We like to think of these Potato Nachos as the result of a scandalous love affair between a loaded baked potato and nachos. It takes the best of both — the salty bacon, bright scallions and creamy topping of a baked potato, and the crisp, spicy and layered quality of nachos — and combines them into one glorious dish.
We had to pull a few tricks to get these Potato Nachos perfect. First, we cut the potatoes into pretty thin slices to get them crisp with a creamy interior. ¼” thickness worked very well.
Then, after cooking and crumbling the bacon, we used the leftover bacon fat to coat the potato slices before baking. The bacon fat helped the potatoes crisp, plus it infused them with a smoky depth of flavor that every baked potato lacks.
Finally, we wanted to drizzle the Potato Nachos with a creamy, spicy sauce. A cheese sauce is an obvious choice, but since we are dairy-free, we had to come up with another tasty topping. That’s when we decided to borrow an idea from our European brethren (from France, Belgium, Spain and more) who like to top fried potatoes with spiced mayonnaise. Chipotle aioli seemed like a excellent choice for our Potato Nachos. Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapeños, so they boast a spicy taste but also a smoky flavor that reinforce the bacon very well.
The result: spicy, crunchy, creamy, layered and totally addictive Potato Nachos.
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 2 large Russet potatoes, thinly sliced into ¼” rounds
- Olive oil (optional)
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 chipotle pepper, finely chopped, plus 1 tsp. sauce from 1 can (7 oz.) chipotle peppers in
- adobo sauce
- 2 scallions, light and dark green parts only, thinly sliced
- Heat oven to 425℉. Arrange racks to middle and lower third. Add bacon to large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, flipping once, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, then chop; set aside. Transfer bacon fat to measuring cup, reserving ¼ cup. If needed, add enough olive oil to measure ¼ cup total.
- Evenly divide potatoes among 2 foil-lined baking trays. Drizzle evenly with bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper. Using hands, toss potatoes on tray until completely coated. Arrange potatoes in single layer on tray. Bake, flipping potatoes once and rotating trays, until potatoes are golden brown and crisp, about 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, chopped garlic, chopped chipotle pepper and sauce until well combined; set aside.
- Transfer potatoes to serving tray. Drizzle with reserved chipotle mayonnaise, chopped bacon and sliced scallions. serve.