Buffalo chickpeas add a punchy topping to these vegan nachos

If you’ve been scarred by memories of vegan shreds that just sat on your nachos or pizza, or in your grilled cheese or quesadilla, unmoved by the heat of the oven and refusing to do anything close to melting, you might be reluctant to go there again. If you’re not vegan and not interested in eating a vegan meal, by all means use your favorite dairy cheese here. But for those of you who do want to keep this plant-based, I tested nine brands, sprinkling them plain on tortilla chips and baking for 10 to 15 minutes. The upshot: Daiya — a brand I used to avoid — was the clear winner with a vastly improved product that melted beautifully. Runners-up were Violife and Vevan; losers were Go Veggie, Original Almond and So Delicious; and in the middle were Forager, Miyoko’s and Chao.