Irish Nachos Recipe

Nachos, as we know them, are a Mexican — authentically Mexican, as they were invented in that country, even if they may have been meant for the tourist trade. Irish nachos, then, seems like a contradiction in terms. In fact, British recipe developer Susan Olayinka does say that this dish is "unknown in Ireland [as] it is mostly an American dish." She says that in Ireland and the U.K., they are more likely to stick with the similar dish of stuffed potato skins, instead. Olayinka does allow, though, that "the fact that these use potato[es] makes them that [much] more Irish!"

Olayinka thinks, and we agree, that these Irish nachos make a great alternative to more typical nachos made with tortilla chips. Not only are they heartier, but the thick, sturdy potato slices are something that Olayinka assures us "stay pretty firm" even when they are piled high with all sorts of delicious toppings. If you love classic nachos with tortilla chips, then something tells us you'll love this potato variation, too!

These Irish nachos don't call for any unusual ingredients. You'll need a few potatoes, of course. You'll also need a bit of oil to cook them with and some spices for seasoning: onion powder, oregano, and garlic powder. To top the potatoes, you will be using bacon, green onions, sour cream, salsa, and cheese.

As to what kind of cheese, Olayinka says she used a mixture of cheddar and the British cheese Leicester, but says "any cheese is fine." You may wish to go with all cheddar, or perhaps use cheddar and Monterey or pepper jack.

First things first: preheat the oven to 350 F. You'll need to cook the bacon before you use it, too, then cool it and crumble it or chop it into bits. You can also, if you like, save the bacon grease and use that in place of vegetable oil in the recipe.

The potatoes may need rinsing or scrubbing, but you won't have to peel them. Just slice them into rounds about ¼-inch thick, as these will serve as the "chips" for the nachos. Slice the green onions thinly, as well.

Spread the potato slices out over a sheet pan, then brush them with oil or bacon grease. Sprinkle them with the dry seasonings and a little bit of salt, then bake them for 30 minutes.

When the time is up, take the potatoes out of the oven and sprinkle them with the shredded cheese. Put the pan back in the oven and turn the heat setting to broil. Cook them for four more minutes or until the cheese melts.

Once the cheese has melted, take the nachos out of the oven and top them with the sour cream, bacon, green onions, and salsa, and/or any other nacho toppings you like. Olayinka says, "Hot sauce or hummus would work" to serve them with, though you might prefer additional salsa or guacamole. While these nachos don't really work well as leftovers (no nachos do), Olayinka does suggest you could maybe repurpose the potatoes. Of course, these Irish nachos are so delicious, it's likely that you won't have to worry about leftovers!