Learn how to make traditional Irish potato pancakes. This easy boxty recipe is as tasty as any in Ireland, perfect for St. Patricks Day or everyday.
Learn more about what you will find in an Irish Pantry.
The potato is my favorite vegetable. It’s probably yours too if you are smitten with french fries. It’s amazing to think about how many different ways we cook potatoes.
We fry them for french fries, latkes, hash browns, and diced with onions. We boil them for mashed potatoes, soup and served as whole boiled baby potatoes. We roast them on a sheet pan, bake them in the oven and smother them with butter, sour cream and chives. I am sold on almost any recipe that includes potatoes, especially if it’s the main ingredient.
This recipe is my new favorite. Fortunately hubby gave this Irish food two thumbs up because he is going to see this regularly plated out for him. This potato pancake re-heats really well. I have tried it both in the microwave and throwing it on a hot griddle, it didn’t lose flavor or texture. I do like reheating in a pan much better though, no need to add oil, there’s plenty still on the boxty from its first go ’round in the pan.
These are great served with eggs in the morning, kinda like a pancake-hashbrown side. I am going to make a big batch of these and freeze them. If you do this, be sure to freeze them on a single layer on a sheet pan. Then once frozen solid, place them in a freezer bag. By freezing Boxty in this manner, you will be sure they aren’t frozen stuck together in a solid block.
Want to go to Ireland? Check out Planning a Trip to Ireland!
What is Irish Boxty?
Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake that uses both cooked mashed potatoes and grated raw potatoes. It typically consists of flour, eggs and baking soda. The baking soda gives it that pancake-like rise while the raw grated potatoes imparts a nice ‘bite’ similar to a latke. The combination of the two is what makes boxty the perfect potato pancake.
Like most Irish cuisine such as coddle,champ,colcannon and Irish soda bread, boxty was developed by the common people, not professional chefs. It is believed boxty came about in order to make their food stretch a little further and feed more people. My parents would add more potatoes to stew to stretch a dish. What tricks did your parents use to make food go a little farther?
How is Boxty served?
Boxty is traditionally served as a side. Serving this Irish food with pan fried sausages and sautéed greens is common. Some restaurants are amping up boxty by filling it with signature ingredients and smothering it with a sauce. I prefer the taste and texture of this potato dish to stand on its own.
Boxty would also be a great side to traditional Irish Stew.
A non-traditional way of serving boxty is to treat it like a wrap, stuff it and pour some sauce over it. Some American pubs are stuffing it with sausage and garnishing it with a stout reduction sauce.
This would also be a great side to serve with fish such as salmon. It is delicious as a quick snack anytime of day. It’s a vegetable so it’s healthy right?
If you have an inventive way to serve boxty, leave a comment below and share with the community.
Do you know of any other types of pancake recipes from other countries? What are they called?
Bon Appetit!
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Traditional Irish Boxty Recipe
Yield: 10
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake that uses both cooked mashed potatoes and grated raw potatoes. It typically consists of flour, eggs and baking soda. The baking soda gives it that pancake-like rise while the raw grated potatoes imparts a nice 'bite' similar to a latke.
Ingredients
- 2 lb russet potatoes, about 3 large, peeled and cut into 1/2 pieces
- water for boiling
- 4 Tbs salted butter plus more for frying
- 1 cup of milk
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup of diced green onions
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 Tbs cooking oil
- Optional Garnish:
Optional Garnish:
- sour cream
- green onions or chives
Instructions
- Place half of the potatoes in a large dutch oven pan and cover with water. Simmer until potatoes are fork tender.
- While potatoes are boiling, grate the other half of the potatoes with a large grater. This can be done in a food processor if you have the grating attachment. I used a box grater and used the side with the large holes.
- Place the grated potatoes in a sieve and place sieve over a bowl. Toss potatoes with 1 tsp salt and let potatoes rest so the moisture will be drawn out. Toss the potato water.
- Once the boiling potatoes are done, drain off water and return potatoes to pan. Add butter and milk to pan, mash with a potato masher. Add eggs and green onion, stir.
- In a separate, small bowl add the dry ingredients (salt, pepper, flour, baking powder), stir until well combined, add to the pot. Add the shredded potatoes. Mix all ingredients well, you should have a lumpy, thick pancake-like batter. If it's too thick, add more milk.
- In a large skillet, heat up 2 Tbs of oil until it starts to smoke, add 1 Tbs of butter. Using a measuring cup, scoop batter into pan making 4 inch rounds, tamp down if needed to flatten.
- Cook on each side until golden brown, remove and drain on paper towels. Serve while hot.
Notes
This recipe is best when using leftover mashed potatoes. Next time you make mashed potatoes for dinner, make extra for boxty the next night. The reason is that this recipe takes time when made from scratch. By doubling up on your mashed potato game, you can make boxty easily the next night.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10Serving Size: 1 pancake
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 210Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 477mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 5g
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