2 Traditional Irish Side Recipes for a Taste of the Emerald Isle

When Irish eyes are smiling, it's probably the side dishes. We love adding these two traditional Irish side dish recipes to our meal planning.

Updated January 26, 2024
boxty

There's more to Irish food than corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes... we promise. So get a taste of the land of luck with our yummy traditional side dish Irish recipes that taste great no matter what you're serving for the main course. 

Boxty

boxty

We love a potato, which may be why we like Irish food so much. Potato-heavy cuisines rock. We have Ireland to thank for the potato in the first place, and these Irish potato pancakes are a great use of one of our favorite ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 1 one-pound russet potato
  • ¾ cup of all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup buttermilk or whole milk (less might be needed)
  • 1 beaten egg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • ¼ cup of milk
  • Salt to taste
  • Vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. Peel the potato and cut it in half.
  2. Place half of the potato in a bowl of cold water and reserve in the refrigerator.
  3. Cut the remaining half of the potato into quarters and boil in salted water until soft.
  4. Drain the boiled potatoes and place them in a bowl with the 2 tablespoons of butter and ¼ cup of milk.
  5. Mash until smooth, and taste for salt.
  6. Grate the remaining potato, squeeze out excess water, and add the grated potato to the mashed potato.
  7. Add the flour, beaten egg, and ½ teaspoon of salt and mix well.
  8. Add milk to make a slightly thick batter. The batter should have the texture of very firm mashed potatoes.
  9. Heat your largest skillet over medium-high heat until very hot.
  10. Add a few tablespoons of oil to the skillet to barely coat the pan.
  11. Drop the batter by tablespoon into the skillet and then flatten until about 2 inches across.
  12. Repeat until you have three or four dollops in the pan.
  13. Fry until golden brown on the bottom, 2-3 minutes.
  14. Turn over and cook for another 3 minutes.
  15. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil as needed.

Related: Irresistible Corned Beef & Cabbage: A Classic Recipe Revisited

Irish Soda Bread

soda bread

If you enjoy a buttermilk biscuit (and who wouldn't?), then we know you'll love Irish soda bread. It has similar ingredients, and it's super easy to make. 

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¾ cups buttermilk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 
  2. Using a whisk, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Add the buttermilk and mix with the dry ingredients using a rubber spatula.
  4. Once the mixture has formed a sticky dough, turn the dough out onto a flour surface and gently knead until the dough holds a round shape.
  5. Place the dough in a cake pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and lightly floured.
  6. Cut a cross into the top of the bread.
  7. Cover the first pan with the second pan (inverted) and bake the bread like this for 30 minutes.
  8. Remove the top pan from the bottom pan and bake for another 15 minutes or until the bread has a golden brown crust.
  9. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a rack to cool.

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, It's Probably the Sides

We adore a simple side that elevates the entire meal. So whether you're eating a traditional Irish main dish or you are looking for something a little different to go with your dinner, we know these sides will make your eyes smile, too. 

2 Traditional Irish Side Recipes for a Taste of the Emerald Isle