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Home Blog Course Appetizers

Epic Paleo Nachos with Carnitas (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan Option)

Cheryl Malik
Cheryl Malik Posted: 04/25/17 Updated: 06/05/20
3 Comments
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GF Gluten Free P Paleo V Vegan VG Vegetarian

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A plate of paleo nachos with vegan queso blanco, guacamole, pico de gallo, guajillo salsa, and chipotle sauce

These paleo nachos are epic, aka the best paleo nachos ever. What makes paleo nachos epic, you ask? Well, what do you think of plantain chips topped with tender carnitas, the best paleo queso blanco, guacamole, pico de gallo, smoky guajillo salsa, and creamy chipotle sauce? If those doesn’t sound like the best paleo nachos to you, I just don’t even know who you are anymore. To make these vegan, simply tofu or your favorite meatless protein for the carnitas.

These paleo nachos are epic, aka the best paleo nachos ever. What makes paleo nachos epic, you ask? Well, what do you think of plantain chips topped with tender carnitas, the best paleo queso blanco, guacamole, pico de gallo, smoky guajillo salsa, and creamy chipotle sauce? If those doesn't sound like the best paleo nachos to you, I just don't even know who you are anymore.

You really thought I’d load you up on all of those killer Mexican recipes lately and leave you hanging without nachos?

I would never do that to you.

No, we’re friends. And friends make each other epic paleo nachos with carnitas. At least my friends do… what kind of friends do you have?!

So, nachos are kind of my favorite food, and that’s kind of a problem. Because, you see, my first Whole30 confirmed something I’d suspected for a while: I don’t handle dairy well. And considering how much I love nachos and fancy cheese (I lived in Paris, after all), it was a sad realization. But I’d been making vegan nacho cheese for years, and I wasn’t too distraught. No, I’d rather not feel like I’m dying just because I ate a gigundo basket of loaded nachos at Moe’s on a whim. Yeah… not like that ever happens or anything.

These paleo nachos are epic, aka the best paleo nachos ever. What makes paleo nachos epic, you ask? Well, what do you think of plantain chips topped with tender carnitas, the best paleo queso blanco, guacamole, pico de gallo, smoky guajillo salsa, and creamy chipotle sauce? If those doesn't sound like the best paleo nachos to you, I just don't even know who you are anymore.

These paleo nachos are epic, aka the best paleo nachos ever. What makes paleo nachos epic, you ask? Well, what do you think of plantain chips topped with tender carnitas, the best paleo queso blanco, guacamole, pico de gallo, smoky guajillo salsa, and creamy chipotle sauce? If those doesn't sound like the best paleo nachos to you, I just don't even know who you are anymore.

Instead, I make epic paleo nachos. We’ve kind of sort of covered this already, but I’m not sure if you fully understand the meaning of the use “epic” here. I reserve that term for especially extravagant dishes, those loaded with every little thing my heart could desire / my brain could come up with. I left no condiment unturned, no wish unfulfilled, and so to me, these are the best paleo nachos ever. They’ve got all the best things, and I could kind of eat these every single day.

My addiction to paleo nachos really took hold when I was on my first Whole30. I was a few weeks in but not so far that the end was truly in sight, and I was left to my own devices for dinner. If you’ve never peaked through my window on a night when O is at a game or work function thingy, you might not know this (here’s hoping!) but… I eat like a maniac when I’m alone.

All bets are off, and diets fly out the window. I’ve been known to eat a bag of Doritos for dinner, and, y’all.

I’m a paleo blogger.

It’s cool. No one saw me. I just admitted it on the internet, but it’s alright. No one knows…

These paleo nachos are epic, aka the best paleo nachos ever. What makes paleo nachos epic, you ask? Well, what do you think of plantain chips topped with tender carnitas, the best paleo queso blanco, guacamole, pico de gallo, smoky guajillo salsa, and creamy chipotle sauce? If those doesn't sound like the best paleo nachos to you, I just don't even know who you are anymore.

These paleo nachos are epic, aka the best paleo nachos ever. What makes paleo nachos epic, you ask? Well, what do you think of plantain chips topped with tender carnitas, the best paleo queso blanco, guacamole, pico de gallo, smoky guajillo salsa, and creamy chipotle sauce? If those doesn't sound like the best paleo nachos to you, I just don't even know who you are anymore.

So this particular Whole30 night, I was dying for something that was not protein with a side of veggies. I knew that paleo nachos technically qualified as SWYPO (That’s “sex with your pants on” for you laypeople. In other words? A technically compliant stand-in for something super not compliant, like loaded nachos from Moe’s on a whim), but I just didn’t care at that point. I figured I’d be better off having SWMPO than running naked through the streets like a wild woman, and so I indulged.

And my heavens, I’m pretty sure those were the best bites of food I’d ever had. I sacrificed pants-on sex for staying faithful in my [short-term] marriage to the Whole30. But, thing is, I kind of fell in love with my side piece. I fell in love with the thick, crunchy plantain chips and the rich cheese-free queso and the MEAT, oh, oh, the meat, and the absolute gobs of guacamole.

So epic paleo nachos are kind of a big deal to me, you see. And this recipe totally qualifies.

You start off with a generous handful of crunchy, slightly salty plantain chips then ladle some creamy, spicy queso over the base. Top with spiced, tender carnitas that you made in the Crockpot or Instant Pot (and my recipe for the best Instant Pot carnitas is coming very soon – make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss it!) and cool, creamy guacamole dotted with crunchy red onions and fresh cilantro. You finish everything off with a quick, fresh pico de gallo and, get this, creamy chipotle sauce. Ugh! Spoon a bit of my smoky guajillo salsa over the dish to finish it off, and you’ve got a dish that’s crunchy, creamy, cool, spicy, smoky, tender, spiced, rich, fresh, and bright. Uh… what!

Epic, I told you.

Hey – you’ve made it this far, so now we’re basically best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook, too!

These paleo nachos are epic, aka the best paleo nachos ever. What makes paleo nachos epic, you ask? Well, what do you think of plantain chips topped with tender carnitas, the best paleo queso blanco, guacamole, pico de gallo, smoky guajillo salsa, and creamy chipotle sauce? If those doesn't sound like the best paleo nachos to you, I just don't even know who you are anymore.

Epic Paleo Nachos

Prep:30 minutes
Total:30 minutes
These paleo nachos are epic, aka the best paleo nachos ever. What makes paleo nachos epic, you ask? Well, what do you think of plantain chips topped with tender carnitas, the best paleo queso blanco, guacamole, pico de gallo, smoky guajillo salsa, and creamy chipotle sauce? If those doesn't sound like the best paleo nachos to you, I just don't even know who you are anymore. To make these vegan, simply tofu or your favorite meatless protein for the carnitas.
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4 people

Ingredients

NACHOS

  • 2 cups plantain chips
  • 1 cup paleo queso blanco per person , see recipe in notes
  • 2 cups carnitas , see recipe in notes, or other protein (tofu, steak, shredded chicken)

GUACAMOLE

  • 2 tbsp avocados , diced
  • 1/4 cup red onion , chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro , chopped
  • 1/2 lime , juice of
  • 1 tbsp salt , to taste

PICO DE GALLO

  • 2 tbsp fresh Roma tomatoes , chopped
  • 2 tablespoons red onion , chopped
  • 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro , chopped
  • 1/2 lime , juice of
  • 1/4 tbsp fresh jalapeno , minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt , to taste

CREAMY CHIPOTLE SAUCE

  • 1 tbsp chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce
  • 1/4 cup paleo mayonnaise (or vegan mayo), see recipe in notes
  • 1 clove garlic , peeled
  • 1 squeeze of fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt , to taste

TOPPINGS

  • 1 tablespoon smoky guajillo salsa , see recipe in notes
  • 1 tablespoon restaurant-style salsa , see recipe in notes

GARNISHES

  • 1 tablespoon fresh jalapeño or pickled jalapenos , sliced thin
  • 1 tablespoon fresh red onion , chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro , chopped

Instructions 

PICO DE GALLO

  • Stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Season with salt to taste. 

GUACAMOLE

  • Stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mash until desired consistency. Season with salt to taste.

CREAMY CHIPOTLE SAUCE

  • Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Season with salt to taste.

ASSEMBLE NACHOS

  • Heat carnitas and paleo queso, if necessary. Place about 1 cup plantain chips in serving bowl per person, if main dish (1/2 cup for appetizer - half following portions for appetizer portion). Layer with paleo queso, about 1/2 cup per person. Then layer with carnitas, about 1 scant cup per person.
  • Top with guacamole and pico de gallo. Drizzle with creamy chipotle sauce. Garnish with chopped cilantro, sliced jalapenos, and chopped red onion. Serve with smoky guajillo salsa and restaurant-style salsa. 

Notes

Click here for the paleo queso recipe (best vegan queso recipe ever!).
Click here for the paleo Crockpot carnitas recipe.
Click here for the smoky guajillo salsa recipe.
Click here for the best restaurant-style salsa recipe.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 4g, Calories: 720kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 50g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Cholesterol: 135mg, Sodium: 4434mg, Potassium: 1001mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 2347IU, Vitamin C: 27mg, Calcium: 234mg, Iron: 2mg, Net Carbs: 35g

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

 

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

 

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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These paleo nachos are epic, aka the best paleo nachos ever. What makes paleo nachos epic, you ask? Well, what do you think of plantain chips topped with tender carnitas, the best paleo queso blanco, guacamole, pico de gallo, smoky guajillo salsa, and creamy chipotle sauce? If those doesn't sound like the best paleo nachos to you, I just don't even know who you are anymore. To make these vegan, simply tofu or your favorite meatless protein for the carnitas.

These *best paleo nachos* use the following 40 Aprons recipes that I think you’ll love:

This is the best vegan queso recipe ever, and I will challenge you to a duel to prove it! ⚔ Well, maybe I'll just make these vegan queso for you instead... My child needs me to live! But one bite, and you'll be convinced. With rich cashew cream, bright green chiles, and spicy jalapenos, you'll fall in love with this vegan queso and finally get nachos into the weekly dinner rotation. This recipe is a paleo queso blanco, too, so long as you don't mind potatoes.
Best vegan queso (paleo queso)
Paleo carnitas made from pork tenderloin in the Crockpot. These paleo carnitas are made with pork tenderloin in the Crockpot for a super easy Whole30 dinner. Pork tenderloin makes these paleo carnitas super budget-friendly, and they're full of flavor, making them perfect for a Chipotle copycat Whole30 carnitas bowl like you'd get at Chipotle!
Paleo Crockpot carnitas
This smoky guajillo salsa recipe is deep and flavorful, full of toasted, dried guajillo chiles, garlic, and fresh tomatoes. It's the perfect smoky salsa recipe to keep in the fridge (at all times, pretty sure) so you can put it on all the things. Inspired by my favorite local taqueria salsa, you'll love this smoky salsa recipe, especially during warmer weather! Buy dried guajillo chiles here.
Smoky guajillo salsa recipe
This is the best restaurant-style salsa recipe, and I've been making it blissfully for almost a decade! What makes this the best restaurant-style salsa recipe? Spoiler alert: it comes from one of my favorite Mexican restaurants (but I'll never say which)! It blends fresh garlic, cilantro, chiles, onions, and tomatoes with canned tomatoes for the perfect blend of fresh and traditional restaurant style salsa. So good!
Best restaurant-style salsa recipe

And you might also like this Chipotle copycat Whole30 carnitas bowl!

This Chipotle copycat Whole30 carnitas bowl is a take on the Whole30 Chipotle favorite and is a fantastic Whole30 dinner, especially for warmer weather! I just can't think of a better way to eat Whole30 Mexican food. Sorry, Chipotle!

Cheryl Malik

Meet Cheryl Malik

Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She's been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.

Read more...

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  1. Jen says

    Posted on 9/22/19 at 8:51 pm

    These look amazing!!! I am not sure how my family would feel about plantain chips but otherwise amazing!!

    Reply
    • Cheryl MalikCheryl Malik says

      Posted on 9/23/19 at 12:07 pm

      Thanks, Jen!

      Reply

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