Boxty Irish pancakes are savory pancakes made with grated raw potatoes, mashed potatoes, flour, baking soda, and buttermilk. They are a delicious and traditional staple of Irish cuisine full of texture and rich flavors. With a crispy exterior and fluffy center, this potato dish is always satisfying.
Try my traditional Irish soda bread, Irish barmbrack, colcannon, and Irish lamb stew for more great Irish recipes.
Boxty are an incredibly easy and versatile potato dish that can be served in many different ways. This recipe is one of my favorite ways to use up leftover mashed potatoes.
They can be served plain or with various toppings such as microwave bacon, breakfast sausage, and sour cream scrambled eggs for a satisfying Irish breakfast, or even as a side dish for lunch or dinner.
🥘 Ingredients
- Russet Potatoes - Wash, peel, and grate your potatoes before getting started.
- Mashed Potatoes - You can use your favorite mashed potato recipe or even leftover mashed potatoes. I recommend trying my yellow mashed potatoes recipe for a simple, classic version.
- Flour - Some plain all-purpose flour will help to bind your pancakes together.
- Baking Soda - Some baking soda (not baking powder).
- Salt - Salt always pairs wonderfully with potatoes and brings out the flavors.
- Buttermilk - If you don't have any buttermilk, you can use a buttermilk substitute or whole milk.
- Egg - You'll want your egg lightly beaten and at room temperature. Some recipes will leave the egg out; however, I highly recommend including it. Adding an egg to the batter is primarily to help bind the ingredients together and create a slightly fluffier and more cohesive pancake.
- Butter - Some butter or olive oil for frying the pancakes.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Make Boxty Irish Pancakes
Don't be intimated if you've never made potato pancakes before, this beginner-friendly recipe is easy to make. To get started, grab a cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet, measuring utensils, a few mixing bowls, and a silicone spatula set.
This recipe will make around 8 servings. You can always scale up if you need to, just make sure you don't overcrowd the pan when frying the boxty.
Prep & Mix To Combine
Step 1: Prep. Start by peeling and grating the 2 cups (300 grams) of raw potatoes. Place the grated potatoes in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess moisture (photos 1, 2).
Step 2: Mix. In a separate bowl, mix the 2 cups (420 grams) of mashed cooked potatoes, 1 cup (125 grams) of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and ½ teaspoon of salt (photos 3, 4). Add in the grated potatoes and mix well (photo 5).
Step 3: Whisk. Whisk the ½ cup (118 milliliters) of buttermilk and 1 large beaten egg in another bowl (photos 6, 7).
Step 4: Stir. Add the milk and egg mixture to the potato mixture (photo 8) and stir until well combined (photo 9).
Preheat & Fry
Step 5: Heat. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and melt butter or oil for frying.
Step 6: Fry boxty. Portion the mixture into ¼ cup scoops, and flatten them to about ¼ inch thickness (photo 10). Cook the boxty (photo 11) for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy (photos 12, 13).
Step 7: Repeat. Repeat until all the potato mixture has been used, adding more butter or oil to the pan as needed.
Step 8: Serve. Serve hot with your favorite toppings, such as sour cream, green onions, or cheese.
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💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Remove moisture. Thoroughly squeeze out the moisture from the grated potatoes to ensure the boxty stays together and doesn't become too soggy.
- Use the right pan. Cook the boxty in a non-stick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet to avoid sticking.
- Keep them warm. Place cooked boxty in a low-heated oven to keep them warm while preparing the rest.
- Make them crispy. For extra crispiness, consider adding a little more flour to the batter.
- Customize them. Get creative with toppings and fillings like bacon, sausage, or cheese. You can try different types of toppings like taco toppings or pancake toppings.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
If you have any leftover boxty, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Make Ahead
You can make boxty a few days in advance if you store them in an airtight container in the fridge. All you need to do is reheat them in some butter (or cooking oil) for a few minutes on each side before you are ready to serve.
Freezing
Once the pancakes completely cool off, you can store them in a heavy-duty plastic storage bag for up to 3 months.
Let them thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat the pancakes on a frying pan with some butter or in the oven at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for 10-15 minutes.
Reheating
Reheat your leftovers on a baking sheet for 10-15 minutes in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4). Alternatively, you can reheat them on the stovetop over medium heat in some cooking oil (or butter) for 3-5 minutes on each side or until heated through and crispy.
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📖 Recipe Card
Boxty Irish Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups russet potatoes (peeled and grated)
- 2 cups mashed potatoes (Russet potatoes, or any other starchy variety)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt (to taste)
- ½ cup buttermilk (or whole milk)
- 1 large egg (beaten, at room temperature)
- butter (or olive oil for frying)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Start by peeling and grating the raw potatoes. Place the grated potatoes in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess moisture.
- In a separate bowl, mix the mashed cooked potatoes, flour, baking soda, and salt. Add in the grated potatoes and mix well.
- In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and beaten egg.
- Add the milk and egg mixture to the potato mixture and stir until well combined.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and melt a tablespoon of butter or oil.
- Scoop a ¼ cup of the potato mixture onto the frying pan and flatten it to about ¼ inch thickness. Cook the boxty for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy.
- Repeat until all of the potato mixture has been used, adding more butter or oil to the pan as needed.
- Serve hot with your favorite toppings, such as sour cream, green onions, or cheese.
Notes
- Use starchy potatoes like Russet or Yukon gold, which have a high starch content and low moisture content, making them ideal for mashing and grating.
- Grate the raw potatoes finely and use a clean cloth or cheesecloth to squeeze out as much water as possible.
- You can use different ingredients like herbs, spices, cheese, green onions, or chives as optional add-ins if you'd like!
- Don't overcrowd the pan, cook the boxty in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan, as this can cause the boxty to stick together and become mushy.
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