Boxty is the name of a Irish pancake that is made with grated potatoes, mashed potatoes, eggs, milk and a few other things, all mixed together and cooked to golden crispy buttery deliciousness.
This is one of the many Irish recipe my Irish mama never used to make. When I asked why, she said it is a Northern Irish dish and we hail from Tipperary and so I had to strike out on my own.
(She did send me a postcard last year with a picture of Boxty on the front so I would know what I was aiming at.)
While I was doing my research, I kept running across this little poem…
Boxty on the griddle,
Boxty in the pan,
If you can’t make Boxty,
You’ll never get your man.
Mission accomplished! Although to be fair, I got him WAY before I ever made Boxty – but every little bit helps, right?
Why is it called Boxty?
All my digging came up with this: it’s possibly from the Irish arán bocht tí meaning “poor house bread” or bácús meaning “bakehouse.” One way or the other, the combo of shredded and mashed potatoes was a home run in my house.
Here’s How To Make Boxty Potatoes!
Put a cup of grated raw potatoes in a dishtowel, roll it up and give it a good squeeze to get out any excess moisture.
Put a cup of flour and two teaspoons each of salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl and give it a good stir to mix.
Add the raw potatoes, a cup of mashed potatoes and two beaten eggs to the flour mixture and stir until it is combined. Stir in a quarter cup of milk.
Heat a large skillet or a griddle over medium high heat and add a couple tablespoons of butter.
When the surface is hot and the butter is melted, drop the batter on in rough circles – they can be as big or small as you like.
Cook the boxty for 4 minutes per side until they are nice and golden. Serve them up with butter on the side.
More tips for making Irish Boxty potatoes!
Hands down, the grater blade on your handy food processor – it will take you all of one second. But a good old cheese grater will also work.
If you are clean out of mashies and don’t want to make them from scratch, the pre-made kind in your dairy section will be just fine.
LEFTOVERS?? Okay, if you really have some, like regular pancakes they are best right off the griddle, but you can pop them in the fridge, bring them to room temperature and then either put them in the microwave for 15 seconds or so, or even better, heat them up with a little butter in a frying pan.
And while I will always love the traditional Irish potato dish called Colcannon (mashed potatoes and cabbage), I think Boxty might have now edged into first place in my Irish heart!
OTHER IRISH SIDES WE LOVE!
 This classic recipe bakes up into the best Irish soda bread you can imagine. Bursting with raisins and just the right amount of sweetness. |
 Complete your authentic Irish supper by making Irish Colcannon, full of mashed potatoes and tender buttery cabbage! |
 Hearty and substantial, this Irish brown bread recipe is perfect with soups, stews, or all by itself with a slathering of soft butter. |
Want to round out your meal? This recipe pairs well with...
Irish Boxty Potatoes
Prep Time: 15 minutes- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Irish
- Diet: Vegetarian
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Pin RecipeDescription
This classic recipe for Irish Boxty potatoes combines mashed and grated potato to make a hearty potato pancake that is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any day!
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw grated potatoes (about one medium potato)
- 1 cup mashed potatoes
- 1 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter, plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Place the grated raw potatoes in a dishtowel, roll it up and give it a good squeeze to get out any excess moisture.
- Put the flour, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl and give it a good stir to mix.
- Add the raw potatoes, the mashed potatoes and the eggs to the flour mixture and stir until it is combined. Stir in the milk.
- Heat a large skillet or a griddle over medium high heat and add the butter.
- When the surface is hot and the butter is melted, drop the batter on in rough circles – they can be as big or small as you like.
- Cook the boxty for 4 minutes per side until they are nice and golden. Serve them up with butter on the side.
Notes
Need to add something to your kitchen equipment to make this recipe? Below are some of the items we used in the Framed Cooks kitchen to help cook this up. These are affiliate links to things we use and love, which helps to pay for all that bacon I keep buying (without any extra cost to you)! Thanks for using them to keep our kitchen cooking…xoxo!
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