Description
Boxty are traditional Irish potato pancakes made with a mix of cold mashed potatoes and grated raw potatoes, combined with flour, baking soda, and buttermilk. These savory pancakes are pan-fried until golden and crispy, perfect for a comforting breakfast or a hearty side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 2 cups cold mashed potatoes (use a starchy/mealy variety such as russets)
- 2 cups grated raw potatoes (use a starchy/mealy variety such as russets)
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk, plus more as needed
For Frying
- Butter, bacon grease, or lard for frying (vegan option: use oil)
Optional Add-ins
- Chopped green onions/scallions
- Shredded white cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the Mash: Boil, drain, and mash the potatoes. Chill until cold or overnight to ensure they set properly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside for later use.
- Grate and Drain Potatoes: Grate the raw potatoes, place them in a clean kitchen towel, and wring out as much liquid as possible to avoid soggy pancakes.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cold mashed potatoes, grated potatoes, and flour mixture. Add 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk and mix well. Add more buttermilk as needed for a batter that holds together but isn’t too wet.
- Heat the Pan: Heat butter, bacon grease, lard, or oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
- Form and Fry Patties: Scoop the potato mixture into the pan, shaping into individual patties. Press them down gently to flatten. Fry until the bottom is golden brown, then flip and cook the other side until also browned. Adjust the heat as needed to allow potatoes to cook through without burning.
- Keep Warm: Transfer cooked boxty to a warm oven to keep hot while frying the remaining pancakes.
- Serve: Serve immediately while hot with your favorite accompaniments.
Notes
- The traditional method includes wringing the potato water from the grated potatoes and letting the starch settle, then adding the starch back to the batter. This makes the boxty crispier but can be skipped for simplicity.
- If skipping the starch settling step, reduce buttermilk slightly to prevent the batter from becoming too loose.
- Use starchy potatoes like russets to get the right texture and consistency.
- You can add chopped green onions or shredded white cheddar cheese to the batter for extra flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pancake
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
