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!

More Side dishes

  • Irish Potato Farls
  • Irish Mashed Potatoes (Champ Recipe)
  • Miso Butter Roasted Cabbage Wedges
  • Baked Potato Toppings

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 Irish 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's 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.

Is colcannon the same as bubble and squeak? ›

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.

Why is colcannon important in Ireland? ›

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?

Why do the Irish eat corned beef and cabbage? ›

The Irish immigrants also realized that cabbage was a more readily available vegetable in America than in Ireland, where it was traditionally a fall and winter vegetable. So they combined the corned beef with cabbage to create a hearty, filling meal that was reminiscent of their homeland.

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.

What is the national dish in Ireland? ›

Irish Stew is a thick, hearty dish of mutton, potatoes, and onions and undisputedly the national dish of Ireland. Within the dish are many of the ingredients synonymous with the island, potatoes being one of the most recognized.

Why is colcannon called colcannon? ›

The name "colcannon" comes from the Irish phrase "cál ceannann," which means "white-headed cabbage." The dish is believed to have originated in Ireland, and it has been a traditional part of Irish cuisine for centuries.

What do they call mashed potatoes in England? ›

Mashed potato or mashed potatoes (American, Canadian and Australian English), colloquially known as mash (British English), is a dish made by mashing boiled or steamed potatoes, usually with added milk, butter, salt and pepper. It is generally served as a side dish to meat or vegetables.

What do Brits call bubble and squeak? ›

bubble and squeak, a common British dish consisting of vegetables, especially potatoes and cabbage. The ingredients are panfried and served as a side dish.

What do British people call potato cakes? ›

Bubble and Squeak (or Potato Cakes) is a British classic, and an easy and flexible recipe. You can make it from scratch OR use up leftover veggies. Flavorful, colorful, fluffy, creamy and so so good. Perfect as a breakfast or brunch recipe!

Why did the Irish only eat potatoes? ›

Why were potatoes so important to Ireland? The potato plant was hardy, nutritious, calorie-dense, and easy to grow in Irish soil. By the time of the famine, nearly half of Ireland's population relied almost exclusively on potatoes for their diet, and the other half ate potatoes frequently.

What did the Irish eat instead of potatoes? ›

Grains, either as bread or porridge, were the other mainstay of the pre-potato Irish diet, and the most common was the humble oat, usually made into oatcakes and griddled (ovens hadn't really taken off yet).

What does Irish coddle mean? ›

The word “Coddle” derives from the French term caudle which means to boil gently, parboil or stew. Apparently, coddle dates back to the first Irish famine in the late 1700s where anything to hand got thrown into the pot.

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 do the Irish eat instead of corned beef? ›

According to Regina Sexton, food and culinary historian and programme manager, Postgraduate Diploma in Irish Food Culture, University College Cork, corned beef and cabbage is not a dish much known in Ireland. What the Irish actually eat is bacon and cabbage. "A traditional dinner is bacon, potatoes, and cabbage.

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