Irish Boxty Potato Pancakes with Scallion Sour Cream
Crisp-edged, tender-centered Irish Boxty Potato Pancakes are a practical, satisfying way to turn simple potatoes into a stovetop meal. You’ll grate some potatoes raw for lacy crunch, mash the rest for a soft interior, then pan-fry small cakes and finish with tangy scallion sour cream and a squeeze of lemon.
Equipment
- Small bowl
- Medium Bowl
- Large bowl
- Whisk
- Pot
- Potato masher
- Box grater
- Clean kitchen towel
- Large cast-iron or nonstick skillet
- Thin spatula
- Wire rack
- Sheet pan
Ingredients
Boxty Potato Pancakes
- 1.5 lb Russet potatoes peeled and divided (for mash and for grating) (680 g)
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt divided (plus more for the boiling water)
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour about 85 g; add up to 3/4 cup (95 g) only if mixture is too loose
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk 120 ml; start with 1/2 cup; add 1–2 tbsp more only if batter is stiff
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter for frying (28 g)
- 1–2 tbsp neutral oil for frying (canola or sunflower)
- 1 lemon cut into wedges, for serving
Scallion Sour Cream
- 3/4 cup sour cream 180 ml
- 2 scallions very thinly sliced (white and green parts)
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt or to taste
- white pepper or black pepper a pinch
Instructions
- Make the scallion sour cream: In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, scallions, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper. Taste; it should be bright and lightly salty. Cover and refrigerate while you cook.
- Boil half the potatoes for mash: Dice half (340 g) of the peeled potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. Drop into a pot of cold, well-salted water (it should taste like the sea). Bring to a boil, then simmer until very tender, about 12–15 minutes. Drain well and let steam off for 5 minutes. Mash until smooth.
- Grate and squeeze the rest: Coarsely grate the remaining 340 g potatoes on the large holes of a box grater onto a clean kitchen towel. Gather the towel and twist hard over the sink to expel as much liquid as possible. If time allows, let the squeezed liquid sit for 10 minutes in a clear bowl, pour off the water, and scrape the white potato starch back into the grated potatoes—it helps binding without extra flour.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, 1 tsp kosher salt, and the black pepper.
- Build the batter: In a large bowl, combine the warm mashed potatoes and the squeezed grated potatoes with the egg. Sprinkle over the dry mixture and fold gently. Drizzle in 1/2 cup buttermilk and stir just until no dry flour remains. The batter should be thick and scoopable, not runny; add a spoonful more buttermilk only if it’s crumbly.
- Preheat the pan properly: Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium for 2–3 minutes. Add 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil. When the butter foams and the fat shimmers, you’re ready to fry.
- Fry the first batch: Scoop heaping 1/4-cup portions into the pan (3–4 pancakes, spaced out). Flatten gently to about 1/2 inch thick and 3.5–4 inches wide. Cook 4–5 minutes until the bottoms are deep golden and the edges look set.
- Flip and finish: Slide a thin spatula under each cake and flip carefully. Cook another 4–5 minutes until the second side is golden and the center feels set when pressed. Transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Sprinkle lightly with the remaining 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Keep warm in a 200°F / 95°C oven while you finish the rest.
- Refresh the fat and repeat: Add another 1 tbsp butter if the pan looks dry, and fry remaining batter in batches. Avoid crowding; steam softens crusts.
- Serve hot: Top each pancake with a spoonful of scallion sour cream, more sliced scallions if you like, and a squeeze of lemon.
Nutrition
Calories: 390kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 9gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 760mgPotassium: 1050mgFiber: 4.5gSugar: 4.5gVitamin A: 450IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 140mgIron: 2.8mg
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