Go Back
A golden-brown Irish Boxty potato pancake, a traditional dish, sits on a rustic wooden table ready to be served.

Ultimate Irish Boxty

Irish Boxty is a traditional griddle cake that masterfully combines creamy mashed potato with crisp, grated potato for a textural delight. This recipe guides you through creating golden, rustic cakes perfect for any meal. It's a simple yet elegant celebration of the humble potato, rooted in Irish culinary history.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Breakfast, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Irish
Calories: 300
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • Butter or oil, for frying

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Box grater
  • Clean tea towel or cheesecloth
  • Colander
  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Wooden spoon or spatula
  • Clean work surface
  • Floured knife or biscuit cutter
  • Large cast-iron skillet or non-stick frying pan
  • Wire rack
  • Baking sheet

Method
 

  1. Place the peeled, quartered floury potatoes in a pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until very tender.
  2. While the floury potatoes boil, grate the peeled waxy potatoes using the large holes of a box grater.
  3. Place the grated potato into a clean tea towel or cheesecloth. Gather the edges and twist over the sink, squeezing firmly to remove as much starchy liquid as possible.
  4. Drain the boiled potatoes thoroughly, return them to the warm pot for a minute to evaporate moisture, then mash until completely smooth. Let cool slightly.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper.
  6. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the cooled mashed potato, the squeezed-dry grated potato, the buttermilk, and the melted butter.
  7. Mix everything together with a wooden spoon or clean hands until just combined into a thick, sticky dough. Do not overmix. Adjust with a splash more buttermilk if too dry, or a tablespoon of flour if too wet.
  8. Lightly flour a clean surface and your hands. Turn the dough out and gently pat it into a large disc, about 3/4-inch (2cm) thick.
  9. Using a floured knife or biscuit cutter, cut the dough into desired shapes (e.g., rounds, triangles). Re-roll scraps gently.
  10. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a knob of butter and a drizzle of oil.
  11. Once the fat is hot and shimmering, add the boxty cakes, leaving space between them. Fry for 4-5 minutes per side, until deep golden-brown and firm in the center.
  12. Transfer cooked boxty to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to keep crisp. Repeat with remaining cakes, adding more butter/oil as needed. Serve warm.

Notes

For best texture, use two types of potatoes: a floury one for mashing and a waxy one for grating. Squeezing the grated potato thoroughly is crucial to prevent soggy boxty. No buttermilk? Make a substitute by adding 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. Keep cooked boxty warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) until serving. Serve traditionally with melted butter and chives, or with smoked salmon, a full Irish breakfast, or a hearty stew.