Irish potato bread (also called potato farls or Irish potato cakes) is a simple griddle bread made with mashed potatoes, a little flour, butter, and salt, cooked in a dry pan until golden on both sides.

The outside gets a light crust while the inside stays soft and almost fluffy.

It’s the kind of thing you make with leftover mash on a Sunday morning, for a full Irish breakfast, or as a side for soup on a cold night. I like them hot with a fried egg on top or next to a bowl from these soup and sandwich pairings.

If you’ve got potatoes to use up or you’re planning a big breakfast spread, these are worth a look too:

Irish Potato Bread (Irish Potato Cakes or Farls)

Ingredients You’ll Need

Floury potatoes like Russets or Maris Pipers give you the softest farls. Waxy potatoes get gluey, so save those for salads.

Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) floury potatoes, such as Russet, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for serving
3/4 cup (95 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder (optional, for a slightly lighter texture)

Directions

Put the potato chunks in a pot, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil.
Simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until a knife slides into the center with zero resistance.
Starting in cold water matters here (the outside won’t turn mushy before the middle cooks).
Cut the chunks roughly the same size, about 1.5 inches, so they all finish at the same time.
Drain the potatoes well and return them to the hot pot for a minute to steam off extra moisture.
Wet potatoes mean you’ll need more flour, and more flour means heavier, chewier farls.
Add the butter and mash until completely smooth with no lumps left.
A potato ricer gives the smoothest result, but a regular masher is fine if you take your time.
Let the mash cool for 5 to 10 minutes so it’s warm, not steaming, before adding flour.
Sprinkle in the salt, baking powder (if using), and about two thirds of the flour.
Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a soft dough comes together.
Add the rest of the flour a little at a time, only until the dough stops sticking to your fingers.
You want it soft and pliable, not stiff like bread dough.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead it gently for just 30 seconds.
Overworking it develops gluten and makes the farls tough.
Pat or roll it into a round about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick and roughly 9 inches across.
Thicker farls take longer to cook through, so keep the thickness even from edge to center.
If the dough sticks to the pin, dust both the top and the pin with a little more flour.
Cut the round into four quarters with a sharp knife (that’s where the name farl comes from, it means fourth).
Lightly dust the tops with a pinch more flour so they don’t stick when you move them.
A wide spatula or bench scraper makes transferring them much easier.
Heat a heavy skillet or cast iron griddle over medium heat with no oil.
Cook the farls dry for 3 to 4 minutes per side until they’re golden with darker brown speckles.
If they brown too fast, turn the heat down, because the inside needs that time to cook through.
This takes a bit of patience on the first batch while you find the right heat level.
Move the cooked farls to a plate and cover them with a clean tea towel while you cook any remaining batches.
The towel keeps them soft and warm.
For a classic Ulster fry, split them in half and fry them in a little butter or bacon fat until crisp.
Serve warm with a pat of butter and enjoy!

Important Recipe Notes

Use dry, floury potatoes. Russets or Maris Pipers mash light and absorb less flour. Yukon Golds work in a pinch, but the farls will be a little denser.
Leftover mashed potatoes work. Use about 2 cups of cold mash. If it already has milk and butter in it, you may need a few extra tablespoons of flour, so add it slowly.
Don’t add all the flour at once. Potatoes vary in moisture, and too much flour is the most common reason farls turn out heavy. Stop as soon as the dough isn’t sticky.
Keep the pan dry. Traditional farls are cooked without fat so the flour on the surface toasts. Oil makes them greasy and stops that speckled brown finish.
Work while the mash is warm. Warm potatoes bind with the flour more easily than cold ones. If you’re using fridge-cold leftovers, let them sit out for 20 minutes or warm them briefly in the microwave first.
Make two smaller rounds for a big batch. Doubling the recipe is easy, but split the dough into two rounds. One huge round is hard to move and tends to tear when you transfer the wedges to the pan.
Watch the heat. Medium is the sweet spot. Too high and you’ll get a burnt outside with a raw, pasty center.
Storage. Cool completely, then keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze with parchment between each farl for up to 2 months.
Reheating. Fry from chilled or frozen in a little butter over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side. A toaster also works for thinner farls, though you lose some of that crisp, buttery edge.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving Potato farls are best hot, split and fried in butter as part of a full breakfast with eggs, bacon, sausages, and grilled tomatoes. They’re also good on their own with butter and a pinch of flaky salt. Try them alongside a bowl of soup instead of bread.

Storing Once cooled, keep them in a sealed container or zip-top bag in the fridge for 3 days. They firm up when cold (that’s normal) and soften again as soon as they hit a hot pan. For freezing, layer with parchment so you can pull out one at a time.

Customizing Stir in a handful of chopped chives or green onion for a savory version. A little grated cheddar folded into the dough is great too. For a sweet take, skip the salt and serve with butter and a drizzle of honey or a sprinkle of sugar.