The name Irish nachos has always intrigued me. I had to ask a friend what they were, and that's when I began looking for an easy Irish Nachos recipe because, well, you know me. I like fast and easy as long as it's pretty and tasty!
Typically, nachos have a base of tortilla chips. Irish nachos, however, have a base of potatoes as a nod to the Emerald Isle's love for spuds. They sound delicious, but they also sound like a lot of work.
I've seen many versions of Irish nachos since my friend Candi enlightened me, and all of them involve slicing and roasting potatoes for a base or using frozen french fries or waffle fries to hold up the toppings. What if you could whip up something fast without much effort and get straight to snacking?
Eureka! Here is the answer! They're so amazingly yummy, but they're easy and fast!
Lay's Kettle-cooked POTATO chips are the base for all the savory toppings in this brilliant, quick, and easy recipe. It is light and crisp; the chips stay nice and crunchy. The bacon adds a chewy bite, and the toppings are perfectly balanced.
Kettle-cooked chips are thicker and crunchier than regular potato chips, so they hold up to the melted cheese, tomatoes, green onions, and sour cream and make great, albeit messy, dippers.
This is a basic recipe; here is all you need to make a batch of nachos, and it will only take a few minutes to get them on the table!
I could not wait to try this tasty-looking Irish nachos recipe, and I wanted it to double as a meal this time. I saw a similar recipe for appetizer-size servings, so I made half a recipe and added a small amount of taco meat with ground beef and some Picante sauce. It was a delightful, different, fun supper for Papa and me.
Another time, I made it for our youngest granddaughter and her friend when they popped out from school for lunch one day! Four thumbs up!!
I chose to make it my trusty old cast-iron skillet because it was a perfect size, and I love how the black skillet sets off the gorgeous colors and makes everything pop and look extra appetizing!
You can do tons of other things to jazz up this Irish nachos recipe. If potatoes aren't Irish enough, how about adding some drained and rinsed sauerkraut and corned beef and serving it for Saint Patrick's Day?
Cut leftover steak into thin ribbons and add them to this dish. Change up the cheese or add sliced jalapenos! The possibilities are endless!
It will be a perfect snack for football parties and other get-togethers. What a clever person it was who made such creative use of kettle chips! Thank you!
Nothing could be easier! Make some crisp bacon and crumble it. Hint: Here's the easiest way to make perfect bacon in your oven. It comes out flat and evenly cooked without the need to turn it.
Using this method, you can even cook the bacon ahead of time and refrigerate it, then reheat a slice or two when you need it! For this recipe, about four meaty strips of Hormel Black Label Bacon is a perfect amount.
You've often heard me say it, but for me, there's no other kind of bacon. You can also use real bacon bits from the store, but why not use the really good stuff? (This is not a paid endorsement.)
Place a layer of kettle chips in a casserole, a sheet pan, or a cast-iron skillet.
Now top it with shredded cheese. I almost always shred cheese from a block of cheese because I think it tastes better and melts better, but this one time, I hit an irresistible cheese sale and bought shredded cheese in a bag. I must admit it's a huge time saver!
Next comes the bacon, then pop it in a 350-degree oven for about five minutes, or long enough for the cheese to melt and get all gooey and yummy.
While that's in the oven, you have enough time to chop some tomatoes and green onions. When it comes out of the oven, put a big dollop of sour cream in the center and top it with diced tomatoes and green onions.
Serve your Irish nachos immediately while they are piping hot, and make sure you have plenty of napkins!!
The Super Bowl, Academy Awards, and college basketball playoffs are coming up. You will have lots of opportunities to invite friends to watch them with you, so you will need to serve some fun snacks!
At our house, the term we use for fun food is "snackage!" I sure hope you enjoy this tasty snackage! You might also like these yummy appetizers! Dried Beef Dip and Easy Cheese Ring are two of our very favorite ones!
Here's a quick and easy pub food-type appetizer you can put together in minutes. Colorful, delicious, and always popular. It makes a light meal, too!
If you liked this recipe, you are my people! If you like this recipe, please share it on your social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! It would sure tickle me, and I would be ever so grateful!
If you haven't already, please look for me on Facebook and Pinterest, where I will share easy, delicious, family-friendly recipes every week!
Love, GB (Betty Streff)
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Do you have a version of this that won't give me "salt heartburn"? I have to look at sodium levels that are below 600mg per serving.
Sorry, I don't but I did look up low sodium kettle chips and there are a lot of options!