Traditional Irish Colcannon Recipe (2024)

Irish Recipes | RECIPES | Sides | St. Patrick's Day

ByStephanie Wilson

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Colcannon is a traditional Irish mashed potato dish with cabbage that also happens to be a hearty, comfort food classic in Ireland. If you love mashed potatoes and cabbage, this is a simple-to make-dish you will want to try. It makes the perfect side dish for St. Patrick’s Day, or just because!

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Colcannon is a year-round staple, although it also makes special appearances at holidays, including St. Patrick’s Day, and most especially at Halloween where sneaky chefs conceal lucky charms or coins within its body.

Traditionally, Colcannon incorporates cabbage or kale into the mashed potatoes.

Traditional Irish Colcannon Recipe (2)

So loved is Colcannon that it has inspired a traditional Irish song by its own name or by the name, “The Skillet Pot,” and has been recorded by many artists.

LYRICS

“Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream?
With the greens and scallions mingled like a picture in a dream.
Did you ever make a hole on top to hold the melting flake
Of the creamy, flavoured butter that your mother used to make?”

The chorus:

“Yes you did, so you did, so did he and so did I.
And the more I think about it sure the nearer I’m to cry.
Oh, wasn’t it the happy days when troubles we had not,
And our mothers made Colcannon in the little skillet pot.”

Click here to hear Mary Black sing this tune onYouTube.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use cabbage or kale in my Colcannon?

Both are traditional, so use whichever you prefer or whichever you have on hand.

What should I serve with Colcannon?

Anything with a rich sauce, but I like to serve it with this Traditional Irish Lamb Stew made without the potatoes.

Can I make this recipe vegan?

Sure, just substitute the butter and milk with your favorite plant based alternatives.

Traditional Irish Colcannon Recipe (3)

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Traditional Irish Colcannon Recipe (4)

Traditional Irish Colcannon Recipe

Colcannon is a traditional Irish mashed potato dish, and is a hearty and comfort food classic in Ireland.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 -6 servings

Author: Stephanie Wilson

Ingredients

  • 4 russet potatoes Yukon Gold potatoes work well too
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2/3 cup whole milk or half and half
  • 1/2 small green cabbage or small bunch kale shredded
  • 4 scallions sliced diagonally
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks and place into a large saucepan. Cover with water and add salt. Bring the potatoes to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and allow to cook about 15 or 20 minutes or until fork tender.

  • Remove potatoes from the simmering water and put into a bowl, and add the shredded cabbage and scallions to the simmering water. Allow it to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, or until tender.

  • Meanwhile, mash potatoes with a hand masher, add salt, pepper (to taste), butter and milk until desired consistency. Then add drained cabbage or kale and scallions. Stir well until light and fluffy. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 116mg | Potassium: 1005mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 563IU | Vitamin C: 77mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Course: Sides

Cuisine: Irish

Keyword: colcannon, colcannon recipe, Irish Colcannon, potatoes and cabbage

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FAQs

What is the 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 is 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.

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 is the difference between colcannon and 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 ...

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?

What is the Irish word for colcannon? ›

Colcannon (Irish: cál ceannann, meaning "white-headed cabbage") is a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes with cabbage.

What is Boxty made of? ›

Boxty is a thick pancake of mashed and shredded potatoes, flour, baking soda, and buttermilk fried in butter or lard. These are traditionally formed into a circle and cut into quarters or triangles and are usually served as a side dish or appetizer. These are a great way to use up any leftover mashed potatoes.

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 do the Irish call spring onions? ›

In Ireland, scallions are chopped and added to mashed potatoes, known as champ or as an added ingredient to Colcannon.

Why do Irish eat colcannon? ›

The ingredients joined ancient and modern Ireland; the ancestral diet in the country was heavy on kale and cabbage, and colcannon combined them with the more modern potato to create something hearty and filling that would keep the workingman satiated for a decent stretch of time.

What is a boxty in English? ›

'Boxty' originates in the 1700s and may get its name from the Irish 'arán bocht tí', meaning 'poor house bread', due to its humble ingredients, making it a staple in Irish households where potatoes were relied upon to survive. It is a simple potato pancake using mashed and/or grated potatoes.

What is the Irish word for mashed potatoes? ›

Mashed potatoes, brúitín m. Mashed potatoes, brúitín m, prátaí brúite.

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 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 colcannon mash made of? ›

Have you ever had colcannon? A St. Patrick's day favorite, colcannon is an Irish potato recipe, a mixture of creamy mashed potatoes and usually kale or 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 corned beef? ›

"Slow-cooked beef stews or lamb stews are probably the most popular, served with colcannon, which is butter mashed potatoes with cabbage folded through, it's real Irish soul food," she says.

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