Irish Nachos

Irish Nachos take the best parts of a loaded baked potato and serve them up hot and crispy on a platter. Fried potato slices are the perfect vehicle for cheese, bacon, sour cream, tomatoes, and anything else you're craving.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, Irish

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings (1 cup each)

Calories 359kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

For the potatoes:

1 pound Russet potatoes peeled and scrubbed (see note 1)
2 tablespoons white vinegar (see note 2)
2 quarts vegetable oil or avocado oil (see note 3)
Kosher salt

For the nachos:

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices cooked bacon (see note 4)
Sour cream and diced tomatoes, sliced scallions, and sliced jalapeños, for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make the potatoes:

Using a mandoline or a sharp chef's knife, slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Rinse the slices under cold water, then store in a large bowl of water while slicing the remaining potatoes.
Drain potatoes. In a large saucepan over high heat, combine vinegar and 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil.
Add potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Drain well and spread in a single layer on rimmed baking sheets lined with paper towels. Dry five minutes.
In a Dutch oven, large pot, or deep fryer, heat oil to 400 degrees. Add 1/2 of potato slices and cook, stirring and flipping constantly with wire mesh spider or slotted spoon, until potatoes release no more bubbles, about 3 to 5 minutes (smaller chips may cook faster than large ones and should be removed from the oil as they finish).
Transfer potato slices to a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels, and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining potato slices.

To make the nachos:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Transfer potato slices to a broiler-proof pie plate or serving platter.
Top with cheese and bacon. Bake until the cheese is hot and bubbly, about 3 minutes. Remove from oven and top with sour cream, tomato, scallions, and jalapeño slices, if using.

Notes

Potatoes: Opt for starchy potatoes like Russets so they're sturdy enough to slice, cook, and hold toppings. For even cooking, cut into slices of equal thickness (I suggest using a mandoline). Peeling the potatoes is optional.
White vinegar: Parboil the potato slices in water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar. The acid will help the potato slices hold their shape while cooking.
Oil for frying: Choose a neutral oil with a high smoke point such as avocado oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. Avoid your best olive oil here as it has a strong flavor and will probably set off your smoke detector in the process.
Bacon: Crisp it up in a skillet or on the stove; here's how to fry bacon perfectly.
Yield: This recipe makes about 4 cups of Irish Nachos, enough for 4 servings, 1 cup each (plus toppings).
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 450 degrees until the potatoes are warm and the cheese gets melty again, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Nutrition