Reuben Irish Nachos

Prepare to get extremely excited over these Reuben Irish Nachos. Crispy potatoes topped with tender corned beef, melt-y Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and homemade thousand island dressing.

That’s right, I turned the classic reuben sandwich into a delicious appetizer. You. Are. Welcome.

Damn, if this isn’t one of the best things I’ve shoveled into my mouth lately. You guys are going to become just as obsessed with these Reuben Irish Nachos as I am.

Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? It falls on a Friday this year, so I expect the green beer to be flowing and the bars to be brimming with “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” T-shirts. Because everyone’s Irish on St. Paddy’s Day.

I do celebrate, but I always pass on the green beer (blech!) and choose a local stout instead. I can’t do cheap beer, especially cheap beer that has been dyed a hideous shade of puke green. I’m too old for that shit.

I won’t be caught dead wearing an Irish-themed T-shirt. Nope. Not happening! I also refuse to wear green plastic hats, beads, blinking head gear, etc. I’ll be the gal in the corner sipping on my stout with a plate of corned beef and cabbage sitting in front of me, sans green.

If you don’t feel like battling the crowds next Friday, I highly recommend celebrating at home with a heaping plate of Reuben Irish Nachos. No sharing necessary.

I traded the classic tortilla chip–because they’re not the least bit Irish–for thinly sliced Idaho® red potatoes that get baked in a 450 degree F. oven until extra crispy. You know they’re perfect when the slices start to brown and curl at the edges. Crunch is king!

The crispy potatoes get layered with chopped corned beef–I used Boar’s Head right from the deli, but you can also use leftover brisket. If you’re going the deli route, make sure you purchase a quality brand and have them thinly slice it.

After the corned beef gets sprinkled over the potatoes, a layer of strained sauerkraut is added. DO NOT skip straining the kraut. It’s extremely important if you want the end result to be a pile of crispy deliciousness and not a soggy mess.

Let’s not forget the cheese, and lots of it! Of course we’re keeping it traditional with shredded Swiss cheese. The pan then goes back in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese and warm the beef and kraut.

Drizzle with thousand island dressing–homemade or store-bought. Because I had some leftover crispy bacon, I added that to the top as well. Serve immediately. Wait for the obsession to wash over you.

Print Recipe

Reuben Irish Nachos

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 45 minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Idaho® red potatoes, cut into 1/8-inch slices
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 and ½ cups chopped corned beef
• 1 and ½ cups sauerkraut, drained well
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese
• ½ cup pre-cooked crumbled bacon
• 3 tablespoons Thousand Island dressing, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons sliced scallions, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Add potato slices to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
3. Transfer the potato slices to the prepared baking sheets, spreading them out in an even layer, making sure not to overlap the slices. Bake for 12 minutes on each side, or until golden and slightly crispy.
4. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a cast iron pan or small baking dish. Layer the potatoes in the bottom of the pan. Top with chopped corned beef, sauerkraut, and grated Swiss cheese (in that order). Sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
5. Drizzle the dressing over the top and garnish with scallions. Serve immediately.

All images and text ©One Sweet Mess.

Whipping up one of my recipes? I wanna know about it! Snap a photo and tag your post with #onesweetmess on Twitter or Instagram. Seeing your creations come to life makes my day!

If you like this recipe, share it on Pinterest!

Disclosure: This recipe was developed for the lovely folks at Idaho® Potato. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting my recipes and site while I work with brands I adore.