Irish potato bread most likely isn’t the typical type of potato bread you’re thinking of, it’s a delicious potato pancake that’s popular in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Delicious for breakfast and eaten for any meal!
If you’ve never had Scottish potato scones, or Irish potato bread, you are really and truly missing out! They’re essentially the same, but have different names in different locations. Even within Ireland, some call them potato bread and others call them potato cakes or farls.
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Regardless of what they are called, they’re so incredibly tasty, especially when fried in the same pan where your bacon was just fried! Oh yes, it’s the thing to do!
Off topic: during March, you hear all about soda bread, but soda scones are even better!
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If you love potatoes, you’re going to adore Irish potato bread! I hope you give them a try soon!
Irish Potato Bread (Potato Pancakes or Farls)
adapted from Scottish potato scones
- 1 lb boiled Russet potatoes (weighed after cooking – about 4 large potatoes, cooked in salted water) -preferably cooked with the skin
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (2 1/2 oz) flour, sifted
- 1/4 stick butter (1 oz) softened, I use Kerrygold
- 1/2 tsp Kosher or sea salt
Special equipment: a potato ricer
First, peel the boiled potatoes.
Use a potato ricer to rice the potatoes, if you have one. If not, just mash them, but your potato bread will come out better if you use a ricer.
Next, add the butter and salt. Taste the potatoes at this point, add more salt if needed.
Then, very lightly mix in the sifted flour.
It will come together into a dough very quickly and easily. Turn out onto a lightly floured area.
Gently fold over until smooth. Divide into two equal portions and form each into a ball. Roll one ball out to about 1/3″ thick, then cut into quarters with a large knife or cake lifter. Repeat with the second measure of dough.
Heat a pan or griddle to medium to medium high. When hot, begin cooking the Irish potato bread (do not use oil or butter.) When brown on both sides, place on a clean tea towel and cover.
These are fully cooked and may be eaten as is, but traditionally, they are fried in the same pan as the bacon was fried in. Decadently delicious is all I can say!
Add beans, bacon, eggs, toast and more for a full Irish breakfast!
Irish Potato Bread (Irish Potato Cakes or Farls)
A tradtional Irish potato scone type recipe that's often served at breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boiled Russet potatoes (weighed after cooking – about 4 large potatoes, cooked in salted water) -preferably cooked with the skin
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (2 1/2 oz) flour, sifted
- 1/4 stick butter (1 oz) softened, I use Kerrygold
- 1/2 tsp Kosher or sea salt
Instructions
- First, peel the boiled potatoes.
- Use a potato ricer to rice the potatoes, if you have one. If not, just mash them, but your potato bread will come out better if you use a ricer.
- Next, add the butter and salt. Taste the potatoes at this point, add more salt if needed. Then, very lightly mix in the sifted flour. It will come together into a dough very quickly and easily.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured area gently fold over until smooth. Divide into two equal portions and form each into a ball. Roll one ball out to about 1/3″ thick, then cut into quarters with a large knife or cake lifter. Repeat with the second measure of dough.
- Heat a pan or griddle to medium to medium high. When hot, begin cooking the Irish potato bread (do not use oil or butter.) When brown on both sides, place on a clean tea towel and cover.
- These are fully cooked and may be eaten as is, but traditionally, they are fried in the same pan as the bacon was fried in. Decadently delicious is all I can say!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 2Amount Per Serving:Calories: 110Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 307mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g
Nutrition info is estimated.
PIN FOR LATER!
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Born and bread in Belfast. I love my potato bread with a good Ulster Fry. Great recipe to follow especially if you are tryin for the first time. My father used to make these at home using Smash (instant mash potatoes ). straight off the pan with lashings of butter. you can’t beat it. Best I ever had.
[…] always raved about the soda scones. Ireland’s breakfasts are much the same and can include “potato farls” much like potato scones, and white and black […]
There was no number before lb of russet. Is it truly only 1 lb?
Oops! Thanks for catching that, Tim, but yes, it is 1 pound of potatoes. I’ve fixed it now. Enjoy, they’re so good!
I’m making it now. Thanks so much
My niece saved your recipe and I was notified. I made this tonight with some fish and mixed veggies. It was so good, and what Irishman “doesn’t” love a great potato dish. Thanks SO much!
Oh I’m so happy! Thank YOU, Tim! Next you’ll have to try my boxty recipe! Have you ever made them?
Loved them. Found the recipe yesterday on Pinterest. Made them today as side dish for my lentil soup. So very good. Even my husband said so. It will become a family heirloom.
Very happy to hear it, Karin! Thank you so much and glad your husband loves them too! Would you mind clicking on the stars just above the print button in the recipe card above? Or even the “write a review” will bring up the star rating. Thank you!
These look delicious. May I ask a question..do you make this recipe while the potatoes are still hot from being boiled?
Yes! You do want to make this while they’re hot as it’s much easier to make that way. Enjoy!
How do you store them if you make ahead of time please? Thanks!
Hi Sheila, I keep them in the freezer. You can freeze them on a tray, then put them in a ziploc bag, or layer them in a freezerproof container with parchment paper in between them so they don’t stick together :)
Could you make these and cook them the following day?
I need clarification, Linda, when you say make them, do you mean actually rolling them out or just putting everything together in the bowl? If it’s the latter, no, the potatoes will turn brown. If you make them I’d cook them on the griddle and then you can fry them the next day. Is that helpful?
[…] in a stand mixer and have a dense texture. Speaking of tasty Irish carbs, if you’ve got potatoes, you can make farls with whole wheat flour or a wheat-like flour, since it doesn’t require […]
Awesome ! It is really nice recipe.
You’ve got me craving potato scones now, Christina! I adore them and have missed them for so long – yet never even bothered to make them. Thanks for the inspiration – I have to try these. Looks wonderful!
Oh goodness, you’re like me with your cheese scones! Haha! By the time you make these you’ll be kicking yourself for not making them sooner! :) Enjoy, Jill!
I’d never heard of these but they sound heavenly!
If you are a potato fan, you’d love them!
I don’t know what I would do without my potato ricer! It’s one of my favorite tools in the kitchen. It makes for the best mashed potatoes, gnocchi, and — now — Irish potato bread! I look forward to trying this, Christina. That sounds perfect for us.
It is a great kitchen tool! I do hope you give them a try!
oh yum! this looks very tasty indeed christina. can’t wait to make some for St Paddy’s Day:-) cheers sherry
Very cool, thank you!
Looking forward to giving this a try for St. Paddy’s day. Thank you.
Awesome! Let me know how they turn out!