Irish Nachos are an awesome twist on the classic Mexican dish, swapping traditional tortilla chips for crispy, sliced potatoes. This hearty appetizer combines the comforting flavors of Ireland with the beloved nacho concept, resulting in a dish perfect for gatherings, game days, or St. Patrick's Day.
Pile on your favorite loaded baked potato toppings, and serve these tasty Irish pub-style nachos with sour cream, pico de gallo, creamy guacamole, ranch dressing, or some cheesy queso!
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Crispy, pan-fried potatoes are layered with melted cheeses, bacon bits, jalapenos, and green onions and served with sour cream; these nachos bring a unique loaded baked potato flavor in every bite.
Whether you're celebrating St. Patrick's Day, looking for a new party snack, or simply wanting something deliciously different, these Irish Nachos will be a crowd-pleaser.
🥘 Ingredients
These Irish pub nachos feature classic baked potato toppings. Feel free to customize and maybe try some taco toppings.
- Russet Potatoes - 2 large russet potatoes (1 ½ lbs or 4-5 medium potatoes).
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons of olive oil (extra virgin).
- Salt & Pepper- salt & pepper (to taste).
- Bacon - 3 slices of bacon (thick-cut, cooked, and chopped).
- Chives - 1 tablespoon of chives.
- Cheddar Cheese - 1 cup of cheddar cheese (shredded, or use a variety of cheeses).
- Pico De Gallo - ¼ cup of pico de gallo (or chopped tomatoes, optional).
- Jalapenos - 10-12 sliced jalapenos (optional, more or less to taste).
- Green Onions - 2 stalks of green onion (sliced; reserve some for garnish if desired).
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Irish Nachos
These Irish nachos are easy to make and ready to eat in less than an hour.
You will need a baking sheet, parchment paper, a sharp knife, a cast iron skillet (or baking dish), and some tongs.
This recipe will yield about 6 servings.
Preparation Steps
- Preheat the Oven. Begin by heating your oven to 400°F (205°C). Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Prepare the Potatoes. Clean the potatoes thoroughly, then dry them. Slice them into thin rounds, aiming for about ¼ inch thickness. If you prefer, instead of baking, you can fry the slices in oil at 375°F (190°C) for 6-7 minutes until they're golden and crispy.
- Season and Bake. Coat the potato slices lightly in olive oil and lay them out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until they start to turn golden. Flip each slice over, season with salt and pepper again, and return to the oven.
- Final Bake. Continue baking for another 20-25 minutes until the slices are golden brown and crisp. Once done, take them out and arrange them in an overlapping pattern in a cast iron skillet or a round baking dish.
Assembling the Nachos
- Layer the Toppings. Evenly distribute chives, shredded cheese, cooked bacon pieces, diced tomatoes or pico de gallo, sliced jalapeños, and chopped green onions over the arranged potato slices.
- Bake Again. Increase the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C). Bake the assembled nachos for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese has melted beautifully.
- Ready to Serve. Remove from the oven and immediately add toppings like fresh tomatoes, extra green onions, olives, more chives, cilantro, or parsley. Serve hot with your choice of something to dip them into, like Greek yogurt, sour cream dip, ranch dressing, guacamole, or Rotel queso dip.
You will love this fun pub food; these pub-style Irish Nachos are a great snack or appetizer. Serve them with my tasty Cajun or cheese dipping sauce. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Prep Ahead for Convenience: For a quicker appetizer, consider pre-baking your potatoes so they're ready to be topped and baked. If you're short on time or prefer an even faster alternative to sliced potatoes, frozen steak fries make an excellent base for Irish Nachos.
- Flexible Cookware Options: Don't worry if you don't have a cast-iron skillet; any oven-safe dish will do the trick.
- Customize Your Toppings: Make these Irish Nachos yours by loading them with your favorite toppings. Try a three-cheese blend of Colby, cheddar, and Monterey Jack for an irresistible combination. Add chopped bacon or corned beef, pico de gallo, sliced jalapeños, black olives, chives, and green onions for a fully loaded experience.
*Disclaimer: I know these are not traditional 'Irish' food. If anything, they are a very Americanized appetizer. However, Irish Nachos are in Irish pubs throughout the states and across the pond. 🙂
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🥡 Storing & Reheating
Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Separate the potatoes and toppings before storing them to prevent them from becoming soggy. These nachos will also stay good for about 2 hours at room temperature.
Reheating
Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Place your leftovers on a baking sheet or baking pan. Reheat until the potatoes become warmed through and your cheese melts. This will take about 10-15 minutes.
❓ Recipe FAQs
The best potatoes for Irish Nachos are Russet potatoes. They are highly recommended because of their high starch content, which allows them to become crispy on the outside and remain fluffy on the inside when baked or fried. Their size and shape are also ideal for cutting into rounds or wedges, making them perfect for holding up the weight of various toppings without becoming soggy.
The main ingredient of this dish is potatoes, and that's why they are referred to as Irish. It's a spin-off of Mexican-inspired nachos but topped with baked potato toppings instead of typical nacho toppings.
I wouldn't recommend freezing Irish nachos. Some of the toppings will not freeze well, and your potato slices will become soggy. You can refrigerate Irish nachos for up to 3 days. I suggest taking all of the toppings and refrigerating them separately in airtight containers.
☘️ More Irish Recipes
- Irish Lamb Stew - This delicious stew is full of vegetables and tender grass-fed lamb meat.
- Corned Beef and Cabbage - My Irish-inspired slow-roasted corned beef and cabbage is melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
- Irish Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Pecan Frosting - This St. Patrick's Day cake has cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramel frosting on top.
- Irish Apple Cake - If you have some fresh apples on hand, you must make this delicious homemade apple cake.
- Traditional Irish Soda Bread - Irish soda bread is straightforward to make; there is no kneading or yeast required in this recipe.
- Irish Barmbrack - This traditional Irish fruit bread features a combination of dried fruit, brown sugar, and warming spices.
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📖 Recipe Card
Irish Nachos (Classic Pub Food Appetizer)
Ingredients
- 2 large russet potatoes (1 ½ lbs or 4-5 medium potatoes)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 3 slices bacon (thick cut, cooked and chopped)
- 1 tablespoon chives
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded, or use a variety of cheeses)
- ¼ cup pico de gallo (or chopped tomatoes, optional)
- 10-12 sliced jalapenos (optional, more or less to taste)
- 2 green onions (sliced, reserve some for garnish if desired)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash, dry, and cut potatoes into thin slices, about ¼ inch in thickness. (instructions are for oven-baked potato chips, sliced potatoes can be fried at 375°F (190°C) for 6-7 minutes). Toss sliced potatoes in olive oil and place them onto your baking sheet in a single layer. Season coated potatoes with salt and pepper.
- Place baking sheet with sliced potatoes in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes (they should be starting to get golden), then flip your sliced potatoes over to bake the opposite side. Season with salt and pepper and return to the oven.
- Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until the potato slices are getting golden and crispy. Remove the sliced potatoes from the baking sheet and arrange them in overlapping layers in your cast iron skillet or round baking dish.
- Sprinkle the arranged potatoes with chives, cheese, bacon, pico or tomatoes, sliced jalapenos, and green onions.
- Increase oven temperature to 450°F (230°C). Place layered nachos in the oven and bake for 4-5 minutes, or until cheese is fully melted.
- Serve immediately. Top with reserved tomatoes, green onion, olives, chives, cilantro, or parsley, and serve with your favorite dip (Greek yogurt, sour cream, ranch dressing, guacamole, or queso dip).
Notes
- Have your potatoes pre-baked and ready to layer with your toppings and bake for a quick appetizer, and if you are in need of a faster version (vs sliced potatoes, shown above) you can always use frozen steak fries as your base.
- If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, any oven-safe dish will work. Pie plates are about the right shape and work well, too.
- Load these tasty potatoes up with your favorite loaded baked potato toppings for the best party snack ever! I used a three-cheese variety blend of Colby, cheddar, and jack along with chopped bacon (or corned beef), pico de gallo, sliced jalapenos, black olives, chives, and green onions on our Irish Nachos that are shown here.
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