Traditional Irish Champ Recipe (2024)

Jump to Recipe

Traditional Irish Champ Recipe. With only five ingredients, this authentic Irish potato recipe is both easy and tasty. You can easily feed a crowd with this traditional Irish dish. Perfect for St. Patricks Day!

Want to go to Ireland? Check out Planning a Trip to Ireland!

Traditional Irish Champ Recipe (1)

May you live as long as you want, never want as long as you live.

– Irish Blessing
Traditional Irish Champ Recipe (2)

Irish recipes have a special place in my heart.

I have always been intrigued by the origin of food, cultivating methods and cuisine. Oh! The people behind these methods, traditions and techniques too. Don’t forget about the people.

If you ever get a chance to visit an old kitchen, even if it’s only 50 years old, in its original condition, take a deep breath through your nose. The smells you sense and the stains you see tell a vivid story. Families were fed, children were raised and holiday feasts were prepared in these kitchens, both extravagant and modest.

Learn more about what you will find in an Irish Pantry.

Can you imagine!? I can. It always brings a smile to my face. If you visit thrift stores and make a dash to the kitchen section or have an estate sales alert app on your phone, then you are MY PEOPLE my friend. Let’s have lunch.

Today is Champ Day.

I haven’t gone on a Rocky Netflix binge or watched the ice skating olympic trials. Not that kind of champ, although I would totally do either of those.

Today is looking back, celebrating Irish cuisine in all of its rawness and remembering day.

The Irish, they are tough, for good reason.

Irish cuisine took a beating through its history. The English Conquest stripped Ireland of its cuisine by diverting their agricultural goods to England to feed its conquering armies. At times, the only food the Irish could afford to eat were potatoes, the reason why todays menu of Irish cuisine almost always includes potatoes. It is also one of three reasons why a third of the Irish population perished during the Great Hunger, or as we know it on this side of the pond, the Irish Potato Famine.

The other two reasons as I understand it include a monoculture potato crop and a potato blight. This means there wasn’t enough genetic diversity in the potato to fight off a potato blight.

Hopefully we can learn and not repeat the mistakes of the past. That’s the purpose of studying history isn’t it?

What is Irish Champ?

Irish Champ is a simple Irish food made of potatoes, milk, green onions, butter and cheese. This is similar to Colcannon which uses cabbage instead of scallions.

If you can make mashed potatoes from scratch, you can make Champ. One of the things I love about recipes like this is that you can scale up or down without really using a recipe. Just cook as many potatoes as you have mouths to feed, add some dairy and onions and everybody is happy.

Another thing I really like about this recipe, it’s made of potatoes! Some people are crazy over noodles or pasta, for me it’s potatoes and cheese. This dish has both.

How do you make Irish Champ?

You make this just like you would mashed potatoes. Peel and chop the potatoes, boil in water until tender, mash with remaining ingredients and serve. Traditionally this dish was served with cheese so I add this in the end. A good sharp, assertive cheese is perfect.

More Irish Recipes

Try these recipes the next time you want to try some traditional Irish food, definitely save this for St. Patricks Day.

  • Colcannon – A traditional mashed potato recipe made with cabbage or kale.
  • Boxty – A potato pancake similar to a latke.
  • Irish Stew – Lamb and potato stew, hearty and tasty.
  • Irish Soda Bread – A dense, easy bread that bakes quickly without the need for rise times.
  • Champ – Another amazing mashed potato recipe with green onions, buttermilk, butter and cheese.

Do you have any favorite potato or Irish recipes? Please share, do tell!

Bon appetite or Dea Mhaith!

Traditional Irish Champ Recipe (4)
Traditional Irish Champ Recipe (5)
Traditional Irish Champ Recipe (6)

What people are saying about this recipe

“Made this for a work potluck. Went quickly (first time I had nothing left at a potluck!) I had even made extra. People were thanking me for bringing it.”

-Julianne

“Will definitely make this ! Looks wonderful!!

-Kristy

Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and comment below! Take a picture and tag us @FusionCraftiness #FusionCraftiness on Instagram for a chance to be featured in our Insta Stories:)

Traditional Irish Champ Recipe (7)
Traditional Irish Champ Recipe (8)

Traditional Irish Champ Recipe

Yield: 5

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Traditional Irish Champ Recipe. With only five ingredients, this authentic Irish potato recipe is both easy and tasty. You can easily feed a crowd with this traditional Irish dish. Perfect for St. Patricks Day!

Ingredients

  • 3 lb starchy potatoes, peeled and
  • 4 Tbs butter plus a little more for garnish
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 6 green onions (scallions), chopped, plus a little more for garnish
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 4 oz shredded sharp cheese like Dunmore, Asiago, aged Cheddar, Comte etc.

Instructions

  1. Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender.
  2. Drain potatoes and return to same pot off heat.
  3. Add next 5 ingredient and mash until desired consistency.
  4. Serve in bowls, make a shallow well and place a pat of butter, sprinkle with additional green onions ad cheese.
  5. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:

Yield: 5Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 581Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 823mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 6gSugar: 6gProtein: 23g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Traditional Irish Champ Recipe (9)
Traditional Irish Champ Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the Irish champ made of? ›

Champ (brúitín in Irish) is an Irish dish of mashed potatoes with scallions, butter and milk.

What is the difference between colcannon and champ? ›

What's the Difference Between Champ and Colcannon? Champ and colcannon are both favorite Irish mashed potato dishes. They're very similar, though champ recipes tend to feature spring onions (scallions) alone, while colcannon adds cabbage, kale, or leeks.

What is the history of the champ food? ›

Champ became popular in Ireland as a simple yet nutritious food that people could afford during the times of famine and political upheavals. The basic idea behind the champ was a simple and delicious dish that could be easily made using the ingredients that are available in all seasons.

What does champ consist of? ›

Champ is a traditional, popular Irish side dish. It's simply made with potatoes mashed with butter and milk infused with scallions (spring onion). The results are tasty, mildly onion-flavored mashed potatoes, ready in 20 minutes with just 4 ingredients.

What's the difference between mash and champ? ›

The difference is ingredients and preparation method. Champ is smooth mashed potatoes with spring onions finely chopped and combined. Colcannon is similar but the mash is rougher and cabbage is combined with it.

What is Boxty made of? ›

Boxty is a thick pancake of mashed and shredded potatoes, flour, baking soda, and buttermilk fried in butter or lard. These are traditionally formed into a circle and cut into quarters or triangles and are usually served as a side dish or appetizer. These are a great way to use up any leftover mashed potatoes.

What do the Irish call spring onions? ›

In Ireland, scallions are chopped and added to mashed potatoes, known as champ or as an added ingredient to Colcannon.

What is a boxty Belfast? ›

Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake made with leftover mashed potato and grated raw potato. An old Irish rhyme goes: "Boxty on the griddle, boxty on the pan; if you can't make boxty, you'll never get a man." Our family has been making this delicious recipe for years!

What does it take to be a champ? ›

Champions say, “I can, and I will.” Champions surround themselves with great people. Champions demonstrate courage, determination, persistence, and perseverance. Champions embrace adversity as opportunities.

What is the difference between a champion and a champ? ›

A champ is someone who wins a contest or a prize. The winner of an elementary school fifty-yard dash is a champ. Champ is shorthand for champion — in other words, a winner or a victor. You might describe your favorite football team as a bunch of champs after they win the World Series.

Who is the easiest lol champ to play? ›

If you're just learning League of Legends, Champions like Annie and Lux are much easier to use. Annie is often called one of the easiest Champions in League of Legends. Her kit is set up to let her play pretty safely and keep enemies off of her.

What is coddle in Ireland? ›

Coddle (sometimes Dublin coddle; Irish: cadal) is an Irish dish which is often made to use up leftovers. It most commonly consists of layers of roughly sliced pork sausages and rashers (thinly sliced, somewhat-fatty back bacon) with chunky potatoes, sliced onion, salt, pepper, and herbs (parsley or chives).

What does champ mean in slang? ›

Very well, very successfully, as in He got through that audition like a champ . This expression, in which champ is short for champion , alludes to the winner of a sporting competition. [ Slang ; c.

What is the Scottish champ food? ›

Champ is a traditional Ulster potato dish, usually made by combining potatoes with scallions (spring onions). Instead of scallions, the champ in this recipe uses nettles (stinging nettles). Nettles are high in iron and used in many dishes in Ulster, including soup. They can be used like cabbage or spinach.

What is champ mash made of? ›

Champ is a traditional Irish recipe which we make using our finest home grown potatoes, gently steam cooking and mashing them to perfection before adding freshly chopped spring onion for flavour. Raw Ingredients: Potato (91%), Milk, Butter (Milk), Spring Onion (3%), Salt, White Pepper.

Where does champ originate from? ›

Champ is a very traditional creamy mashed potato dish with scallions (spring onions) from Ireland. The creamy mashed potato is flecked with the green of the onions and is served in a deep dish, (often served on the side of stews and 'fry-ups').

What are Irish potatoes called? ›

Solanum tuberosum (Irish Potato, Irish Potatoes, Pomme de Terre, Potato, Potatoes, White Potato, White Potatoes) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rob Wisoky

Last Updated:

Views: 5879

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (48 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rob Wisoky

Birthday: 1994-09-30

Address: 5789 Michel Vista, West Domenic, OR 80464-9452

Phone: +97313824072371

Job: Education Orchestrator

Hobby: Lockpicking, Crocheting, Baton twirling, Video gaming, Jogging, Whittling, Model building

Introduction: My name is Rob Wisoky, I am a smiling, helpful, encouraging, zealous, energetic, faithful, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.