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    Home » Holidays » St. Patrick's Day

    How to Make Colcannon

    By Debi Leave a Comment

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    Jump to Recipe

    Have you ever heard of Colcannon? Colcannon mashed potatoes are considered Irish potato salad but it is more like mashed potatoes with a twist. I love how delicious this Colcannon recipe is. If you are looking for an Irish inspired dish that the whole family will love, this popular dish is it.

    colcannon in green bowl

    Colcannon Irish Mashed Potatoes

    Jump to:
    • Colcannon Irish Mashed Potatoes
    • ❤️ Why you’ll love it
    • 🥘 Equipment
    • 🧾 Ingredients
    • 🍳 How to Make
    • 🥄 Variations
    • 🍽️ What to Serve With Irish Colcannon
    • 🍶 Storing
    • 💭Tip for Making the Perfect Colcannon
    • ❔FAQs
    • 📖More Recipes
    • Colcannon (Irish Colcannon Mashed Potatoes)

    ❤️ Why you’ll love it

    Irish Colcannon is also referred to as Irish Potato Salad. This potato salad adds a few things that are not found in traditional potato salads like leeks, cabbage, and kale. The potatoes in this Irish recipe are also prepared a little differently because they are semi-mashed instead of in whole chunks. The addition of leafy greens makes this Irish potato recipe a great side dish.

    • Inexpensive ingredient
    • Very easy recipe
    • Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day

    🥘 Equipment

    • Potato masher

    🧾 Ingredients

    Get the full list of ingredients, with measurements, and step-by-step instructions at the bottom of the post in the printable recipe card.

    ingredients
    • Potatoes- Yukon golds or russet potatoes
    • Unsalted butter- Use Irish butter for the best taste
    • Milk
    • Onion
    • Leeks
    • Curly Kale
    • Green Cabbage
    • Nutmeg
    • Salt and black pepper to taste

    🍳 How to Make

    Get the full list of ingredients, with measurements, and step-by-step instructions at the bottom of the post in the printable recipe card.

    Peeled and cut up potatoes on a wooden cutting board

    Wash, peel, and dice the potatoes. then boil until fork tender.

    Potatoes being mashed with a potato masher in a pot on a wooden board

    Next, mash the potatoes into pieces with milk, butter, salt, and pepper

    Chopped kale, onions, and leeks on a wooden cutting board

    Sauté the onions and leeks. Then add in the chopped kale. Cook until wilted. Add cabbage.

    Irish Colcannon in a small ceramic pot with a lid

    Lastly, mix the veggies into the potatoes, season, and serve.

    Two small green ceramic ramekins with lids full of Colcannon

    Hint: Leave the potatoes lumpy. American mashed potatoes are smooth while colcannon is not. This is a mix between potato salad and mashed potatoes.

    🥄 Variations

    • Add boiled eggs.
    • For extra flavor, add bacon or sausage.
    • To make it vegetarian-friendly, use olive oil instead of butter and vegetable broth instead of milk.
    • For an extra kick, add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce.
    • Make it with sweet potatoes. Sweet potato colcannon is a sweeter version that tastes amazing.

    🍽️ What to Serve With Irish Colcannon

    While this recipe you can add just about anything to make a full meal.

    • Corned beef and cabbage with Guinness
    • Irish Stew
    • Smoked salmon
    • Green salad or roasted vegetables, like roasted asparagus or roasted Brussels sprouts.
    • Irish soda

    🍶 Storing

    Refrigerator Storage: Store colcannon in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the leftover colcannon in an airtight container.

    Freezer Storage: To freeze the colcannon, allow it to cool completely before transferring it into an airtight container. Then, label the container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

    Reheat: Served at room temperature or warm. When reheating, use a microwave or stovetop over low heat. You may need to add some milk or butter if the potatoes seem dry.

    If you have a lot of leftovers and want a new idea on what to do with them, try using colcannon instead of leftover mashed potatoes. Make colcannon potato cakes, shepherd’s pie with colcannon, colcannon twice baked potatoes, or corned beef and colcannon. Use Irish Colcannon potatoes in place of creamy mashed potatoes in almost any recipe.

    💭Tip for Making the Perfect Colcannon

    • The key to making the perfect Colcannon is to leave the potatoes a bit lumpy. This will ensure that you get some texture in each bite.
    • It is important to not overwork the potatoes so that they keep their flavor and do not get gummy.

    ❔FAQs

    Is colcannon the same as bubble and squeak?

    No, bubble and squeak is a vegetable pancake that uses mashed potatoes, cabbage, and other vegetables. Colcannon has a creamy texture and includes potatoes mashed with cream and butter, onion, leeks, kale, and cabbage.

    What is the difference between colcannon and champ?

    Champ is a dish made with mashed potatoes, green onions, and butter. Colcannon is a version of champ that adds the addition of leeks, kale, and cabbage to the mashed potatoes.

    Why is colcannon eaten at Halloween?

    Colcannon is eaten any time of year as well as traditionally eaten on Halloween nights in Ireland as it was believed to bring good luck. It is also said that finding a ring (or coin) in your plate of colcannon brings good fortune. It is said whoever finds the ring is likely to get married in the upcoming year.
    A green pot of Irish Colcannon potatoes with kale, leeks, and cabbage

    📖More Recipes

    • Irish Ale Potato Cheddar Soup
    • Rainbow on a Stick
    • How to Make The Best NonAlcoholic St Patrick’s Day Punch For Kids
    • The Best St Patrick’s Day Cookies

    Need to change the number of servings? You can click on the number of servings and change the number. This will adjust the ingredient measurements to what you need. 

    If you love this recipe, come back and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Two small green pots of Irish Colcannon with a little gnome and an Irish sign

    Colcannon (Irish Colcannon Mashed Potatoes)

    Have you ever heard of Colcannon? Colcannon mashed potatoes is considered an Irish potato salad but it more like mashed potatoes with a twist to me. I love how delicious this Colcannon recipe is. If you are looking for an Irish inspired dish that the whole family will love, this is it!
    No ratings yet
    Print the Recipe Save Go to Collections
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine Irish
    Servings 4

    Equipment

    • potato masher

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 potatoes washed, peeled, and diced
    • 1/2 cup butter divided
    • 1/4 cup milk
    • salt and pepper
    • ½ onion sliced thinly
    • 1 large leek washed and diced
    • 1 large handful kale washed and chopped
    • 1 head cabbage washed and sliced
    • 1/4 nutmeg grated

    Directions
     

    • Wash, peel, and dice up the potatoes. Rinse in cold water. Then add the potatoes into a large pot. Add enough water to cover them. Thoroughly salt the water. Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender. Drain the water out of the potatoes.
    • Add the potatoes back to the pot. Mash together with milk, 1/4 cup butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Mash the potatoes into small pieces, but not like mashed potatoes. You want to leave it lumpy.
    • Cut up the onions and the leeks into bite sized pieces. Be sure to wash the leeks thoroughly. The best way to wash the leek is to add it to a bowl of water after it is cut. Swish it around and let the dirt fall out. Remove the leek from the water.
    • In a large sauté pan, add in the onions and leeks and sauté until soft.
    • Chop the kale. I just run a large knife over it several times in different directions. It cuts down the larger pieces. Add in the chopped kale. Cook until wilted but still a nice bright green color.
    • Cut the cabbage down into strips or bite-sized chunks. Add the cabbage and cook until tender-crisp.
    • Grate about 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg into the pot. Mix together.
    • Once cooked, add the veggies into the pot with the potatoes and mix together.
    • Serve when ready.
    Keyword How to Make Colcannon, How to Make Irish Colcannon, How to Make Irish Mashed Potatoes, Irish Colcannon
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Hi, I'm Debi!

    Welcome to my world. I am a 40 something year old mom to a lot of kids and a lot of pets. When I am not busy with the kids, grandkids, or animals, I love to do crafts and read.

    I love to knit and can often be found working on a project.

    More about me →

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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