veggies reserved
- 1/2 cup raw cashews OR 1/2 cup white beans
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- small pinch cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
Potato Fries
- Begin by washing and slicing large potatoes. I leave the peelings on mine, but they can be removed if you prefer.
- If you are using an air fryer, simply place the sliced potatoes in the fryer and season them with garlic powder, onion, powder, chili powder, and a little salt.
- Set the air fryer temperature to 400°F and time to 15 minutes. Shake or stir them to rearrange to allow them to get crispy on all sides. Set the time and temperature for another 15 minutes. Cook longer if needed to get them golden crunchy brown.
- If you are baking your fries in the oven, it's a good idea to parboil them for about 5 minutes before baking. This will help them to be more crispy and less chewy.
- After parboiling, remove them from the water and season as described above in the air fry directions. Bake in the oven at 400°F for approximately 20-25 minutes until crispy golden brown.
Vegan Cheese Sauce
- In a medium pot, bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. Place potatoes, carrots, and onion in the pot and allow to cook until veggies are tender, approximately 15 minutes. Cooking time will vary based on how small the veggies are diced. While these are cooking, start working on the chili.
- When veggies are tender, drain and place them in a blender. NOTE: reserve 1 cup of the broth, and add to blender. Add all the remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth.
- Now, it's ready to use in chili cheese fries, nacho cheese dip, mac-n-cheese, topping for steamed broccoli, or anything else you need a creamy, cheesy sauce in. This makes approximately 1 quart and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Vegan Chili
- In saucepan, saute diced onions in approximately 3 Tbsp of the veggie broth. As they brown and begin to caramelize, add more veggie broth 1 Tbsp at a time. Allow to caramelize well.
- Add all other chili ingredients, stir well, and simmer for approximately 10-15 minutes. Cover and turn heat down to warm or off. Chili is basically done and ready to be eaten.
- *NOTE: If you already have pre-cooked bulgur (2 cups) in the freezer that you would like to use, simply omit the veggie broth/water except for about 1/2 a cup, and cook for only 5 minutes.
Chili Cheese Fries
- Now, it is time to layer the Chili Cheese Fries! Start with the crispy fries, spoon chili over the top, then drizzle with cheese sauce. I like to top mine with a few diced green onions. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Tips & Suggestions:
I have included step-by-step photos and directions above to ensure your first attempt will be successful.
Make Ahead- You can make the cheese sauce and chili ahead of time, and I even recommend doing that because it speeds up the process. I wouldn't make the fries ahead because they become chewy. Wait to layer everything until right when you plan to eat it.
Storage- The cheese sauce and chili can be stored separately in an airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. If you have leftover fries, they won't reheat as well. Keep them in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator and reheat them in your air fryer for best results.
Nutrition
Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 14.9g | Fat: 1.7g | Fiber: 16g