Traditional Irish Boxty Recipe (2024)

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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.

Traditional Irish Boxty Recipe (1)

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?

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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

  1. Place half of the potatoes in a large dutch oven pan and cover with water. Simmer until potatoes are fork tender.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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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Traditional Irish Boxty Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the Irish word for boxty? ›

The name Boxty is an unusual one, probably deriving from the old Irish word 'bacstai', or 'Aran bocht-ti', meaning 'poor-house bread'. Fitting for this simple potato bread, generally cooked on the griddle pan over the open fire in traditional tiny cottages of the day.

What does boxty contain? ›

Boxty is a thick pancake of mashed and shredded potatoes, flour, baking soda, and buttermilk fried in butter or lard. These are traditionally formed into a circle and cut into quarters or triangles and are usually served as a side dish or appetizer. These are a great way to use up any leftover mashed potatoes.

What is the difference between potato cake and boxty? ›

Irish potato cakes (potato bread)

This is not the same dish as boxty; boxty is made using raw potatoes, whereas potato bread is made using cooked potatoes. In Ireland, potato bread is served in traditional breakfasts along with soda bread and toast.

What is a boxty in English? ›

Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake made with leftover mashed potato and grated raw potato. An old Irish rhyme goes: "Boxty on the griddle, boxty on the pan; if you can't make boxty, you'll never get a man." Our family has been making this delicious recipe for years!

What is potato slang for in Irish? ›

Spuds. We can't talk about Irish slang without mentioning potatoes! “Spuds” is another word for potatoes.

What is the Irish nickname for potatoes? ›

There are numerous ways in the Irish language to denote a potato's size. Sizable specimens include práta garbh, a large, lumpy potato, gillín práta, a fine, fat potato, and peil, the same word as used for football. Póiríní are small potatoes, like pebbles, as are both creacháin and sceidíní prátaí.

Who invented boxty? ›

Boxty originated in Ireland sometime in the late 18th century, primarily in the northern counties of Cavan and Donegal. Now they're eaten all over Ireland, usually alongside meat or stew.

How do you eat a boxty? ›

It's commonly served with smoked salmon, sour cream, sausages, fried eggs, bacon, lamb chops, and even the notorious Irish beef stew. Boxty is regularly eaten at breakfast, but it's really a food you can enjoy any time of day. It's just that good.

Are powdered mashed potatoes real? ›

Instant mashed potatoes are potatoes that have been through an industrial process of cooking, mashing and dehydrating to yield a packaged convenience food that can be reconstituted by adding hot water or milk, producing an approximation of mashed potatoes. They are available in many different flavors.

Is boxty Scottish or Irish? ›

Boxty
Boxty, in a contemporary presentation served wrapped around beef and with courgettes and sauce
Alternative namesPoundy, poundies
TypePotato pancake
Place of originIreland
Main ingredientsPotatoes, flour

Are Potato Cakes Scottish or Irish? ›

It seems the Irish call them Potato bread, the English call them potato cakes (Lancashire), Scottish call them potato scones (tottie scones). Irish potato bread is typically made from mashed potato, and either flour or baking soda, and is usually fried.

Why is boxty popular in Ireland? ›

Boxty is an authentic Irish dish which originated in the 1700s. It was a staple food in Irish households where potatoes were relied upon to survive.

What does Colcannon mean in English? ›

Colcannon is a mixture of cooked and shredded cabbage and mashed potatoes. The word colcannon is derived from the Gaelic term cal ceannann, which means "white-headed cabbage" — the vegetable most commonly mixed with potatoes in this dish.

What's the difference between a boxty and a farl? ›

Irish potato cakes: Irish potato cakes are typically made from mashed potato, and flour or baking soda, and are usually fried. It differs from boxty as boxty is made of raw potatoes whereas potato cake is made from cooked potatoes.

What is a boxty at Irish 31? ›

Originating in the north midlands of Ireland, the Boxty was once nothing more than a traditional Irish potato cake. Until, that is, Irish 31 came up with three versions of this 'peasant dish' that will make you wonder where these little potato balls have been all of your life!

How do you say mashed potatoes in Irish? ›

English–Irish Dictionary (de Bhaldraithe): Potato-mash. Potato-mash, brúitín m (prátaí). Mashed potatoes, brúitín m. Mashed potatoes, brúitín m, prátaí brúite.

What do Irish call breakfast? ›

(In Ulster in Northern Ireland the breakfast is also known as an "Ulster fry.") All full Irish breakfasts include some or all of the following: Bacon, sausages, baked beans, eggs, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, and perhaps some cooked leftover potatoes made into a hash or a bubble and squeak.

Why is it called a boxty? ›

The name 'Boxty' translates to "poor man's bread," but don't let that fool you! These potato pancakes are rich in flavor and history. The boxty is made by combining grated raw potatoes with mashed potatoes, mixing them with flour, baking soda, and sometimes buttermilk, and then frying them on a griddle.

What is patty in Gaelic? ›

'Pádraig is the Gaelic or Irish origin of the name Patrick which is colloquially shortened to Paddy, hence the abbreviation St Paddy's Day. ' Before you put up your St. Patrick's Day weekend Instagram post, stop to check the spelling in your caption.

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