Description
Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake made from a combination of cold mashed potatoes and grated raw potatoes, resulting in a delightful crispy exterior and soft interior. This recipe uses simple ingredients including all-purpose flour and buttermilk, and is fried to golden perfection. Perfect served hot as a side or snack.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Potatoes
- 2 cups cold mashed potatoes (starchy variety like russets)
- 2 cups grated raw potatoes (starchy variety like 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 if needed
For Frying
- Butter, bacon grease, or lard (for vegan option, use oil)
Optional Add-ins
- Chopped green onions/scallions
- Shredded white cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Potatoes: Boil, drain, and mash the potatoes thoroughly. Chill the mashed potatoes until cold, ideally for at least 3 hours or overnight for best consistency.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
- Grate and Drain Potatoes: Grate the raw potatoes and place them in a clean cotton kitchen towel. Wring out as much liquid as possible from the grated potatoes to reduce excess moisture.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the chilled mashed potatoes, the grated and drained potatoes, and the flour mixture. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk and mix well. If the batter feels too thick or dry, add more buttermilk a little at a time until the mixture reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Heat the Pan: Place a heavy skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat and add butter, bacon grease, lard, or oil to coat the surface.
- Fry Boxty Patties: Scoop the potato mixture into the hot pan to form individual patties. Press them down gently to flatten. Fry until the bottoms are golden brown, then carefully flip and cook the other side until it also turns golden and the patties are cooked through. Adjust the heat as needed to avoid burning before cooking through.
- Keep Warm: Transfer cooked boxty to a warm oven to keep hot while frying the remaining patties.
- Serve: Serve the boxty immediately while hot and crisp.
Notes
- Traditional preparation involves letting grated potato liquid sit for 30 minutes and pouring off excess liquid, reserving the starch to add back into the batter for crispier texture. This step is optional.
- If skipping starch settling, reduce buttermilk slightly to avoid a runny batter.
- Use starchy potatoes like russets for best texture and crispiness.
- Optional add-ins like chopped green onions or shredded cheddar cheese can add flavor.
- Cook over medium heat to ensure potatoes cook through without burning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
