Potatoes and cabbage are staples in Ireland, and traditional Irish colcannon marries these ingredients together in a flavorful mashed potato dish. Coming together in less than 30 minutes, these Irish mashed potatoes are creamy, buttery, and full of earthy flavors with multiple variations on its handful of ingredients.
Popular throughout Ireland in homes and pubs, colcannon is a great side dish for any hearty Irish meal. Made with floury potatoes, milk, butter, and cabbage or kale, these mashed potatoes have a flavor that is more than the sum of its parts.
While this is a great side dish to make for St. Patrick’s Day, it’s easy to make and enjoyable anytime of the year. Traditional colcannon also has strong ties to Halloween, along with barmbrak, where various trinkets would be hidden inside.
This is a very traditional and popular Irish mashed potato dish, like champ. Champ is a bit simpler to make though and typically just uses spring onions / scallions and is more popular in Northern Ireland and Ulster. Colcannon is also like the British dish bubble and squeak, but the latter is usually potato and cabbage that is pan fried, and modern versions include various vegetables and meats added in.
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🥔 What is Irish Colcannon?
There’s a little bit of debate behind the origin of colcannon, as the word cál means cabbage or kale and the second part probably comes from ciann fhionn which would translate to “white-headed cabbage.” Another version has the second part of the word being caineann, usually meaning “leeks.” This makes me wonder if there was an original dish before the potato made it to Ireland, but there’s no real way to know for sure.
The first actual written account for traditional Irish colcannon potatoes comes from a 1735 diary entry from Welsh traveler William Bulkley, who ate the dish at a pub in Dublin on Halloween: “Dined at Cos. Wm. Parry, and also supped there upon a shoulder of mutton roasted and what they call there Coel Callen, which is cabbage boiled, potatoes and parsnips, all this mixed together. They eat well enough, and is a Dish always had in this Kingdom on this night.”
The other debate around colcannon is whether it’s made with cabbage or kale, with some people swearing it’s only made with kale and not cabbage. Considering the popular cabbage in Ireland was spring cabbage, which was harvested in spring and summer, while the dark green curly kale was harvested in the fall, closer to Halloween, this gives some credence to using kale instead since it was traditionally a Halloween dish.
The ingredients in an Irish colcannon recipe aren’t set in stone though, and which greens you use are probably decided more on regional tastes and family traditions. Cabbage, kale, leeks, and scallions are all considered as traditional colcannon recipes depending on who you ask.
When making colcannon as a traditional Irish dish for Halloween, it was common to make large portions as a communal plate with a dip on top to hold lots of butter. Various trinkets would be placed inside and would portend fortunes or misfortunes for the coming year for those that found them. Different regions had different trinkets, but some items included a coin (wealth), a rag (poverty), a button (bachelorhood), a ring (marriage), a stick (an unhappy marriage), a thimble (spinsterhood), etc.
🥘 Ingredients for Colcannon
I’ll list the ingredients I used for my colcannon recipe here but be sure to read below for some common variations with other ingredients as well.
Potatoes – Many Irish dishes call for a “floury” potato, such as British Queens, Kerr’s Pink, Maris Piper, and Roosters. In the US I recommend Russets or a white Idaho potato.
Cabbage – You can use cabbage or kale, or both. I use both here just to show the options, but I prefer kale over cabbage. Fresh spring cabbage is popular in Ireland but harder to find in other areas. You can also use green or white cabbage, but if you can find it, I recommend Savoy or even Napa, but avoid red or purple cabbage variates.
Kale – Also considered traditional, curly kale is a popular choice. Tear it off the woody central stems before cooking.
Scallions – Optional, but scallions/green onions are a nice addition as well. I like to add these to the milk and butter while it heats up to infuse the cream with their flavor.
Milk – You can use pretty much any milk here, but whole milk is best. Can also use heavy cream or half and half for a richer flavor.
Butter – Any butter is fine, but if you can get some, go with a good salted Irish butter here like Kerrygold.
Seasoning – All you need to round this dish out is some salt and pepper. I use white pepper, but black pepper is fine also.
🔪 How to Make Irish Colcannon
Start by peeling and cutting the potatoes into large chunks. Place into a pot and add enough cold water to cover by an inch and bring to a boil and add salt. Once boiling, turn the heat down slightly and cook until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes in total.
While the potatoes are cooking, chop the cabbage and/or tear the kale off from the woody central stems. Use either one head of cabbage or a pound of kale. If using both, use half the head and half the kale. Place a skillet over medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the pan. Add the cabbage and/or kale and sauté in the butter until softened, about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool, then finely chop the greens.
Optionally, you can boil the greens instead. Bring another pot of salted water to a boil and cook the greens for about 10-15 minutes until softened and wilted.
Before the potatoes are done cooking, chop the green onions (green parts only) and place a small pot over medium heat. Add ¼ cup of butter and the chopped scallions to the pot. Once the butter is melted, add the milk and heat, but don’t boil the mixture.
Once the potatoes are done, drain the potatoes and add them back to the pot over low heat for a minute or two to remove excess moisture. Mash the potatoes in the pot or use a potato ricer.
Now add the cooked greens, salt and pepper, and the milk mixture to the mashed potatoes and stir or whisk to fully combine. The potatoes should be creamy, but still thick enough to hold their shape when mounded. You may not need all the milk, so use enough of the mixture to your desired creaminess.
Serve hot, making a small well in the center of the potatoes for the rest of the butter to melt and pool.
📖 Colcannon Variations
What is considered traditional Irish colcannon varies from area to area, but most of these variations are all considered traditional depending on who you ask.
Cabbage or Kale – As mentioned before, both are considered traditional, or you can use both. If using one or the other, use the whole head of cabbage or a pound of kale. If using both, use half a head of cabbage and half a pound of kale.
Leeks – Also popular in colcannon is the addition of leeks. If using leeks, use them in place of the green onions and sauté along with the kale/cabbage.
Boiled Ham – If serving colcannon with a boiled ham, reuse the water to cook the cabbage or kale in for added flavor.
Bacon – A popular addition to colcannon is some chopped streaky bacon. If using bacon, cook it in a skillet first, then sauté the cabbage or kale in the rendered bacon fat. Chop the bacon and stir some into the mash with the veggies and top with the rest.
Onions – Not as common, but a tasty addition is to sauté or caramelize some sliced onions and mix into the mash along with the greens.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Colcannon is an Irish mashed potato dish typically made from floury potatoes, cabbage or kale, milk, butter, and sometimes spring onions as well.
Champ is a bit more popular in Northern Ireland while colcannon is a bit more popular throughout the rest of the country. Champ is simply mashed potatoes with butter, milk, and spring onions/scallions. Colcannon adds cabbage or kale to the dish.
While the dishes are similar, colcannon is simply mashed potatoes with the greens added in. Bubble and squeak use mashed potatoes and cabbage also but is typically formed into a small cake and pan fried and served sliced.
Yes! If using leftover mash though, you’ll need much less butter and milk, so add some a bit at a time while stirring everything together until you reach your desired consistency.
🍽 Recommended Equipment
Other than pots and pans and a good knife, there’s only two items I’ll mention here as recommendations.
Vegetable Peeler – Having a good set of fruit or vegetable peelers makes quick work peeling the potatoes here. This set of vegetable peelers from OXO is great and is what I used here. I love this set because it comes with a straight, serrated, and julienne peeler to meet any needs you may have.
Potato Ricer – Optional, but if you love smooth mashed potatoes, a good potato ricer makes quick and easy work of parboiled potatoes.
🥗 What to Serve with Colcannon
While a popular side dish, colcannon can also be the entire meal. Made in a large batch, it was served communally in a large bowl with plenty of butter. Everyone would grab a bowl and a ladle and fight over the pool of melted butter in the center.
As a side dish it goes well with ham, corned beef and cabbage, and boiled bacon and cabbage. You can also make an Irish bangers ‘n mash by serving colcannon with Irish sausages and gravy.
You can turn colcannon into a main dish by cooking it with plenty of chopped ham or bacon mixed in.
Colcannon, champ, or just regular mashed potatoes are also popular side dishes for Irish stew and Dublin coddle. I’ve actually added a bed of colcannon in a bowl and served coddle ladled on top as well.
If you make a big batch and have leftovers, you can also utilize them in other recipes such as a topping for shepherd’s pie or cottage pie. You can also use leftovers to make a flavorful Irish boxty.
❄️ Storing and Freezing
Once cooled, you can store leftover colcannon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove. If heating on the stove, you may want to add a bit of milk and heat over medium heat.
For long-term storage you can freeze colcannon as well, but I don’t recommend it. Potatoes absorb moisture and will form ice crystals inside the mash when frozen, making them watery when thawed and reheated.
If you want to freeze leftover colcannon, place it into an airtight freezer bag and press down into an even layer, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for 1-2 months and reheat the same as above.
📋 Recipe
Traditional Irish Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 pound curly kale, see note
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped, green parts only
- ½ cup butter, divided, see note
- 1 cup whole milk, or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper, or black pepper
Directions
- Start by peeling and cutting 2 pounds of potatoes into large chunks. Place into a pot and add enough cold water to cover by an inch and bring to a boil and add salt. Once boiling, turn the heat down slightly and cook until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes in total.
- While the potatoes are cooking, tear the kale off from the woody central stems. Place a skillet over medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the pan. Add the kale and sauté in the butter until softened, about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool, then finely chop.
- Optionally, you can boil the greens instead. Bring another pot of salted water to a boil and cook the kale or cabbage for about 10-15 minutes until softened and wilted.
- Before the potatoes are done cooking, chop the green onions (green parts only) and place a small pot over medium heat. Add ¼ cup of butter and the chopped scallions to the pot. Once the butter is melted, add the milk and heat, but don’t boil the mixture.
- Once the potatoes are done, drain the potatoes and add them back to the pot over low heat for a minute or two to remove excess moisture. Mash the potatoes in the pot or use a potato ricer.
- Now add the cooked greens, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon white pepper, and the milk mixture to the mashed potatoes and stir or whisk to fully combine. The potatoes should be creamy, but still thick enough to hold their shape when mounded. You may not need all the milk, so use enough of the mixture to your desired creaminess.
- Serve hot, making a small well in the center of the potatoes for the rest of the butter to melt and pool.
Equipment Used
- Potato Ricer (optional)
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