These vegan chili cheese fries combine crispy French fries with a flavorful vegetable chili, topped off with a vegan cashew cheese sauce. It's the perfect comfort food that's both satisfying and indulgent, and ready in about 40 minutes.
Who doesn't love a good plate of chili cheese fries? The crispy fries, topped with hot, spicy chili and creamy cheese, are the perfect comfort food. But what if you're plant-based or vegan? Don't worry, this is what I do - I veganize dishes like Vegan Chili Dogs, Creamy Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip, and BBQ Jackfruit Sliders With Vegan Coleslaw - and chili cheese fries are no exception.
These fries are great for serving at a vegan game day gathering along with Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese, Easy Vegan Pizza Roll Recipe, and Easy Guacamole with Homemade Corn Chips.
And if you’re as obsessed with chili as I am, you’ll love having options to mix things up. While spicy vegetable chili is the star of these fries, you can also try my Vegan Chili With TVP for a hearty, meaty texture or Black Bean Quinoa Chili for a smoky, protein-packed meal.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- Satisfies cravings for indulgent, hearty comfort food.
- Simple ingredients and easy prep make it weeknight-friendly.
- Perfect for game days, parties, or family dinners.
- A fun, messy, and delicious meal everyone enjoys - just make sure to adjust the spiciness for the young ones.
- Chili and cheese sauce can be prepped in advance.
Ingredients
Here is everything you'll need to make this crowd-friendly meal. See the printable recipe card for quantities.
- Important note - Chili powders vary in spiciness based on the type of peppers used and added spices. Cayenne is very spicy, ancho is mild and smoky, and chipotle has medium heat with a smoky flavor. Generic chili powder is a milder blend with spices like cumin and garlic. Always check the label or taste first, as heat levels can differ.
- Veggie Broth - I love to use Better Than Boullion vegetable paste to make my broth with a deep flavor.
- French Fries - Use your favorite brand. The waffle-cut fries or steak-cut fries make this dish so good.
- Vegetables - Keep them chunky for a hearty chili. Buy prechopped peppers and onions for less work.
Variations
- You can substitute the fries for tater tots or even corn chips for variation.
- Add meat alternatives to the chili, such as Beyond Meat or Impossible meat. TVP, textured vegetable protein, is also an option.
- For a spicer cheese sauce, try Vegan Cashew Queso. For a nut-free. version try Best Nut-Free Vegan Cheese Sauce.
How To Make Vegan Spicy Chili Cheese Fries
There are 4 easy steps to this recipe. While the chili is simmering, make the cheese sauce and fries to conserve time. See the printable recipe card for details.
Step 1: Make the spicy chili.
Step 2: While that simmers, bake the fries according to package instructions.
Step 3: Make the cashew cheese sauce and set aside.
Step 4: Assemble, garnish, and serve.
Top Tips
- It is spicy, as written, but combining it with the fries and cheese sauce calms the spice a little. Adjust the cayenne, remove seeds from the jalapeno, and check your chili powder for spiciness to reduce heat.
- While you can prepare ahead, vegan chili cheese fries are best enjoyed fresh and hot after they are assembled.
- Check out Guide to Soaking Cashews for different ways to soak your cashews if you don't have a high-speed blender.
Recipe FAQS
Some popular toppings include diced avocado, sprigs of cilantro, sliced green onions, sliced jalapenos, Vegan Bacon Bits, green onions, truffle oil, ranch dressing, and diced red onions.
You can serve this differently by portioning out individual plates of fries and allowing everyone to serve themselves the chili, cheese sauce, and optional toppings. This way, the fries don't get soggy either (even though I don't mind). This is an excellent idea for a party with a chili cheese fries bar.
Store any leftover chili and vegan cheese sauce in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, and assemble fresh fries when ready to serve.
More Vegan Game Day Recipes
Got a minute? I'd love for you to dive into the comments and rate this Vegan Chili Cheese Fries. Your feedback is invaluable—did you love it? Did you make any fun twists? Let me know how my directions worked for you so I can keep improving my recipes. Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for inspiration.
Vegan Chili Cheese Fries
Ingredients
Chili Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 peppers diced (any color)
- 1 jalapeno diced (seeded for less spicy)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 - 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper adjust to taste
- 14 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 14 ounce cans mixed bean blend drained and rinsed
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Fries
- 2 bags of favorite store-bought fries
Cashew Cheese Sauce
- 2 cups cashews soaked for 4 hours if not using a high-speed blender
- 1 cup water
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to the advised cooking temperature for your bag of fries.
- Saute: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers, jalapeno, and garlic and cook until softened - about 5-8 minutes.
- Add Spices: Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper (if using). Cook for another minute.
- Incorporate: Add the tomatoes, beans, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer on medium for 20-30 minutes or until the chili has thickened.
- Prepare the Fries: While that simmers, make the french fries. Follow the directions on the bag.
- Blend: While the french fries are in the oven, make the cheese sauce by placing all the ingredients in a blender and mixing until creamy and smooth.
- Transfer: Once the fries are cooked, spread them out on a large serving platter, top with chili, and drizzle with vegan cheese sauce—or serve individually for a customizable option.
- Garnish: Garnish with chopped cilantro and green onions if desired.
Maggie says
So good! This has become a family favorite!
Regi Pearce says
That's amazing to hear! Knowing it's become a family favorite is the ultimate compliment. Thanks so much for trying the vegan chili cheese fries and for letting me know how much you all enjoyed them!