Pachos with Emerald Isle Dipping Sauce
This Emerald Isle Dipping Sauce (Pacho Sauce!) will magically disappear before your eyes. Add some cheese fries and you have the ultimate indulgence. This is the best fry sauce ever!

I grew up spending my birthday dinners at Kelly O Bryan's. If you haven't heard of it, it's one of those family restaurants that give you a free meal on your birthday. Not exactly fancy but I can't help but love it. Actually, what I love is their Pachos. Seriously, they're the best things EVER.
Pachos are waffle fries that are covered in melted cheddar cheese, sprinkled with green onions, and served with a magical fry sauce called Emerald Isle Sauce.
The only problem with going to the restaurant is that they never give you enough pacho sauce. When you make them at home that is never a problem!

If you've never had Pachos, don't worry, with this recipe you can easily make your own. I have to warn you though: they are VERY hard to stop eating. I *might* have made a whole batch of this Emerald Isle Dipping Sauce three days ago and it *might* already be gone. Don't judge me till you try it! The original recipe is made with waffle fries, but curly fries are just as delicious.
The dipping sauce that is served with Pachos is officially called Emerald Isle Sauce, but anyone I know refers to it simply as Pacho Sauce. This Pacho Sauce Recipe comes from Mama Wheel and it was her mother who is the genius who created the recipe. So please stop by Mama Wheel and thank her mother for letting us all eat Pachos whenever we feel like it!

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Pachos with Emerald Isle Dipping Sauce Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 package waffle or curly fries, gluten-free, if needed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 green onions, sliced into rounds
Emerald Isle Sauce
- 1 ½ cups Miracle Whip, DO NOT use Hellman's as it won't taste the same
- 1 ½ tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground basil
- ½ teaspoon ground tarragon
- ā teaspoon ground pepper
- ā teaspoon salt
- ā teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Cook the package of fries according to package directions. When the fries are finished cooking remove them from the oven and sprinkle them with cheddar cheese. Return them to the oven for about 2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.1 package waffle or curly fries, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- While the fries are cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Mix until well combined. Store in a covered jar in the fridge until ready to use.1 ½ cups Miracle Whip, 1 ½ tablespoons prepared yellow mustard, ¼ cup white vinegar, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon ground basil, ½ teaspoon ground tarragon, ā teaspoon ground pepper, ā teaspoon salt, ā teaspoon garlic powder
- To serve the pachos, pile the fries on a large plate layering them with green onions. Serve the Emerald Isle Sauce on the side.3 green onions
Where can you find ground basil and tarragon? Iāve checked out a bunch of stores and can only find both of them in leaves (rubbed).
If you are having trouble finding ground versions of the spices, you should be able to rub the dried leaves between your fingers to crush them into a powder.
I appreciate the sauce recipe! It’s perfect, thank you!
This was delicious! Thank you so much, now if only there was a recipe for the mckracken rolls!Ā
Oohh that’s a good idea! Might just have to start working on one!
I wanted this to be good but it just tasted like really sweet mayo?
This is so good – I always get compliments when I make this recipe- thank you.Ā
So good! But I liked it better without any sugar added
I am making this again….it is the best recipe, thanks for posting this.
One of my favorites ever! I need to make it again myself!
Hi there thanks for this recipe!! Do you know how long the sauce is good for kept in the fridge? Thank you!!
I suspect for quite a while, but it never lasts long in our house. š
Does this recipe call for the original miracle whip or would the light version make a difference? Thatās all I have.. thank you!Ā
I haven’t tried it with the lighter version, but I think it would work just as well!
Iāve worked for Kellyāoās before and Iāll let you in on a key ingredient that you havenāt included. Ā Thatās the seasoning salt that you need to toss after the fries are cooked. Ā Not really sure what the seasoning salt contains but Iām sure you can find a sweet and salty variation of seasoning salt recipe online!!
Also this spice is used to cook off the beef with Cajun spice to make extreme Pachos, which then you would add green and red peppers, white onion and chedder baked on second layer.
Thank you so much for the insider tip! You’re amazing!
How long is the sauce good for? I would like to jar ahead time if possible!
I would think it would last up to a week in your fridge. š
Like many of the other individuals who have commented, I also grew up in the Interior, and have many fond memories of eating plates of Pachos with friends for birthdays, graduations, or just because we didn’t want to do homework… Glad I came across this recipe for the sauce, as home is almost 3000km away, and I don’t get back often… I’m curious as to whether you would use fresh herbs (basil and tarragon), or if you can use dried herbs
While I normally use fresh herbs when I cook, in this recipe I use dry herbs. It just seems like the thing to do. Happy pacho eating!
Oh how I miss pachos and the sauce. Growing up in Winfield outside of Kelowna BC my friends and I would go to Kelly O’bryans for every birthday! I’m so going to try making this! Thanks for posting.
I grew up in Kelowna, and even lived in Winfield for a short while when I was young. We also went to Kelly O’s every year for our birthdays for a big plate of pachos. Do you remember when they used to have those giant plates of pachos for 4? You’re going to love this … it’s exactly like what I remember pacho sauce tasting like. š
You had me at KellyāO’Bryans! Growing up in the interior as well I was very familiar with this restaurant and am super excited to try the isle sauce! First visit to your site and love it, will be returning for sure and sharing. I found you by googling chocolate mousse (FYI)
Cheese and fries seem to go hand in hand. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I LOVE Pachos! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Wow, this looks amazing! Cheese fries are my go to junk food, so I will have to try this. The sauce looks great, too.
Beautiful photos, and a delicious-looking recipe! Wow, I’m SO hungry right now – this isn’t helping š