Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes)

Overhead view of a bowl of colcannon mashed potatoes

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Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes)

Made with creamy, flavorful mashed potatoes and cabbage, Colcannon is a traditional Irish side dish that's perfect for St. Patrick's Day but is so good and easy you'll want to enjoy it all year round - it pairs well with almost any meal.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Irish

Keyword: colcannon potatoes, Irish colcannon, Irish mashed potatoes

Servings: servings

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds yukon gold potatoes , peeled and cut into large chunks
1 tablespoon coarse salt (for the boiling water)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter , plus more for serving
3 cups shredded green cabbage
3 scallions , diced small, plus more for serving
2 cloves garlic , minced
3/4 cup whole milk (or half-n-half or heavy cream)
salt and pepper , to taste

Instructions

Place the potatoes in a large pot with the 1 tablespoon of coarse salt and enough cold water to cover the potatoes by 1-inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer until the potatoes are just fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander.
Return the pot to the stove and set over medium-high heat. Add in butter and once it's melted and bubbling, add in the cabbage. Sauté until the cabbage has softened and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the scallions and cook for 1 minute. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 20 seconds. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Add the cooked potatoes to the pot along with the milk. Reduce heat to medium.
Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until combined with the cabbage.
Taste and add in more salt and pepper, if necessary.
Transfer hot mashed potatoes to a serving bowl, make a slight well in the center and top with two thin slabs of butter. Garnish with a couple turns of fresh cracked black pepper and a sprinkle of diced scallions.

Notes

Add more greens. You can add the traditional kale or a blend of chopped baby spinach and arugula.

Swap some potatoes with parsnips. For a slightly healthier dish, sub out half of the potatoes with parsnips instead.

Add some meat. You can add in some diced bacon when sautéing the cabbage or incorporate chopped up leftover corned beef or ham into the mixture before serving.

Make it creamier. For an extra creamy texture with a little tang, add in 1/4 to 1/2 cup sour cream.

Add chicken broth. Instead of 3/4 cup milk, you can do 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of chicken broth for a different flavor.

Use bacon grease. To add more flavor to the dish, sauté the cabbage in leftover bacon grease instead of butter.

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