Loaded Vegetarian Greek Pita Nachos Recipe
Enjoy a vibrant and delicious Loaded Vegetarian Greek Pita Nachos recipe featuring crispy toasted pita chips topped with roasted chickpeas, fresh vegetables, creamy tzatziki sauce, and crumbled feta cheese. This Mediterranean-inspired dish is perfect for a healthy appetizer or light meal, combining refreshing flavors with satisfying textures.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean, Greek
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup grated cucumber (unpeeled, about 1 medium cucumber)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh dill (minced)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 a juicy lemon)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
Roasted Chickpeas
- 15 oz can of chickpeas (drained, rinsed, and patted dry)
- 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Pita and Toppings
- 2 packages pita bread (each cut into 8 triangles)
- 1 red onion (diced)
- 1 cup roma tomatoes (quartered)
- 1 cucumber (chopped)
- 1 block fresh feta cheese (crumbled)
- 1 tbsp fresh dill (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 400℉ to prepare for roasting the chickpeas, ensuring they become nicely toasted and crispy.
- Make the Tzatziki: Prepare a fine mesh strainer over a bowl or your sink. Grate the cucumber using a coarse grater directly into the strainer, allowing excess water to drip out. In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, extra virgin olive oil, minced fresh dill, lemon juice, finely minced garlic, kosher salt, and ground pepper. Use a dish towel to squeeze out any remaining liquid from the grated cucumbers, then mix the cucumber into the yogurt mixture. Refrigerate the tzatziki until ready to use.
- Roast the Chickpeas: Place the drained, rinsed, and towel-dried chickpeas on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated 400℉ oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and toasty. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with cayenne pepper for a spicy kick.
- Toast the Pita: Lower the oven temperature to 325℉. Arrange pita triangles in an even layer on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 10 minutes or until crispy and lightly golden.
- Prepare the Fresh Toppings: While the pita toasts, dice the red onion, quarter the roma tomatoes, chop the cucumber, crumble the feta cheese, and roughly chop the fresh dill for garnish.
- Assemble the Nachos: Once the pita chips are toasted, spread them evenly on a serving platter. Top with the diced tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion. Sprinkle roasted chickpeas over the vegetables. Drizzle generously with the chilled tzatziki sauce and finish by sprinkling fresh chopped dill on top.
Notes
- Make sure to squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the cucumbers to prevent the tzatziki from becoming watery.
- Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper if you prefer less or more heat in your chickpeas.
- To keep the pita chips crunchy, assemble the nachos just before serving.
- This recipe works well as a vegetarian appetizer or a light meal.
- Using fresh dill in both the tzatziki and as garnish enhances the bright, herby flavor.
Keywords: Greek pita nachos, vegetarian appetizer, roasted chickpeas, tzatziki sauce, Mediterranean snack, healthy nachos, baked pita chips
