Bean Nachos (or the best 10 minute meal!)

Knowing those meals that take less than 20 minutes to put on the table can be an absolute gift when you have tired and hungry kids (or you’re tired and hungry yourself!). Pasta fits into this category as well as this sensational mixed bean nachos, if you’ve stashed some in the freezer.

I like to make a batch of this nachos as part of a Sunday meal prep, freeze it in 2 containers and enjoy the smugness of knowing that all I need to serve it is a bag of corn chips and toppings that I usually have in the fridge anyway. PLUS the kids love it and you look like a contender for parent of the year.

Why do we love this? Easy, quick, healthy and a great meal to have on hand in the freezer. Kids love it and it is a source of plant-based protein. With the added toppings, this nachos offers 3 serves of vegetables.

 Meal Prep Hack: This is a big batch of nachos – freeze half so you have a quick and healthy meal ready for a busy night. All you need then is some guacamole, cherry tomatoes, thick yoghurt and some sort of chip. There are some decent corn chips (“Mission” is a good brand) and vegetable chips out there, or homemade sweet potato chips or baked tortilla chips are ideal.

This mix could go in tacos or burritos and I have also added beef mince into this recipe for something different. To make this with beef, sauté 500g beef mince with the vegetables until brown before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Bean Nachos, Avocado, Tomato Salsa

Serves 8 (freeze half)

1 small onion, finely diced

4 garlic cloves, finely diced

1 red capsicum, diced

2 celery sticks, diced

1 carrot, diced

1-2 tsp smoked paprika, to taste or 2tsp taco spices

2 tins chopped/crushed tomatoes

2 tins kidney beans, black beans or 5-bean mix, drained, rinsed

2 tin refried beans

olive oil

TOPPINGS: Greek yoghurt or sour cream, grated cheese, guacamole, tomato salsa, corn kernels, coriander and/or lime.

Sauté the onion in 1TB olive oil until soft. Add the diced vegetables, garlic and paprika and continue cooking until soft and fragrant. Stir in the refried beans until completely dispersed. Add the tinned tomatoes, fill one empty tin with water and add that too. Add the beans and stir well. Season to taste and cook while stirring over a simmer until it thickens slightly, a further 5 minutes.

Serve hot now or freeze in containers for a busy night. Pull it from the freezer the day before you need, let it defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat over low-medium heat while stirring before serving.

To serve, dollop over corn chips, top with smashed avocado, tomato salsa, Greek yoghurt and a squeeze of lime. Fresh corn kernels and coriander are also delicious here.