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Irish Potato Farls (Gluten Free Option)

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Overhead photo of two Irish potato farls on shot on gray plate with with an over easy egg next to the farls. There are green onions sprinkled on top of the farls. Another plate of farls stacked up are in the upper right corner of the photo. There is a white, and blue checkered striped napkin in the upper left corner. The entire scene is shot on a subtle gray background. #foodphotography this recipe

With St. Patrick’s Day only 10 days away, we need an Irish recipe, STAT! What better way to celebrate than with a potato recipe? Irish potato farls, to be exact!!!

Potato farls are basically mashed potatoes that are mixed with flour to create a dough, then that dough is cut into triangles and fried in a pan. The result, is a delicious potato-y number that is crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside. It’s perfect for serving alongside eggs, sausages, or bacon for breakfast.

Trust me, you will love em’!

Irish potato farls are also known as Irish potato cakes. The ingredients are basic: mashed potatoes, flour for binding, butter for flavor, salt, and black pepper for seasoning! Simple, but so delicious!

I know you will enjoy these Irish potato farls. They’re easy to make – only requires 6 ingredients, and 35 minutes to make.  Re-heated leftovers taste just as good as when they’re fresh. You can easily make Irish potato farls gluten free by swapping the all purpose flour for a gluten free all purpose flour blend! 

Grab your spuds, and let’s get cooking!

Overhead photo of ingredients on a subtle gray background. Russet potatoes are piled in the center of the photo. A bowl of flour is in the upper left, black pepper, and salt to the right of the flour, and slices of butter in the lower right of the photo. To the left is a white and blue checkered napkin. #foodphotography

Ingredients for Irish potato farls

As always, the list of ingredients, along with their measurements are in the recipe card below – be sure to check it out!

Irish potato farls

  • russet potatoes – a good ole’ fashioned russet potato does the trick for this recipe. The fluffy, starchy texture is ideal for making a light potato farl, even after it’s combined with the flour.
  • all purpose flour – the flour is key to creating a dough so that the potato farls can be turned into little wedges and fried up. The flour binds the mashed potatoes, and soaks up any excess moisture. If you want to make this recipe gluten free, you can easily use an all purpose gluten free flour blend.
  • unsalted butter – a little butter melted into the dough for flavor, and a hint of richness.
  • kosher salt – salt is very important in this recipe, it provides a lot of flavor. If using table salt, be sure to reduce the amount by half.
  • black pepper – black pepper provides a lot of flavor as well. I tend to go heavy handed with the pepper, but I love it.

For frying

  • unsalted butter – a little butter in the frying pan is a great way to add an extra buttery flavor.
  • avocado oil – A little oil helps to prevent the butter from burning. My oil of choice is avocado, but feel free to use light olive oil, or canola oil.

Optional garnish

  • green onions, sliced – A sprinkle of green onions on top of the potato farls not only provides a pop of color that is welcome, but it provides a nice fresh onion-y flavor that goes so well with the potato farls.

Overhead photo of a glass mixing bowl with ingredients in it. Mashed up potato, flour, melted butter, and salt and pepper. A hand is holding the left side of the bowl, and another is holding a wooden spoon in the mixture, on the right side.

How to make Irish potato farls

More detailed directions are in the recipe card below. 

  1. prepare – bring water to a boil, and peel and cut up the potatoes.
  2. boil the potatoes 
  3. drain the potatoes 
  4. rice the potatoes – pass the cooked potatoes through a potato ricer to get a nice fine texture. You can also use a potato masher.
  5. add the remaining ingredients – mix until a dough forms.
  6. cut into triangles – roll the dough out, and cut into triangles.
  7. fry the potato farls – fry  up the potato farls in a skillet until golden brown on the edges.
  8. serve – serve hot. We like to serve the potato farls with over easy eggs. You can also serve them with bacon, or sausage.

Overhead photo of a glass mixing bowl with potato farl dough in it. There are hands holding either side of the bowl. A white and blue checkered napkin is in the upper left of the photo.

What are potato farls?

Irish Potato farls (AKA Irish potato cakes) were invented in Ireland as a way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. Genius, right?

Mashed potatoes are mixed with flour to create a dough that is cut into triangles. The triangles of potato dough are fried up in a skillet – they are fluffy, tender potato-y goodness on the inside with a crispy outside.

Irish potato farls are usually served as a breakfast item. They are often served alongside eggs, bacon, and/or sausages. It is also common in Ireland to serve a breakfast like this with a tomato that is cut in half, and fried in a skillet face down, along with sautéed mushrooms. SO GOOD!

A full Irish breakfast is the food I miss most from my days of living in Ireland.

What is the difference between Irish potato farls, and Irish boxty potato pancakes?

Potato farls contains cooked mashed potatoes and flour. Potato farls are cut into triangles.

Whereas Irish boxty potato pancakes contain raw grated potatoes, and sometimes mashed potatoes as well. Boxty potato pancakes are usually cooked in a round shape. 

Both are savory, and usually served as breakfast with eggs, or other breakfast meats.

Overhead photo of potato farl dough rolled out into a circle. There is a bowl of flour in the upper left corner, and a French rolling pin in the right of the photo, next to the potato farl dough.

What kind of potato should I use to make Irish potato farls?

Russet potatoes.

They’re starchy, and fluffy, which helps to keep the potato farls nice and light even after they are mixed with the flour.

In Ireland, I think they use what are called rooster potatoes, which are very similar to russet potatoes.

Can I use leftover mashed potatoes to make Irish potato farls?

Yes, you can use leftover mashed potatoes.  That is the original idea of how potato farls came about. 

However, I did not test the recipe this way. 

If you want to use leftover mashed potatoes you want to use mashed potatoes that are relatively plain – as in, they don’t have a lot of cream, butter, or other flavors in them. You may need to add more flour to the mixture too. And, you will need to adjust the salt and pepper according to how seasoned you leftover mashed potatoes already are.

Overhead photo of potato farls cooked in a cast iron skillet.

Can I make Irish potato farls gluten free?

YES!

You can simply use an all purpose gluten free four blend. Works great!

Overhead photo of two Irish potato farls shot on gray plate with with an over easy egg next to the farls. There are green onions sprinkled on top of the farls. Another plate of farls stacked up are in the upper right corner of the photo. There is a white, and blue checkered striped napkin in the upper left corner. The entire scene is shot on a subtle gray background. #foodphotography

What can I serve with my Irish potato farls?

Typically potato farls are served for breakfast. We love to make a few over easy eggs with a runny yolk to dip the potato farls into. SO GOOD!

You can also serve them with bacon, and/or sausages. 

Other common items to serve alongside an Irish breakfast are tomatoes that are cut in half and fried in a pan, cut side down. And, sautéed mushrooms. Trust me, they are both worth trying!

Overhead photo of two Irish potato farls shot on gray plate with with an over easy egg next to the farls. There are green onions sprinkled on top of the farls. Hands are holding the plate, and a fork is on the right side of the potato farls. Another plate of farls stacked up are in the upper right corner of the photo. There is a white, and blue checkered striped napkin in the upper left corner. The entire scene is shot on a subtle gray background. #foodphotography

Do Irish potato farls make good leftovers?

YES!

Re-heat them by heating them up in a skillet with a little butter. They’re as good as when you first made them. Nice and crispy and delicious!

Angled close up photo of two Irish potato farls shot on gray plate with with an over easy egg next to the farls. There are green onions sprinkled on top of the farls. Another plate of farls stacked up behind the main plate of potato farls. There is a white, and blue checkered striped napkin in the upper left corner. The entire scene is shot on a subtle gray background. #foodphotography

Equipment I used to make this recipe

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Overhead photo of two Irish potato farls shot on gray plate with with an over easy egg next to the farls. There are green onions sprinkled on top of the farls. A hand is holding a fork that is cutting into the edge of the potato farls. Another plate of farls stacked up are in the upper right corner of the photo. There is a white, and blue checkered striped napkin in the upper left corner. The entire scene is shot on a subtle gray background. #foodphotography

Reasons you will fall in love with Irish potato farls

  • tender potato inside, crispy outside!
  • Easy to make – 35 minutes!
  • only 6 ingredients
  • makes for a hearty breakfast!
  • The best with over easy eggs for dipping into runny yolks!
  • makes great leftovers!
  • Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, but also any day!
  • Simple, yet impressive!

Overhead photo of two Irish potato farls shot on gray plate with with an over easy egg next to the farls. There are green onions sprinkled on top of the farls. A hand is holding a fork with a cut piece of potato farl up towards the camera. Another plate of farls stacked up are in the upper right corner of the photo. There is a white, and blue checkered striped napkin in the upper left corner. The entire scene is shot on a subtle gray background. #foodphotography

More Irish recipes for you to try

More potato recipes

Overhead photo of two Irish potato farls shot on gray plate with with an over easy egg that has some of the egg yolk running onto the plate, next to the farls. There are green onions sprinkled on top of the farls. A hand is holding a fork that has a slice of potato farl on the fork in the lower left of the plate, next the the runny egg yolk. Another plate of farls stacked up are in the upper right corner of the photo. There is a white, and blue checkered striped napkin in the upper left corner. The entire scene is shot on a subtle gray background. #foodphotography

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Irish Potato Farls

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  • Author: Emily
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 8 potato farls 1x
  • Category: breakfast, entree, easy
  • Method: boil, saute
  • Cuisine: gluten free, vegetarian, easy, healthy
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Description

With a few simple ingredients you can turn potatoes into Irish potato farls, which are little potato cakes that tender on the inside, and crispy on the outside. They are the perfect addition to any breakfast. We especially love serving them with over easy eggs.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Irish Potato Farls

  • 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled (about 3 large potatoes)
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided (for gluten free – sub with all purpose gluten free flour blend)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp, or melted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (if using table salt, reduce to 3/4 teaspoon)
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

For Frying 

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided

Optional garnish

  • green onions, sliced

Instructions

  1. Prepare – Bring about 6 cups of water to a boil in a medium sauce pot.  While the water is coming to a boil, cut the peeled russet potatoes into 2 inch chunks.
  2. Boil the potatoes – Once the water has reached a boil, season the water with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt (reduce to 1 tablespoon if using table salt), and add the potatoes. Allow the potatoes to simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, or until they are fork tender.
  3. Drain the potatoes – Carefully drain the cooked potatoes into a colander that is placed in a sink. Allow the potatoes to sit in the colander for 2 minutes to allow the  steam to escape.
  4. Rice the potatoes – pass the potatoes through a potato ricer, and into a large mixing bowl, so that the potatoes are a really fine texture. If you don’t have a potato rice you can mash the potatoes using a potato masher to mash the potatoes as finely as you can – ideally you don’t want large chunks of potatoes in your mixture.
  5. Add the remaining ingredients – To the riced potatoes, add 1 cup of the all purpose flour (or AP gluten free flour blend), the 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter that is room temp, or melted – along with the kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir until a shaggy dough forms. If the dough seems really wet then add in the remaining 1/2 cup of flour. Use your clean hands to knead the dough in the bowl, 2 to 3 times, until a mostly smooth ball has formed (see photo in post).
  6. Cut into triangles – Lightly flour a clean, smooth work surface, and turn the potato farls dough out onto the floured work surface. Use your hands to flatten the dough into an even disc. Flour your rolling pin and roll the dough to about 3/4 inch thick. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the dough into about 8 triangles.
  7. Fry the potato farls – heat a 12 inch cast iron skillet (or a stainless steel skillet) over medium high heat. Once the pan is nice and hot, add the butter, and 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil. Add 4 of the potato farls to the pan. Cook until the underside is nice and browned, and crispy – about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip each potato farl, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes on the other side, until it is also golden brown. Transfer to a plate, and repeat the cooking process with the remaining potato farls.
  8. Serve – Serve the potato farls hot form the pan, and top with green onions, if desired. We like to serve our potato farls with some over easy eggs, with a runny center for dipping the potato farls into, for a complete meal. You can also serve it with bacon, or breakfast sausages. In Ireland, it is common to fry up half of a tomato in a pan, and some mushrooms, to accompany many savory breakfasts like this one. NOTE – see notes on leftovers. These re-heat nicely.

Notes

Gluten free option – to make this recipe gluten free, simply swap the all purpose flour for an all purpose gluten free flour blend. Works great.

Using leftover mashed potatoes – this recipe was created in Ireland as a way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. You can certainty do this, but I haven’t tested this method. I would recommend using mashed potatoes that are pretty plain, as in they don’t have a lot of cream, milk, or other added ingredients. If using leftover mashed potatoes you will want to adjust the salt and pepper accordingly. Also, if the mashed potatoes are more on the liquidy side, you may need to adjust by adding more flour to the mixture to create a nice dough.

re-heating leftovers – The potato farls are excellent re-heated. Simply heat up a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, once hot add some butter in and add the potato farls. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes per side, or just until  warmed through and crispy on the outside. Serve immediately.

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