A Traditional Irish Breakfast – the lush full Irish

You will see the signs everywhere in Ireland from gourmet restaurants to petrol stations – traditional Irish Breakfast – Full Irish breakfast – Ulster Fry Breakfast or even Irish Fry Up. They are all versions of the same traditional full Irish breakfast that has been served for years.

This massive cooked breakfast will fill you up and get you ready for a hard day of hiking, trekking, touring and visiting ancient castles and ruins in Ireland. A full breakfast is a traditional Irish breakfast that has been served for years items have been added and removed over the years but originally the traditional Irish breakfast was made to fortify those who were cutting turf or working on the farms that crisscross the country.

A fry up breakfast in Ireland is part of the food culture of the country. It also sets you up for a day of intense site seeing when you visit the Emerald Isle.

man sitting in front of a plate of a traditional Irish breakfast. The breakfast consists of fried eggs, sausages, beans, Irish bacon, mushrooms and boxty.

In Ireland you will find a full Irish breakfast all over, even petrol stations have them. Usually, when done at home it’s a weekend or holiday treat because the calorie level is pretty high. Oh, and by the way, unlike some websites that say bubble and squeak are in a full Irish breakfast ignore them that is a British tradition and it is not a breakfast favourite.

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A Traditional Irish Breakfast – the lush full Irish

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A Traditional Irish Breakfast - the lush full Irish breakfast

What’s included in a Full Irish breakfast?

Irish pork sausages – should be a high meat content and be locally made
Irish rashers – not American streaky bacon
fried eggs – the white firm and the yolk lovely and runny
or scrambled eggs or even poached eggs can be involved
beans – good old baked beans usually Heinz – although some Irish swear this is a British addition
tomatoes – cut in half and grilled till a little mushy and bubbly with caramelized edges
mushrooms – sliced and sauteed in butter
hashbrowns – an American tradition usually a triangular shape and they come frozen and are fried till crisp and golden
fried bread – not so much an Irish thing (except in the North) day-old or stale bread fried till golden in bacon fat
boxty/fadge/potato pancakes – thin triangular shaped potato pancakes very traditionally Irish
Soda bread – called farls in N. Ireland are a triangular-shaped soda bread (traditional in the North) that is fried with some bacon fat
of course, there is also orange juice and tea on the side
black pudding – black pudding is made from pork blood and – is surprisingly tasty when grilled or fried
white pudding is also called drisheen and is made from pork fat

When cooking a Full Irish breakfast at home you need good smoked Irish bacon or Irish rashers (in N. America these are usually called English or Canadian bacon or smoked pork from the loin). You can usually pick up some boxty or potato pancakes at British speciality shops and occasionally some farls. A full Irish breakfast just simply isn’t complete without the boxty, farls or potato pancakes as far as I’m concerned.

Planning a trip to Ireland? Here’s everything you need to know

Traditional Irish breakfast vs English breakfast

What’s the difference between English Breakfast and Irish breakfast? Full Irish, Full English, Full Scottish, Ulster Fry, Full Welsh, a fry up, and the full Monty are all names for a meal that is the fuel of a good day. Served throughout the British Isles and Ireland for breakfast this great plate of food is consumed in vast quantities.

Truth be told there isn’t much difference between a full Irish breakfast and the “competing” Welsh, Scottish or English versions. Most of these “full” breakfasts have a range of ingredients but usually always a pork sausage and a rasher or two with eggs. Beans, tomatoes, mushrooms and black or white pudding are optional depending on what region of the country you are from.

Generally, it is served only on special occasions or weekends as it does tend to be a bit heavy, but many B&B’s, roadside stops and restaurants offer their version of a Full Irish breakfast. Each area has its own version of the breakfast, often served with regional favourites.

A Full Irish Breakfast – the all-important soda bread or boxty

A full Irish breakfast will always include Irish farls otherwise known as potato pancakes, fadge, and boxty, rashers (Irish bacon), black and white pudding, eggs, sausages and sometimes a nice homemade soda bread. You will occasionally these days find pre-made hashbrowns and beans although most Irish will swear that beans should never be added. It may also include a grilled tomato and sauteed mushrooms.

A full English breakfast

A Full English Breakfast tends to begin with a couple of fried eggs, good lean English back bacon, a couple of tasty pork sausages, fried bread (delicious white bread fried in the bacon grease), baked beans, grilled tomato and mushrooms and sometimes black pudding depending on where in England you are.

A full Scottish Breakfast

A Full Scottish will have a couple of eggs, good Scottish bacon, black pudding, white pudding, tattie scones, and toast.

A Traditional Welsh Breakfast

Welsh breakfast is very similar but served with Laverbread or laver cakes, these are a kind of pancake that is made with seaweed and oatmeal and is traditionally served with breakfast but sometimes with a roast dinner.

Traditional Irish breakfast – boxty, farls, tattie scones, poundies

Potato “bread” goes by many regional names, including slims, fadge, potato cake, potato pancakes, farls, and tattie scones in Scotland, Boxty (bacstaí in Gaelic) poundy or poundies. These are totally different to Potato Bread as they are a sort of flat unleavened triangular-shaped patty, they are usually made with raw grated potato and some leftover mash although some folks have been known to make them with just leftover mashed potato. There are also Soda Farls which is a leavened potato bread often served at breakfast as well.

Potato Boxty with bacon, tomatoes, onions and sauce close-up on the table. horizontal top view from above

Get your Boxty recipe by downloading here

The best recipes for fadge consist of finely grated, raw potato and mashed potato with flour, baking soda, buttermilk and sometimes egg. The mixture is then gently pulled together and rolled into a flat round shape and then cut into triangles.

It is then fried on a griddle until it is browned a little. The “cakes” can then be frozen or kept for a few days in the fridge to be pulled out for breakfast. For breakfast, they are fried in a little butter until the cake gets a slight crisp on the outside.

Want to know where to eat in Dublin and get a great full Irish? From breakfast to dinner here are our Irish faves.

So there you have it so enjoy your full Irish breakfast wherever you may find it. This traditional Irish breakfast will keep you going for hours.

Irish food tours you might like

Dublin Coastal Craft Beer and Seafood Trail with a Local

Known for its bounty of seafood, bars, restaurants and, importantly, beer, the small historic fishing village of Howth is perched on the coast just a short drive from downtown Dublin. Join in a guided half-day tour, featuring a freshly-caught two-course seafood lunch and a selection of North County Dublin’s finest craft beers. With this tour, discover the rich Norman and Viking history of medieval Ireland. Discover some of Howth’s less-known eateries and bars, popular with locals Sample Ireland’s freshest seafood: Dublin bay prawns, Oysters, Gambas, and more Hear of Norman and Viking invasions and discover legends from 12th-century Howth Walk across Howth Harbour and watch fishing boats return with the latest catch

Read more about Dublin Coastal Craft Beer and Seafood Trail with a Local

Delicious Dublin Food Tour

Discover Dublin’s burgeoning culinary culture—and visit a number of the city’s characterful eateries—on this small-group walking tour. Be sure to arrive hungry: this lunchtime tour kicks off in the late morning and includes a number of samples. Try local cheeses and chocolates, drop by bakeries and food halls, and head off the tourist trail when you visit venues that locals love. As you go, learn more about Ireland’s gastronomic history. Small-group walking food tour of Dublin Enjoy numerous samples of local dishes Get off the tourist trail and see another side of the city Learn all about Ireland’s rich food culture from your guide

Read more about Delicious Dublin Food Tour

The Irish House Party Dinner and Show Dublin

Immerse yourself in a night of traditional food and entertainment at the Irish House Party in Dublin. You’ll experience one of the city’s best ways to spend an evening at this dinner-and-show event complete with authentic Irish fare, diverse music, dancing and storytelling. Enjoy some traditional Irish food like Guinness stew and Baileys-infused chocolate cake, and sing and dance the night away with a talented group of performers.

Read more about The Irish House Party Dinner and Show

Traditional Irish Night Show Ticket in Dublin with optional Dinner

Enjoy an evening of traditional Irish food, music and dance with an Irish show at the Belvedere in Dublin. Get set for a night of non-stop entertainment as professional Irish folk musicians and dancers take to the stage to perform Irish dances, jigs and reels. Tuck into a delicious 3-course dinner of typical Irish cuisine, sip a pint of Guinness (own expense) and maybe even get up on stage to try your hand at Irish dancing.

Read more about Skip the Line:Traditional Irish Night Show Ticket in Dublin with optional Dinner

Dublin Secret Food Tour w/ Private Tour Option

Eat like a true Dubliner on this small-group Dublin food tour. With your guide, seek out authentic pubs, cafés, food shops, and markets, and savour Irish specialities including a traditional breakfast, artisanal cheeses, ice cream, and more. Pair your tastings with an Irish cream liqueur and another tipple, admire some of Dublin’s hidden gems and learn about its culinary heritage as you eat and explore. Tour is limited to 12 or fewer.

Read more about Dublin Secret Food Tour w/ Private Tour