We are incredibly blessed to have 2 small boys in the house. And I especially love the challenge of inspiring them to become vegetable lovers like their Mama.
Let’s just say it’s a work in progress.
So I’m always trying to come up with ideas for family meals to suit all our different dietary requirements. Without having to cook separate meals.
These nachos definitely live up to their name of keeping everyone happy.
I like zucchini version. My Irishman likes ‘both’ – some zucchini and some corn chips. No prizes for guessing the boys prefer corn chips.
NOTE: There are 11g carbs / serve for the zucchini only version – I didn’t dare calculate it for the tortilla chips!
Everyone Happy Nachos
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini (courgette) OR tortilla chips
- 4 thick sausages approx 300g / 10oz
- 50 g grated cheese
- hot sauce eg. Tabasco eg. Tabasco
- 1 bunch coriander (cilantro) OR mint or parsley
- 1 avocado OR sour cream
Instructions
- Turn your oven to 250C (480F). Line a large rimmed baking tray with baking paper. If using zucchini, slice into rounds about 1/2cm (1/4 inch) thick. Spread zucchini over the tray. Drizzle with a little oil and roast for 10 minutes.
- If not using zucchini, create 2 piles of corn chips, one for each person on a large rimmed baking tray.
- If using zucchini, when the first 10 minutes are up, create 2 piles of roast zucchini, one for each person.
- Or if using both, create 2 piles based on whatever makes sense to you!
- Remove sausage casings and discard. Tear sausage meat into bite sized pieces. Scatter over the top of your 2 piles.
- Return to the oven for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over both piles. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.
- Carefully transfer each pile onto a plate using the baking paper to help. Serve with hot sauce, herbs and avocado / sour cream on top.
Nutrition
Variations & Substitutions
short on time – cook the sausage meat in a pan while the zucchini is roasting. Skip the cheese melting step.
Keto / ultra low carb – skip the corn chips!
vegetarian – replace sausage with cooked lentils, chickpeas or beans.
dairy-free – use the avo. OR serve with this lime + cashew ‘sour cream’ (it’s really great!)
nightshade-free – replace hot sauce with pesto or this lemon tahini sauce or just a squeeze of lime.
more substantial (carb lovers) – extra tortilla chips.
more substantial (low carb) – extra avo. Roast almonds, macadamias or cashews.
Low FODMAP – use 1/2 zucchini and 1/2 corn chips.
different vegetables – I’ve also made this with kale chips – they only take about 5 minutes to cook before adding the sausage. Eggplant will work or red capsicum (bell peppers), or cauliflower or even broccoli. Just adjust cooking time as needed.
different protein – any ground (minced meat) or cooked lentils, chickpeas or beans. Chicken thigh or breast fillets will also be good – just make sure they cook through. Leftover slow cooked meat is excellent. You could also make a nest on each pile and crack an egg to cook in the middle.
more fancy / for entertaining – serve with this crunchy iceberg lettuce salad or any more substantial salad. Or live dangerously and serve with avocado AND sour cream AND some roast cashews for crunch.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
zucchini – will keep for 2 weeks or longer in a plastic bag in the fridge. To keep it even longer, cook sliced zucchini in a little butter until just soft then store in an airtight container in the fridge.
tortilla chips – keep in the pantry.
sausages – freeze them.
cheese – most hard and melting cheeses will keep for weeks wrapped in waxed paper or baking paper and stored in an airtight container (or sealed ziplock bag) in the fridge. If you need to store for longer cheese can be frozen.
hot sauce – keep it in the pantry.
coriander (cilantro) / mint / parsley – best to use for another meal. Can be frozen but will wilt when defrosted.
avocado – use for another meal. Don’t freeze.
sour cream – keeps for weeks in the fridge.
Problem Solving Guide
bland – more salt! more hot sauce! more avocado! Or try a squeeze of lemon or lime juice.
too dry – either your sausage was too lean or you’ve over cooked the nachos. Next time get them out earlier. For now a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or more sour cream will help.
no oven – change it to a nacho ‘hash’. Pan fry the sausage and sliced zucchini until both are cooked through and serve in bowls with the remaining ingredients on top.
sticking to the tray – next time remember the baking paper. For now, allowing the nachos to cool before trying to move them can help. Or serve it in the middle and just eat from the oven tray.
Prepare Ahead
Yes for the zucchini version. The corn chips will go soggy with time. Just cook as per the recipe but keep the avocado / sour cream, hot sauce and herbs separately. Zucchini leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or can be frozen. Don’t freeze the avo / sour cream or herbs. To serve, warm in the oven for 10 minutes before finishing as per the recipe.
Add to my Old Favourite Recipes
Jules, I just had the experience of my husband forgetting to put zucchini on his grocery list, (something I didn’t catch when I put his list on my phone, or when I was shopping), and since he seemed set on making the recipe, I came up with a couple of alternatives to the zucchini: one was thinly sliced cauliflower; the other, which we used, was sliced cabbage. They turned out very well with the cabbage. I figured the cauliflower would take longer to bake, and we always have cabbage in our fridge. I’m still amazed that with your training, I don’t have to miss a beat when an emergency comes up, that it’s so easy to find a solution.
So happy to hear this Susan! And GREAT choice with the cabbage. Yum
This is an absolute winner! I’ve made it three times so far and every time my husband has said how lovely it is. I used zucchini instead of the tortilla chips and chicken breast cut into thin strips instead of the sausage meat. I served with the sour cream AND the avocado, and the fresh coriander. Also with some of that crispy chilli you mentioned in one or your Insta posts 😋
YUM! Nicola!
Jules, You mention helping your small boys love vegetables like their mama. I just fixed vegetables with lunch and dinner all the while my kids were young like that was completely normal even though their dad was not a good example of eating veges. I have three grown adult children that love their vegetables! My oldest son is a vegan pescatarian, who only eats fish when he feels his body is needing more protein. My middle son has been a vegetarian for 20 years. His younger sister primarily eats vegetables,some rice, pasta, seafood and chicken. She’s dairy free. I have always been grateful that the act of continually putting vegetables before them, in ways they would eat them, worked!
Thanks for the inspiration Sharon 🙂
Jules, You mention helping your small boys love vegetables like their mama. I just fixed vegetables with lunch and dinner all the while my kids were young like that was completely normal even though their dad was not a good example of eating veges. I have three grown adult children that love their vegetables! My oldest son is a vegan pescatarian, who only eats fish when he feels his body is needing more protein. My middle son has been a vegetarian for 20 years. His younger sister primarily eats vegetables,some rice, pasta, seafood and chicken. She’s dairy free. I have always been grateful that the act of continually putting vegetables before them, in ways they would eat them, worked!
I decided to be adventurous and start with some sliced carrot – my only regret is that i didn’t slice up the second one that I had too, because it started to caramelise. Sliced zucchini next, then red kidney beans with the cheese (~100g cheddar). Avocado, sour cream and cashews. Good.
I was wondering how red kidney beans would go 🙂
Surprisingly well!
Nice alternative to pizza night and worked for 2 adults and a 4 year old. Dinner is fun again!
So happy to hear you’re having fun Ellen!
My first challenge meal. It was excellent, as always (except for the fact that I can’t cook anything at 480ºF without setting off my smoke alarm – even using a silicon baking mat).
Fantastic Susan! YOu can always use a lower heat – it will just take longer. Your smoke alarm must be very sensitive 🙂
I had made this a while back just as the recipe is originally written, and my family enjoyed it. I made it for supper a few days ago. I used black beans to accommodate my sons who are currently not eating meat. I chose the zucchini for my portion. I also chose the lentil variation for my dish.
Excellent! We gobbled it down and honestly, true to the name, Everyone was Happy with their Nachos!
Big winner recipe!
Thank you Jules!
Brilliant Cynthia! Isn’t it fun when you can keep everyone happy without having to cook multiple meals 🙂
Really quick and delicious. Even had the thumbs up from the sceptical husband. Roasting in a hot oven is such a good approach for veggies. Had it with a lovely side salad. Looking forward to leftovers for lunch tomorrow!
ooh I love when skeptical husbands give the thumbs up Lisa. Well done!
True to its name, Everyone was Happy with these nachos! I had the zucchini and it was so yummy! All my boys had the chips and they enjoyed all the flavors. I like the fact that it was easy to prepare two different ways.
oh yay Cynthia! I’m thinking of writing a book called Everyone Happy. What do you think?
Yes! Write that book!!! ?
I will Cynthia! 🙂
This sounds like a real winner! The nice thing I’m finding about doing the zucchini version of something like this, is that my carb-loving husband has been adapting very nicely to my low carb routine. I’ve figured out how to have it for lunch when I start cooking again next week. I’m really looking forward to trying it.
Excellent Susan!
This recipe is a definite keeper! We both enjoyed it greatly. I have enough stuff left over to do it again, so I’ll be rethinking my menu plan for the week. I did it just plain – zucchini, kielbasa, Chihuahua cheese, and plain Greek yogurt to top. I’m not normally a big fan of zucchini, but they tasted really good in this recipe. I love that you are finding ways to get me to enjoy things I normally don’t care for much. 🙂
I LOVE helping people enjoy veggies in new ways Susan – so glad you said that 🙂