Authentic Irish Potato Bread Recipe: A Timeless Farmhouse Tradition

Step into the heart of Ireland with this cherished old-world recipe for Irish Potato Bread. For generations, this simple yet profoundly satisfying dish has graced tables across the Emerald Isle, a testament to its enduring appeal and rustic charm. Once you experience the warmth and flavor of freshly made potato bread, you’ll understand why it remains a beloved staple. Crafted from ingredients readily available on any traditional Irish farm – potatoes, flour, butter, and salt – it embodies the spirit of resourceful, delicious home cooking and continues to be a cherished part of everyday life.

Before diving into the creation of this blog, I hadn’t truly explored or even heard of a potato bread recipe quite like this one. It’s a culinary journey I’m thrilled to share with you. The technique and cooking method bear a striking resemblance to the Soda Bread recipe I recently posted. This classic Irish side dish, often enjoyed for breakfast or alongside hearty meals, is something I passionately believe deserves a grand revival. It is undeniably 100% delicious, and let’s be honest, can you ever go wrong when combining the comforting goodness of potatoes with rich, creamy butter?

Mastering Authentic Irish Potato Bread at Home

Given its deep roots as an everyday farmhouse recipe, it should come as no surprise that making traditional Irish Potato Bread is wonderfully straightforward. If you possess the basic skills of boiling water and mashing potatoes, you are more than capable of creating this delightful bread. Its simplicity is its strength, making it accessible for even novice bakers to achieve delicious results.

Much like the Soda Bread mentioned earlier, I often ponder if this Irish Potato Bread served as an early precursor or a culinary stepping stone towards the development of the English Muffin. In my estimation, they must surely be distant cousins, sharing a remarkably similar griddle-cooking method that yields a distinctively textured bread. This lineage of simple, griddle-cooked breads speaks volumes about the ingenuity of past generations in transforming basic ingredients into comforting sustenance.

The journey to creating this easy potato bread begins with humble cooked and mashed potatoes, lovingly seasoned with a touch of butter and a pinch of salt. That’s the foundation: potatoes, butter, and salt. To this creamy mixture, just enough all-purpose flour is incorporated to transform it into a pliable dough, giving it a slightly bready consistency. There’s no yeast or traditional leavening agent involved. Instead, the magic happens during cooking: the residual steam from the warm potatoes, combined with the butter, allows the dough to puff up gently on the griddle, resulting in a finished product that shares a delightful kinship with a potato pancake or a thick, soft flatbread.

And in true, time-honored Irish fashion, this griddle-cooked delicacy is practically begging to be topped with a generous helping of authentic Irish butter! Indeed, almost everything in Ireland finds its perfect accompaniment in a dollop of butter. It’s a culinary tradition I wholeheartedly endorse, especially considering that butter would have been one of the precious commodities readily available on an Irish farm with its own dairy cows. So, embrace the tradition, heap on that golden goodness, and savor every bite of this traditional potato bread.

Discover More Irish Favorites for Your Feast

This delightful Irish Potato Bread isn’t just a treat; it’s also a perfect addition to your celebratory St. Patrick’s Day feast, or any meal where you crave a touch of genuine Irish comfort food. To help you build an even grander spread, I’ve shared an array of other beloved Irish recipes on the blog. Explore our recipes for classic Soda Bread, crumbly Irish Shortbread, the comforting Colcannon Potatoes, the iconic Corned Beef and Cabbage, and my ingenious Nextover recipe for a flavorful Ruban Casserole. Each dish offers a taste of the rich culinary heritage of Ireland.

As you can probably tell, I absolutely adore celebrating holidays, and these Irish recipes are genuinely some of my all-time favorites. I eagerly anticipate making and enjoying them year after year, as they bring so much warmth and tradition to our home. I sincerely hope that you find as much joy and satisfaction in preparing and tasting these authentic Irish dishes as I do. Now, gather your ingredients, fire up your griddle, and get cooking!

Tips for Perfect Irish Potato Bread Every Time

Achieving the perfect Irish potato bread is quite simple, but a few pointers can elevate your results. Firstly, choose starchy potatoes like Yukon Golds for mashing, as they yield a smooth texture. When mashing, aim for a creamy consistency with no lumps, as this will result in a more uniform dough. Don’t overwork the dough once the flour is added; mix just until combined to prevent it from becoming tough. When cooking on the griddle, maintain a medium heat. Too high, and the outside will brown before the inside cooks through; too low, and it won’t develop that beautiful golden crust. The farls should be about ½ inch thick for even cooking. Serve them warm, generously slathered with butter, for the ultimate experience. Consider a sprinkle of fresh chives or a pinch of black pepper in the dough for a subtle twist on the traditional flavor.

Did you make this authentic Irish Potato Bread recipe? I’d love to hear from you! Please let me know by leaving a review or comment below. And for more delicious recipes and culinary inspiration, be sure to sign up for my exclusive newsletter, and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 8 quarters

Irish Potato Bread

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook Time:
20 minutes

Total Time:
40 minutes

This potato bread recipe is one that is right out of the pages of your medieval novels. Traditionally made over a stone hearth, it has stood the test of time and is a proven winner.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled & diced
• 1 tablespoon Irish Butter
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ½ cup All-Purpose Flour

Instructions

1. Boil and mash the potatoes.
2. Add the butter and salt and mix to combine.
3. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough, adding more if needed to keep it from being sticky.
4. Cut the dough into two pieces and flatten them to about ½ inch thickness. Cut the rounds into farls (quarters) and bake on a lightly floured griddle or skillet, turning over as needed until browned of both sides.
5. You will notice that the quarters puff up a bit when finished but will flatten as they rest.
6. Serve with a generous ration of butter alongside your corned beef and cabbage.

Notes

I want to give this a couple more tries with some additions to the dough, I think some green onions would be good inside and could even see it with a seasoned sour cream or yogurt on top. Use your imagination and run wild.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 grams

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 94Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 175mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 2g

This is an estimated caloric value, actual numbers may differ based on the ingredients used.

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