Irresistible Irish Boxty Potatoes

I’ll be honest—I’d never heard of boxty until a few years ago when a friend mentioned it was a staple in her Irish grandmother’s kitchen. One bite and I was hooked. It’s one of those recipes that makes you wonder why you haven’t been eating it your whole life.

Boxty is basically Ireland’s answer to potato pancakes, but it’s got a secret weapon. Instead of using just raw grated potatoes or just mashed potatoes, you use both. That combo gives you this texture that’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It’s comfort food that doesn’t require fancy ingredients or complicated techniques.

The best part? You can serve these for breakfast with eggs, as a side dish for dinner, or even on their own with a little butter. I make a big batch and keep extras in the fridge because my kids will grab them for snacks. They’re that good.

What Kind of Potatoes Should I Use?

For boxty, you’ll want to use starchy potatoes like russets or Yukon golds, which give you the best texture and help the pancakes hold together nicely. The raw potatoes should be peeled and grated fresh right before you mix them into the batter – if you prep them too far ahead, they’ll turn brown and get watery. For the mashed potatoes, you can use leftovers from last night’s dinner or make a fresh batch, just make sure they’re cooled down before adding them to the mixture. If your mashed potatoes have butter and milk already mixed in, that’s totally fine and will actually add some extra richness to your boxty.

Options for Substitutions

While boxty is a traditional Irish dish, you can make a few adjustments if needed:

• Mashed potatoes: You can use leftover mashed potatoes from dinner, or make fresh ones. Either way works great, just make sure they’re cooled before mixing.
• Raw potatoes: Russet potatoes are your best bet here since they’re starchy and hold together well. Yukon golds can work too, but avoid waxy red potatoes as they won’t give you the right texture.
• Buttermilk: Don’t have buttermilk? Make your own by adding 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes. You can also use plain yogurt thinned with a bit of milk.
• All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour is really important for binding the boxty together, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting it. The flour helps everything hold its shape during cooking.
• Butter for frying: You can use vegetable oil, bacon grease, or even a mix of butter and oil to prevent burning. Each gives a slightly different flavor, but all work well.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making boxty is not squeezing enough liquid from the grated raw potatoes, which will leave you with pancakes that fall apart in the pan – use a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and really wring them out until barely any moisture remains.

Another common error is cooking the patties over heat that’s too high, causing them to burn on the outside while staying raw in the middle, so keep your pan at medium heat and give each side about 4-5 minutes to develop a golden crust.

Don’t skip letting your mashed potatoes cool completely before mixing, as warm potatoes can make the batter too loose and difficult to shape into patties.

If your batter seems too thick to work with, add the remaining buttermilk a tablespoon at a time until it reaches a consistency that holds together but isn’t stiff.

What to Serve With Irish Boxty Potatoes?

Irish boxty is perfect for breakfast alongside fried or scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and some sautéed mushrooms for a hearty morning meal. You can also serve these potato pancakes for dinner with roasted chicken or pork chops, since they work just like regular mashed potatoes but with a crispy edge. A dollop of sour cream or applesauce on top makes them even better, and they’re great for soaking up any gravy or pan juices from your main dish. If you want to keep things traditional, serve them with Irish breakfast staples like black pudding, grilled tomatoes, and baked beans.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Once your boxty has cooled down, stack them with parchment paper in between and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They make a great quick breakfast or side dish throughout the week!

Freeze: Boxty freezes really well for up to 3 months. Just layer them between parchment paper in a freezer bag, and you’ll have them ready whenever a craving hits.

Warm Up: The best way to bring your boxty back to life is in a skillet with a little butter over medium heat for a couple minutes on each side. You can also use the microwave for about 30 seconds, but they won’t be quite as crispy.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1800-2000
• Protein: 35-40 g
• Fat: 30-40 g
• Carbohydrates: 370-400 g

Ingredients

For the dry mix:

• 2 1/4 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda (sifted to remove lumps)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the potato batter:

• 2 cups mashed potatoes (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 2 cups raw potatoes (finely grated and squeezed dry of excess moisture)
• 2 1/4 cups buttermilk (gives better texture and traditional tang)
• butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)

Step 1: Prepare the Potatoes

• 2 cups raw potatoes
• 2 cups mashed potatoes

Boil the potatoes until fork-tender, then drain thoroughly and mash them while still warm.

Spread the mashed potatoes on a plate or shallow bowl to cool to room temperature (this typically takes 15-20 minutes).

While the mashed potatoes cool, finely grate the raw potatoes using a box grater or food processor, then immediately place them in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible—this step is crucial for crispy boxties, as excess water will make them soggy.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda (make sure to sift it first to remove any lumps), and black pepper.

This preliminary mixing ensures the leavening agent is evenly distributed throughout, which helps the boxties rise and achieve a light, fluffy interior.

Step 3: Build the Batter

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• 2 cups mashed potatoes
• 2 cups raw potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

In a large bowl, combine the room-temperature mashed potatoes with the squeezed raw potatoes, mixing gently to incorporate.

Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2, then pour in 1 1/2 cups of the buttermilk and fold everything together until just combined—the batter should be thick and chunky, not smooth.

I like to reserve the extra 3/4 cup buttermilk nearby in case the mixture seems too stiff; you want a batter that holds together but isn’t overly wet, as this affects the texture of the final boxties.

Step 4: Heat the Pan and Cook the Boxties

• batter from Step 3
• butter

Place a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and add a generous amount of butter (about 2-3 tablespoons to start, adding more as needed between batches).

Once the butter is foaming and the pan is hot, use a 1/3 cup measure or ice cream scoop to portion the batter onto the pan, spacing them a few inches apart.

Gently flatten each portion into a patty about 1/2 inch thick using the back of the scoop or a spatula, then fry for 3-4 minutes on the first side until golden brown and crispy.

Flip carefully and fry the other side for another 3-4 minutes until equally golden.

Step 5: Finish and Serve

As each batch of boxties finishes cooking, transfer them to a warm plate or oven-safe dish.

If making ahead or cooking in batches, keep finished boxties warm in a 200°F oven while you cook the remaining batter.

Serve the boxties hot, and I find they’re best enjoyed immediately with a dollop of sour cream or alongside eggs and bacon for a traditional Irish breakfast.

Irresistible Irish Boxty Potatoes

Delicious Irresistible Irish Boxty Potatoes recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 16 patties

Calories: 1900

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the dry mix::

• 2 1/4 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda (sifted to remove lumps)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the potato batter::

• 2 cups mashed potatoes (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 2 cups raw potatoes (finely grated and squeezed dry of excess moisture)
• 2 1/4 cups buttermilk (gives better texture and traditional tang)
• butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)

Method

 

1. Boil the potatoes until fork-tender, then drain thoroughly and mash them while still warm. Spread the mashed potatoes on a plate or shallow bowl to cool to room temperature (this typically takes 15-20 minutes). While the mashed potatoes cool, finely grate the raw potatoes using a box grater or food processor, then immediately place them in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible—this step is crucial for crispy boxties, as excess water will make them soggy.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda (make sure to sift it first to remove any lumps), and black pepper. This preliminary mixing ensures the leavening agent is evenly distributed throughout, which helps the boxties rise and achieve a light, fluffy interior.
3. In a large bowl, combine the room-temperature mashed potatoes with the squeezed raw potatoes, mixing gently to incorporate. Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2, then pour in 1 1/2 cups of the buttermilk and fold everything together until just combined—the batter should be thick and chunky, not smooth. I like to reserve the extra 3/4 cup buttermilk nearby in case the mixture seems too stiff; you want a batter that holds together but isn't overly wet, as this affects the texture of the final boxties.
4. Place a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and add a generous amount of butter (about 2-3 tablespoons to start, adding more as needed between batches). Once the butter is foaming and the pan is hot, use a 1/3 cup measure or ice cream scoop to portion the batter onto the pan, spacing them a few inches apart. Gently flatten each portion into a patty about 1/2 inch thick using the back of the scoop or a spatula, then fry for 3-4 minutes on the first side until golden brown and crispy. Flip carefully and fry the other side for another 3-4 minutes until equally golden.
5. As each batch of boxties finishes cooking, transfer them to a warm plate or oven-safe dish. If making ahead or cooking in batches, keep finished boxties warm in a 200°F oven while you cook the remaining batter. Serve the boxties hot, and I find they're best enjoyed immediately with a dollop of sour cream or alongside eggs and bacon for a traditional Irish breakfast.