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Home » Recipes » Potato Side Dish Recipes

Irish Mashed Potatoes (Colcannon)

Published: Feb 25, 2022 · Modified: Aug 15, 2024 by Brooke Fajcz · As an Amazon Influencer, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Irish mashed potatoes or colcannon is an Irish comfort food that is extremely popular in Ireland.  This simple side dish is economical, and a great way to add more greens to your dinner table. 

If you love Irish food, you'll want to try our Irish boxty pancakes and our boxty bread.

bowl of Irish colcannon with two black spoons
Jump to:
  • About
  • Why This Recipe Works
  • Ingredients
  • Variations
  • How to Make Irish Colcannon
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Serve
  • Expert Tips
  • Other Irish Recipes You'll Love
  • Recipe
  • Comments

About

Colcannon is a Gaelic word "cal ceannann," which means white-headed cabbage.  In Ireland, potatoes, cabbages, and leeks were considered common food, so it's only natural for Irish home cooks to experiment with these ingredients.

Colcannon is Irish comfort food at its best. The main ingredient is mashed potatoes. Greens, like kale or cabbage, and fats, like butter and cream, are added along with some spices. It is served warm with a pat or knob of butter. It's easy to do and most people love it.

bowl of colcannon with two black spoons.

Why This Recipe Works

  • This recipe uses starchy Russet potatoes. These have less water and will produce a fluffier mashed potato. The potatoes are boiled in salted water for more flavor.
  • The add-ins: The kale and green onion are sauteed in melted butter then the heavy cream is added to the skillet and is heated through.
  • The end result: The kale, onion and cream mixture is added to the whipped potatoes and then seasoned to taste and served with a pat of butter.

Ingredients

glass bowls of colcannon ingredients

Wondering what ingredients you need to make this colcannon recipe? It uses simple ingredients that have been used for generations in Ireland, and chances are you probably have most of them.

  • Potatoes: We used a starchy variety. (Russets in the U.S. or roosters in Ireland.)
  • Greens: We used kale, but you could substitute with savoy or green cabbage.
  • Alliums: We used green onions, but leeks or chives would also work nicely. You could also add a diced shallot.
  • Dairy: We used butter and heavy cream for a higher fat content.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

  • Make it with green or savoy cabbage instead of kale. You'll need to boil the cabbage before adding it to the potatoes.
  • Swap the kale for chard or leeks.
  • Even though it's not traditional, you can add cubed ham or crumbled bacon for more protein.
  • To make a garlicky colcannon, add roasted garlic cloves and then mash them.

How to Make Irish Colcannon

It's best to prep all your ingredients for colcannon before you start.

person boiling potatoes and sauteeing kale
  1. Wash, peel, and cut up the potatoes. (If you prefer to cook the potatoes in their skins, feel free to do so.) Submerge them into cold water and add some salt.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Simmer until fork tender. (Image 1)
  2. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat and add the kale. (Image 2)
sauteed kale with cream in a pan
  1. Reduce the heat to medium and saute the kale for 5 minutes. Add the green onion and sauté for two minutes, stirring occasionally. (Image 3)
  2. Add the cream and heat through. (Image 4)
boiled potatoes in a colander and in a mixing bowl
  1. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them in a colander. (Image 5)
  2. Whip the russet potatoes in a stand mixer until smooth, but don't add anything to them just yet. (If you are using roosters, it's traditional to mash them by hand.) (Image 6)
person seasoning mashed potatoes
  1. Add the cooked kale, green onion, and cream mixture to the warm mashed potatoes, then stir in the seasonings (garlic powder, white pepper, and salt).  Taste and adjust seasonings. (Image 7)
  2. Serve warm with a knob of butter. (Image 8)

Recipe FAQs

What's the difference between colcannon and champ?

The only difference is colcannon has cooked kale, savoy, or green cabbage added to it. Champ is a variation of colcannon. If you don't have any kale or cabbage in the fridge, make champ. They are both served with a knob of butter.

Which Irish potatoes are best for mashing?

In Ireland, the best and most popular potatoes are roosters, because they have an excellent taste and a floury texture.

What is colcannon made from?

The main ingredient in colcannon is mashed potatoes. The other ingredients are green onion, kale, or cabbage, and some fat like butter and cream and spices to taste.

Can you freeze colcannon?

Yes, you can freeze colcannon if the mashed potatoes have fat in them, so make sure to add cream, whole milk or butter.  Mix your fat of choice in really well, and wait until the colcannon has completely cooled. 

Serve

In Ireland, it is commonly served with boiled ham or rashers (bacon). In Northern Ireland, it is served with bangers (sausages). Other meats that go well with colcannon are corned beef, scallops, and smoked haddock. If you're looking for a meatless meal, try serving it with poached eggs.

If you're looking for other Irish recipes, make sure to try our recipes for boxty pancakes, boxty bread, Dublin coddle, ham and cabbage pie, dingle pie, pub salad, and Irish-American Mulligan stew.

white bowl of Irish colcannon with black spoons.

Expert Tips

  • Best American potato?  Russets would be the closest to the Irish rooster potato.
  • Like it creamy? Use butter and heavy cream. Keep the fat content up there for the best taste.
  • For the best flavor: Taste and season the colcannon at the end.
  • Want to change it up? Use cabbage, chard or kale for your greens.

Other Irish Recipes You'll Love

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    British Corned Beef Pie
  • white bowl of Mulligan stew with brown bread
    Mulligan Stew
  • sliced Irish brown bread on a cutting board
    Irish Brown Bread
  • slice of ham and cabbage pie with two forks
    Irish Ham and Cabbage Pie

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Recipe

bowl of colcannon with two black spoons

Irish Mashed Potatoes (Colcannon)

This Irish mashed potato recipe combines creamy mashed potatoes with kale, onions and cream.  It's easy, can be made ahead, and is vegetarian.  This authentic colcannon recipe is a simple side dish and a great way to add more greens to your dinner table.  Serve hot with a pat of melted butter for your St. Patrick's Day party or an Irish themed meal.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Irish
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 355kcal
Author: Brooke & Emma

Ingredients
 

  • 8 medium russet potatoes, peeled
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup green onions, sliced in ¼ inch pieces
  • 6 cups kale, cut in small pieces
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
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Instructions

  • Peel and cut the potatoes into eighths.  Put the potatoes into a pot of cold salted water, cover, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until fork tender, about 15 minutes.
  • Drain well, then place in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip with the paddle attachment until fairly smooth.  Resist the temptation to add anything while mixing.
  • Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, then add the kale and cook for 5 minutes.  The greens will shrink a lot.  Add the green onions and cook for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium low.  Pour in the cream and heat through.
  • Add the cream, kale, and onion mixture to the whipped potatoes.  Add white pepper, garlic powder, and salt to taste.  Stir until well combined, then transfer to a serving bowl.
  • Serve warm. On your plate, make a mound with the potatoes and make a well in the center. Put a pat of butter in the well, let it melt, and then dip each bite of potatoes in the butter.

Video

Notes

  • Best American potato?  Russets would be the closest to the Irish rooster potato.
  • Like it creamy? Use butter and heavy cream. Keep the fat content up there for the best taste.
  • For the best flavor: Taste and season the colcannon at the end.
  • Want to change it up? Use cabbage, chard or kale for your greens.

Nutrition

Calories: 355kcal (18%)Carbohydrates: 43g (14%)Protein: 7g (14%)Fat: 19g (29%)Saturated Fat: 12g (75%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 53mg (18%)Sodium: 638mg (28%)Potassium: 1129mg (32%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 5806IU (116%)Vitamin C: 62mg (75%)Calcium: 187mg (19%)Iron: 3mg (17%)

Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beth

    October 13, 2019 at 2:48 pm

    5 stars
    I love mashed potatoes 🥔. They are so creamy and the kale is soft and juicy. Absolutely perfect for an Irish 🍀 dinner!

    Reply
    • Emma

      October 13, 2019 at 4:01 pm

      Colcannon is a wonderful side dish.

      Reply

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