Dublin Coddle Recipe
Published March 14, 2025. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Dublin Coddle recipe brings together caramelized onions, carrots, sausages, and potatoes, all simmered in a seasoned broth for a comforting Irish meal. The slow cooking allows the flavors to fully develop, making each bite incredibly satisfying. It is simple to prepare and perfect for serving as a main course.
In my house, we enjoy Irish food all year, not just on St. Patrick’s Day. If you love comforting Irish meals as much as we do, I highly recommend making my classic shepherd’s pie or this homemade bangers and mash. Both are delicious and perfect for sharing with family and friends.
What is Dublin Coddle?
Dublin Coddle is a classic Irish dish made with roasted onions, sausages, carrots, and potatoes, all slow-cooked in a seasoned broth until tender. This centuries-old recipe dates back to the first Irish famine in the 1700s when people made use of whatever ingredients they had on hand, much like mulligan stew.
I have always found the history of Dublin Coddle fascinating. When people moved from rural areas to Dublin in search of work, they brought whatever they could to survive, including live chickens and pigs. Once the pigs were butchered, every part was used and nothing went to waste. The leftover cuts were turned into sausages and combined with back bacon and root vegetables, then simmered together in a pot. The result was a simple, hearty, and affordable stew that became a staple in Irish homes. This is how Dublin Coddle came to be, a dish born out of resourcefulness and tradition, passed down through generations.
And here I am, sharing my Dublin Coddle recipe with you. This dish is about more than just the ingredients. It carries tradition, comfort, and the kind of cooking that does not rush the process. I love making it for my family throughout the year and for my Irish friends, especially when celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Sausage – The classic sausage to use is an Irish Banger. However, bratwurst works very well for this Dublin Coddle.
- Potatoes – I used Yukon Gold Potatoes, but any waxy potato will work. In addition, you can use Russets or red potatoes if that’s all that is available.
- Stock – I believe chicken stock is best to use for the most amount of flavor in this recipe. You can also use vegetable stock, water or brodo.
- Onions – For this dish, you can use white, yellow, or sweet onions. I also used leeks and garlic cloves.
- Carrots – While not traditional, carrots have been used in a Dublin Coddle since the 1900s to add more vegetables and nutritional value.
- Parsley – It is classic to finish the meal with chopped fresh parsley.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking to control the sodium content.
- Bacon – Any thick-cut bacon will work for this. You can use regular-cut bacon if that’s all you have. The classic pork to use is known as a rasher in Ireland, which is very thick cut back bacon.
How to Make Dublin Coddle
Cook: I add the bacon to a large Dutch oven over medium to low heat and let it cook until it turns crispy brown. Then, I transfer it to a bowl and set it aside.
Sear: Next, I turn the heat up to medium and sear the sausages on both sides, just blistering them until brown to give them a little color. Then, I set them to the side on a plate.
Sauté: The onions and leeks go in next, I gently season them with salt, and then sauté over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes.
Caramelize: I lower the heat to low and let the onions and leeks cook for another 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the Garlic: Then, I stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, which takes about 30 to 45 seconds.
Sauté: I add the carrots to the pot and turn the heat back to medium. Then, I let them cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Layer: Once the carrots start to soften, I sprinkle the crispy bacon back into the pot, then evenly spread the seared sausages over the top, making sure they are well distributed for even cooking.
Pour: I add the stock to the pot, making sure it covers the ingredients evenly. Then, I season it with salt and pepper, giving it a gentle stir to blend the flavors.
Layer: I carefully arrange the potato slices over the top, fanning them out evenly to cover everything in the pot.
Cook: I season the potatoes with salt and pepper, then cover the pot with a lid. I let it simmer over low to low-medium heat for about an hour, allowing all the flavors to meld together until everything is tender.
Finish: Once the coddle is ready, I remove the lid and drizzle melted butter over the potatoes. A quick roast in a hot oven gives them a golden, slightly crisp finish. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes to help brown the potatoes.
Serve: I ladle the coddle into bowls, making sure to get a bit of everything in each serving. Then, I sprinkle fresh parsley over the top.
Chef Tip + Notes
I highly recommend when making this Dublin Coddle recipe, to take your time caramelizing the onions. Rushing this step means you’ll miss out on the deep, sweet flavor they bring, and trust me, that slow-cooked sweetness really makes the dish.
- The best potatoes for the job: I prefer Yukon gold potatoes because they hold their shape while becoming creamy inside. Other potatoes can work but may not give the same texture balance.
- Don’t waste the flavor at the bottom: If too much fond builds up at the bottom of the pot, I add a splash of water and scrape it up. That’s where a lot of flavor is hiding.
- Let it rest before serving: Letting the coddle rest for a few minutes after it comes out of the oven is key. It helps all the flavors settle and makes a big difference.
- Use up extra pork for even more flavor: If I have spare cuts of pork, I throw them in while the bacon is crisping. It’s a great way to use up leftovers.
Serving Suggestions
I like serving this Dublin Coddle straight from the pot, spooning it into bowls while it’s still hot. The sausages are perfectly tender, the potatoes have absorbed all that flavorful broth, and the onions melt into the dish, creating a rich base. It pairs perfectly with my Irish soda bread, which is great for absorbing all the delicious broth.
For a complete meal, especially when I’m serving guests, I love finishing things off with my homemade Irish cake. It’s the perfect sweet treat to round out this hearty dish. And of course, a pint of Guinness on the side makes it feel like the ultimate Irish experience.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: For freshness it’s best to serve this soup once it is finished cooking. However, it can be made up to 2 days ahead.
How to Store: This Dublin Coddle will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days. It will also freeze well, covered, for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of the coddle to a medium-sized sauce pot and heat over low heat until hot.
More Irish Recipes
Video
Dublin Coddle Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1” pieces
- 8 Irish Banger Sausages, or bratwurst
- 2 peeled thickly sliced yellow onions
- 2 rinsed thickly sliced leeks, green parts removed
- 4 finely minced garlic cloves
- 2 cups peeled carrots cut into ¼ moons
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 3 pounds peeled Yukon gold potatoes, sliced ¼” thick
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper tot taste
- chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Add the bacon to a large Dutch oven pot over medium to low heat and cook until crispy brown. Set them aside in a bowl.
- Next, turn the heat up to medium and sear the sausages on both sides just blistering them until brown to give them a little color. Set them to the side on a plate.
- Add in the onions and leeks, gently season with salt, and then sauté over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until they start to turn brown.
- Turn the heat down to low and cook for a further 10 to 12 minutes to caramelize while stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, which takes about 30 to 45 seconds.
- Add the carrots, turn the heat back to medium, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes just to help cook the carrots a bit.
- Sprinkle back in the bacon and then evenly spread the seared sausage overtop.
- Next, add the stock and season it with salt and pepper.
- Layer on and fan out the potato slices over top of everything else in the pot.
- Gently season the potatoes with salt and pepper, add on a lid, and cook over low-to-low-medium heat for 1 hour or until everything is cooked and tender.
- Remove the lid, drizzle on the melted butter, and place on a middle rack in the oven at 450°. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes to help brown up the potatoes.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve in bowls.
This sounds amazing! It hits all the sweet spots for comfort food. I will be making this tomorrow.
Oh my goodness, this recipe blew my mind just how good this dish is!! So much flavor. I used homemade chicken stock and local made bratwurst.
Love your twist on classic recipes! thanks so much
Excellent! Thank you!
This is SO good and easy! I made a 1/2 batch to test it out before making for friends on an upcoming camping trip and it turned out wonderfully! It’s a delicious, comforting “stoup” that’s going into our regular meal rotation. Thank you!
My pleasure!
Could this be finished in the oven rather than the stove top? Perhaps at 300 or 325? Also, can this be made ahead and reheated?
Reheat instructions are in the post above the recipe card. You could for sure do the oven.
OH MY GOODNESS, CHEF BILLY! I made this today and it was off the charts good. Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe. A little time consuming……anytime you have to sweat onions……but sooo worth it. We absolutely loved it!
I made this for our St. Patrick’s Day meal. Unfortunately, I thought I had brats in the freezer and didn’t. Foregoing another trip to the grocery store, I used regular sausage links, but followed everything else exactly and it was perfect. This recipe is so good and I’ll definitely make it again. Thank you!
I know this will be awesome love everyone I have tried, only I am not so good at playing them. Love your videos.
Making this instead of Corned beef for upcoming St Patrick’s day! We make our own sausage so its a great way to serve our Bratwurst. Making the Soda bread to go with it
Thanks Chef!
I’m Italian but celebrate St. Patrick’s Day because the Irish are such happy people. I plan to try this recipe but (sorry) I am substituting Italian sausage in place of ‘bangers.’ No offense. 🥴 Love your recipes and cooking suggestions.