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

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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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jeanice oehrlein says

    Traditional Colcannon Recipe (12)
    Delicious, love potatoes and cabbage separate but together with onions WOW so comforting served it with a pork shoulder roast perfection. It was fast and easy once my roast was ready.. A real hit even with my very picky husband. Will make this often big bowl of this on a cold winters nite yummy.

    Reply

  2. Jennifer says

    Traditional Colcannon Recipe (13)
    One of my most favorite comfort food recipes ever!!

    Reply

    • Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says

      Mine too, Jennifer!

      Reply

  3. wilhelmina says

    Traditional Colcannon Recipe (14)
    So creamy and delicious! This has got to be the best comfort around for St. Patty’s day, or any day really!

    Reply

  4. Toni says

    Traditional Colcannon Recipe (15)
    I love that it is so easy to make and only uses a few ingredients!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

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 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.

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 ...

Why do they call it colcannon? ›

The first syllable 'col' is likely to be derived from the Irish 'cál' meaning cabbage. The second syllable may derive from 'ceann-fhionn' meaning a white head (i.e. 'a white head of cabbage') – this usage is also found in the Irish name for a coot, a white-headed bird known as 'cearc cheannan', or 'white-head hen'.

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?

Why is colcannon important to Ireland? ›

While Americans might think of the dish more in association with St. Patrick's Day, in Ireland it was traditionally associated with Halloween. According to Irish Central, charms were mixed into the batch of colcannon, and whatever you found predicted your future.

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 colcannon mash made of? ›

I ate plenty of colcannon on travels through Ireland and it has a special place on an Irish dinner table. It's a hearty side dish made of creamy mashed potatoes mixed with cabbage, kale, chard or other greens, and a generous slab of butter. And while it's commonly associated with St.

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 & Squeak is mashed up potatoes mixed with cabbage and fried in a pan. You can make little rounds first then fry it if you like. Colcannon is potatoes and cabbage mashed together with butter - not even a hint of a frying pan.

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!

What do Irish call potatoes? ›

The Irish language is very descriptive the common word for potato in Irish is práta (pl. prátaí), hence the origin of Praties for Potatoes, There are literally 50 Irish words and descriptive phrases relating to the potato.

What is the posh word for mashed potato? ›

Pomme Puree - a fancy way to say mashed potatoes.

What do Southern people call potatoes? ›

You Say “Potato”, We say “Tater”: Growing Potatoes in the South – Digging Food.

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.

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 did the Irish eat instead of potatoes? ›

Before the introduction of potatoes, the main staple food in Ireland was grains, particularly oats. Irish people also relied on vegetables such as turnips, cabbage, and onions, as well as dairy products like butter and cheese, and meat from cows, pigs, and sheep.

What did the Irish eat instead of corned beef? ›

Unfortunately, as demand grew for Irish corned beef, the price spiked high enough that, once again, the very people who made it could not afford to eat it. They settled for pork and a new crop, the Irish potato.

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