Boxty Recipe (Irish Potato Pancakes)
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A staple of Irish households for centuries, my boxty recipe recreates that beloved crispy on the outside, smooth on the inside texture that sets these traditional Irish potato pancakes apart from similar dishes.
Especially if you have some leftover mashed potato, this is a simple, filling, and flavorsome side you can serve with so many mains and dishes.
Boxty Recipe
What is Boxty?
At its purest, a boxty is a potato pancake. Traditionally, there are several ways to make boxty in Ireland. These include the ‘boxty bread’ method, where the potatoes are grated, left to drain, combined with leftover mash, and baked; the pan frying method, where the batter is scooped into cakes and fried; and the ‘boiled boxty’ method, where the boxty is boiled.
The first known published recipe dates back to 1854 in Ireland, and today, along with being a go-to staple in many households, the dish is synonymous with St. Brigid’s Day, who is the patron saint of dairy. Boxty is made on this day, along with many other traditional Irish dishes that use dairy, including bannocks.
A Note About My Recipe
While my recipe closely follows the pan-fried ‘griddle cake’ method, I am in no way claiming this to be the traditional way to make boxty. As mentioned above, boxty can take on many forms, and households across Ireland will have their own tweaks and additional ingredients for their boxty recipe.
As with all my recipes, I have done my best here to honor the traditional methods while delivering a flavorsome potato pancake. This is my take on boxty, and I really hope you, your family, and dinner guests enjoy this Irish classic at home.
Ingredients
So, let’s get started with my boxty recipe. You’ll first need the following ingredients:
- Mashed Potatoes – 1 1/2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
- Grated Raw Potato – 1 1/2 cups peeled and grated raw potatoes (about 380 grams/13.5oz of potatoes before peeling and grating them)
- Flour – 1 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
- Baking Powder – 1 tsp baking powder
- Milk – 1/3 cup milk
- Eggs – 2 eggs
- Green Onions/Scallions – 2 (optional) green onions/scallions
- Butter – 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- Oil – 3 tbsp neutral-tasting oil (sunflower, light olive oil, vegetable)
- Salt – to taste
Ingredient Notes
Green Onions/Scallions – They are optional. I personally prefer the boxty with scallions. If you skip the scallions, you can also serve these potato pancakes as a sweet option with icing sugar (confectioners powdered sugar) on top.
Leftover Mash – I had leftover Irish champ (mashed potatoes with scallions), so I used that instead of plain mashed potatoes (in case you’re wondering why the leftover mashed potatoes in the photo above have scallions in them). The mash will help make the boxty fluffy and soft on the inside.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Peel and grate the potatoes.
Step 2. Add about 1 tsp salt to the grated potatoes and let them sit and drain in a colander or sieve over a bowl for about 10 minutes.
Step 3. Then, squeeze as much liquid as possible out of them, either with your hands or with a cheesecloth (as shown in the image).
Step 4. To a large mixing bowl, add the drained grated raw potato, the mashed potatoes, beaten eggs, 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste), chopped green onions, and milk. Mix everything until combined.
Step 5. Add the baking powder to the flour and mix.
Step 6. Add the flour and baking powder mix to the mixing bowl with the potatoes and lightly fold the flour in until the potatoes and flour are combined.
Step 7. To a pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp of light olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter. I used a cast-iron pan, but you can use any pan you have at home.
Step 8. Once the oil and butter are hot, add a little over a scoop of the potato batter and shape it so that it is as round as possible.
Step 9. Cook for about 2-3 minutes on medium-high (or if it’s browning too fast, adjust the heat to medium) and then flip, lower the heat to medium, and cook (ideally covered) until golden on the second side and cooked through (about 3-4 minutes).
Step 10. Repeat steps 7-9 until you’ve cooked all the potato pancakes. This recipe yields about 12 pancakes. You may have an extra one or two (for the chef :))!
What to Serve with Boxty
Serve about 2-3 pancakes per person. This recipe makes about 4 servings if serving 3 pancakes per person or 6 servings if serving 2 per person.
Naturally, as these are potato pancakes, the choices are endless when it comes to serving them with other dishes. Here are a few ideas, some of which are traditional Irish combinations:
Breakfast – Traditionally, boxtys were served with lots of butter and hot tea for breakfast.
Bacon and Eggs – As an extension of this, crispy bacon and eggs, done many ways, including fried and poached, make for a hearty Irish breakfast. Boxty can even be used as part of the traditional full Irish breakfast.
Sour Cream/Yogurt – Cold dips, creams, and yogurts make for a balanced pairing, and you’ll find recipes that include everything from sour cream to Greek yogurt to creme fraiche.
Meat and Gravy – You’ll find many dishes, both online and in cookbooks, that pair boxty with some type of meat, often roast beef, and a thick, onion-based gravy. A side of roasted vegetables is also commonly included.
Boxtys are warm and filling, while their crispy exterior and softer interior make for a very satisfying mouthful. I’ll let your imagination run wild when it comes to what you serve them with.
I really hope you and your loved ones enjoy this Irish staple. Let me know in the comments what you thought and how you served them.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups peeled and grated raw potatoes about 380 grams or 13.5oz of potatoes before peeling and grating them
- 1 cup all-purpose plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 green onions/scallions optional
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp neutral-tasting oil sunflower, light olive oil, vegetable
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Peel and grate the potatoes.
- Add about 1 tsp salt to the grated potatoes and let them sit and drain in a colander or sieve over a bowl for about 10 minutes.
- Then squeeze as much liquid as possible out of them, either with your hands or with a cheesecloth (as shown in the recipe images).
- To a large mixing bowl, add the drained grated raw potato, the mashed potatoes, beaten eggs, 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste), chopped green onions (optional), and milk. Mix everything until combined.
- Add the baking powder to the flour and mix.
- Add the flour and baking powder mix to the mixing bowl with the potatoes and lightly fold the flour in until the potatoes and flour are combined.
- To a pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp of light olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter. I used a cast-iron pan, but you can use any pan you have at home.
- Once the oil and butter are hot, add a little over a scoop of the potato batter and shape it so that it is as round as possible.
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes on medium-high (or if it’s browning too fast, adjust the heat to medium) and then flip, lower the heat to medium, and cook (ideally covered) until golden on the second side and cooked through (about 3-4 minutes).
- Repeat steps 7-9 until you’ve cooked all the potato pancakes. This recipe yields about 12 pancakes. You may have an extra one or two (for the chef)!
Recipe Notes
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Keep my boxty recipe for safekeeping, ready for when you need a hearty Irish side for breakfast or dinner, by saving it to one of your boards.
