Traditional Irish Colcannon Recipe

If you're craving mashed potatoes, why not try them the Irish way? There are plenty of ways to fix up this popular vegetable, but these Irish colcannon potatoes are super delicious and would be great to serve on St. Patrick's Day. If you're not familiar with exactly what Irish colcannon potatoes are, recipe developer Ting Dalton gives us a quick run-down, "It's a traditional Irish dish made of potatoes and cabbage," she shares. Although, you can sub in another green in place of the cabbage, as Dalton does in this recipe. 

There is a lot to love about this dish. "Mashed potatoes are taken to a whole new level with this Irish colcannon recipe. [It's] buttery, smooth, and really delicious. This is a great side dish to accompany meats, [casseroles], or strews," Dalton says. "I love this dish because it's easy to make, and although it does have a lot of butter, it is another way to get my family to eat some greens." 

Gather the ingredients for traditional Irish colcannon

To make these Irish colcannon potatoes, you'll need 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces. You'll also need salt, kale or cabbage, green onions, butter, and milk. 

Boil the potatoes

Now it's time to start the prep work. Grab your chopped potatoes and place them in a large pot of boiling water. Add a pinch of salt to season the water as this will add flavor to the potatoes. Continue boiling the potatoes until they are fork-tender. This should only take about 15 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain them in a colander.

Sauté the kale and onions

Grab a pan or skillet and place it on your stove. Turn the heat up to medium and add the butter. When the butter melts, add the kale and sauté for about 3-4 minutes, until it wilts. "If you don't have kale, you can also use green cabbage in the same way," Dalton shares. When the kale is wilted, add the green onions to the skillet. 

Mash the potatoes and mix in the veggies

It's time to combine all of the veggies together. Put the potatoes back in the pot and mash them with a masher. Then, mix in the kale and green onions.

Add the milk for a creamier consistency. "If you want to substitute the milk for full cream, you can; it makes this dish very rich and decadent," Dalton shares.

Use a spoon and mix the ingredients so the potatoes become smooth. Add a teaspoon of salt, depending on taste.

Add the butter and serve

Once you finish mixing the potatoes, add a little more butter. "It's important to season the potatoes – I think one teaspoon of salt is enough, but you may want to add more. Don't scrimp on the butter," Dalton notes.

These potatoes would make a great side to accompany pretty much any protein. "This is a great dish to freeze for another time," Dalton shares. "Put it in a suitable container and freeze for up to 4 months. Defrost thoroughly before warming up in a microwave or on the stovetop."

We hope these potatoes hit the spot!

Traditional Irish Colcannon Recipe
5 (92 ratings)
Switch out your standard mashed potatoes on St. Patrick's Day to enjoy the flavors of a traditional Irish colcannon version of the root vegetable.
Prep Time
10
minutes
Cook Time
25
minutes
Servings
4
Servings
irish colcannon in bowl
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
  • 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1 stick butter, plus more for serving
  • 3 cups chopped kale or cabbage
  • 3 green onions, finely chopped
  • 1 cup milk
Directions
  1. Put the chopped potatoes in a large pot of boiling water. Add a pinch of salt to season. Boil until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain in a colander.
  2. Place a skillet on your stove and heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet. Once melted, add the kale and sauté until wilted, around 3-4 minutes. Then add the green onions.
  3. Put the potatoes back in the large pot and mash them with a masher before adding the kale and green onions.
  4. Add the milk to the pot. Using a spoon, mix the ingredients well, so it becomes smooth. Add 1 teaspoon salt, depending on taste.
  5. Serve with extra butter.

Nutrition

Calories per Serving 443
Total Fat 25.2 g
Saturated Fat 15.7 g
Trans Fat 0.9 g
Cholesterol 66.8 mg
Total Carbohydrates 49.1 g
Dietary Fiber 3.9 g
Total Sugars 5.1 g
Sodium 831.3 mg
Protein 8.1 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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