Traditional Colcannon Recipe (2024)

Published | Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

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Mix in a handful of green onions and sliced Savoy cabbage into your buttery mashed potatoes for a serving of the traditional Irish colcannon, then top with our onion gravy! Simple food that is far from plain and is absolutely perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!

Serve this creamy mash on a side of our delicious Ham or Irish Beef Stew.

Traditional Colcannon Recipe (1)

With St. Patrick’s Day quickly approaching I wanted to share an authentic Irish recipe and not simply green-coloured stuff. It’s difficult to separate the Irish from the potatoes. The vegetable so loved by the entire nation.

If I am honest, I can’t imagine not eating potatoes at least a couple of days a week. They are so versatile and I don’t need to sell you on the delicious factor!

Roasted, fried or mashed potatoes will always reign supreme. If you want to take them up a notch, you can always bake them with cream in this delicious gratin recipe or layer them with caramelised onions and mushrooms in a cozy casserole.

Traditional Colcannon Recipe (2)

One of my favourite ways to enjoy spuds is to make Colcannon.

What is Colcannon?

A traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes with milk, butter and most importantly an addition of either cabbage or kale and green onions.

For my recipe I decided to use Savoy cabbage for a couple of reasons. I absolutely love the crinkled texture of the Savoy cabbage leaves. I also find it to be more tender than the white cabbage, which lends itself well to the creamy consistency of the mash.

Some colcannon recipes also feature garlic or bacon. Those are all great additions!

Traditional Colcannon Recipe (3)

Top Recipe Tips

  • For the best fluffy texture use the correct potatoes, which are labeled floury or starchy.Yukon Gold or Russet in the US or Maris Piper, King Edward, Vivaldi and Desiree in the UK.
  • Peel and cut the potatoes in the similar-sized pieces, boil in salted water and drain in a colander.
  • Let the cooked potatoes steam dry!! This step is important in ensuring your potatoes will turn into a fluffy mash and not a glue-like mess.
  • Mash with a potatoes masher, then stir in butter and hot milk infused with green onions. Add in cooked Savoy cabbage last.
  • Season well with salt and black or white pepper.

Traditional Colcannon Recipe (4)

Traditional Colcannon Recipe

Julia Frey of Vikalinka

Mix in a handful of green onions and sliced Savoy cabbage into your buttery mashed potatoes for a serving of the traditional Irish colcannon.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Irish

Servings 4

Calories 426 kcal

Ingredients

  • 6 medium potatoes see notes on what potatoes to use
  • 50ml/1/4 cup milk
  • 6-8 green onions green parts only
  • 100g/1/2 cup butter unsalted
  • 150g/2 cups Savoy cabbage sliced
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Boil the peeled and quartered potatoes in salted water until very tender.

  • While the potatoes are boiling, add sliced green onions to milk and bring to a boil at low heat, take off the heat and let the green onions infuse the milk.

  • Melt 1-2 tablespoons of butter in a deep frying pan and saute the sliced Savoy cabbage over low heat till wilted and tender for about 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can steam the cabbage instead.

  • Drain the potatoes and steam dry them to get rid of the excess of water. Return them to the pot and add hot milk together with the sliced green onions, start mashing with a potato masher until mostly smooth, then add butter and keep mashing. Stir in the cooked cabbage and season well with salt and pepper.

Notes

For the best fluffy texture use the correct potatoes, which are labeled floury or starchy.Yukon Gold or Russet in the US or Maris Piper, King Edward, Vivaldi and Desiree in the UK.

Nutrition

Calories: 426kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 8gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 836mgPotassium: 1612mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1222IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 3mg

Keyword colcannon

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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About Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

Julia Frey is a London based recipe developer and photographer. Julia founded Vikalinka in 2012 with the main mission to provide her readers with delicious and accessible everyday recipes, which could be enjoyed by everyone.
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Traditional Colcannon Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is colcannon made of? ›

Colcannon is an Irish dish that's made of mashed potatoes, shredded cabbage or kale, green onions and tons of butter and whole milk. Sometimes crumbled bacon is added for an extra-succulent, salty flavor.

What is the difference between Colcannon and Champ potatoes? ›

What is the difference between Colcannon and Champ? Both Irish dishes, Champ is mashed potatoes with chopped spring onions (scallions) and milk. Colcannon is Champ with the addition of cabbage and sometimes some herbs.

What is the traditional Irish side dish often consumed on St Patrick's Day? ›

Colcannon. Colcannon is a classic Irish side dish made with silky cooked cabbage and buttery mashed potatoes. It happens to be closely aligned with St. Patrick's Day celebrations in North America, but it's primarily eaten at Halloween in Ireland.

Which country would you be in if you ended up eating colcannon and champ? ›

Colcannon and Champ

Champ: Native to Northern Ireland, Champ looks similar to Colcannon. It differs though, in that it's made with scallions (or spring onions) and creamy mashed potatoes. Champ is great on its own, served steaming hot with extra butter. It's also the perfect side dish for good-quality sausages.

What does colcannon mean in English? ›

Colcannon is a mixture of cooked and shredded cabbage and mashed potatoes. The word colcannon is derived from the Gaelic term cal ceannann, which means "white-headed cabbage" — the vegetable most commonly mixed with potatoes in this dish.

What does colcannon taste like? ›

Colcannon is full of flavor. If you like mashed potatoes, you'll most likely love this dish. The mashed potatoes get tons of flavor from the green onions and a nice texture from the chopped kale. We all love butter and milk in our potatoes, so that is also in this colcannon recipe with salt and pepper to taste!

What is the tradition of Colcannon? ›

Colcannon is a hearty dish that has been eaten on Halloween night for years. Traditionally, a ring was hidden in the dish, and whoever was to find it would be likely to marry in the upcoming year! Colcannon was even paired with a little poem: Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream?

Is bubble and squeak the same as colcannon? ›

Colcannon is mashed potatoes and chopped cabbage and usually chopped ham or bacon. Bubble and squeak is mashed leftover potatoes and chopped cabbage mixed up and fried as single round cake, and then sliced and served usually at breakfast.

Who invented Colcannon? ›

The name comes from the Gaelic phrase “cal ceannan,” which means “white-headed cabbage”. One of the earliest written references to colcannon comes from the diary of William Bulkeley, who wrote on October 31, 1735 while on a visit to Dublin: “Dined at Coz. Wm.

What is the most common Irish meal? ›

Irish Stew has been a national dish of Ireland for nearly two hundred years, and is a hearty meal appreciated for its ability to satisfying hunger. Potatoes are also added to all types of soups made with seafood or meats, including salmon, scallops, lobster, oysters, beef, lamb or pork.

What is Ireland's national dish? ›

Irish Stew is a thick, hearty dish of mutton, potatoes, and onions and undisputedly the national dish of Ireland.

What is the best food to eat in Ireland? ›

The Best 15 Foods and Dishes to Eat In Ireland
  • Irish Soda Bread. Photo courtesy of Ballymaloe Hotel and Restaurant. ...
  • Dublin Coddle. Photo courtesy of The Hairy Lemon. ...
  • Waterford Blaas. Photo courtesy of Walsh's Bakehouse. ...
  • Boxty. ...
  • Beef and Guinness Stew. ...
  • Bairín Breac. ...
  • Crúibín. ...
  • Irish Coffee and Baby Guinness.
Oct 26, 2023

Is colcannon the same as Bubble and Squeak? ›

He comments that although the basic ingredients of bubble and squeak and colcannon are similar, the two are very different dishes, the former being traditionally made from left-overs and fried to give a brown crust, and the latter "a completely separate dish of potato, spring onion and cabbage, served almost as creamed ...

Are boxed mashed potatoes real potatoes? ›

Instant mashed potatoes are potatoes that have been through an industrial process of cooking, mashing and dehydrating to yield a packaged convenience food that can be reconstituted by adding hot water or milk, producing an approximation of mashed potatoes. They are available in many different flavors.

What is the Irish word for mashed potatoes? ›

Potato-mash, brúitín m (prátaí). Mashed potatoes, brúitín m. Mashed potatoes, brúitín m, prátaí brúite.

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