Irish Colcannon Recipe (2024)

Published March 16, 2022.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This creamy delicious Colcannon recipe is loaded up with braised cabbage and tossed with crispy bacon and leeks. You will only want to eat mashed potatoes like this from now on after tasting these.

Whether you just love Irish recipes or are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, you should serve up this Colcannon with my Homemade Bangers and Mash recipe and with a slice of this Irish Apple Cake for dessert.

Irish Colcannon Recipe (1)

Colcannon is a traditional Irish recipe consisting of mashed potatoes and cooked cabbage. It also had some nuances to it as ingredients were added, or taken away, depending on what was available in the garden. You may see some colcannon recipes with pork, and you may not.

This is commonly served on big occasions and widely celebrated at Halloween in Ireland. Colcannon is a staple side dish at big occasions with friends and family alongside pork or lamb, but it is absolutely filling enough to eat it as is as a main course.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Irish Colcannon Recipe (2)
  • Potatoes – A red rooster potato is the most traditional to use, but I prefer a combination of Yukon gold and russets.
  • Cabbage – Savoy cabbage is what you should use, but you can substitute for green cabbage or kale.
  • Onion – leeks and green onions will add an incredible amount of flavor to this.
  • Fat – Whole unsalted butter, milk, and heavy whipping cream are used in my recipe.
  • Pork – This is optional, but it adds a ridiculous amount of deliciousness to this colcannon.

How to Make Colcannon

Use these easy-to-follow procedures to make this tasty colcannon recipe:

Add some butter, milk, and cream to a medium-size pot, and heat over very low heat. Keep warm.

Irish Colcannon Recipe (3)

Next, cook the bacon in a large rondeau pot or frying pan over medium heat until very crispy and browned.

Irish Colcannon Recipe (4)

Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside, and then add the leeks to the pan and cook them in the rendered bacon fat for 3 to 4 minutes.

Irish Colcannon Recipe (5)

Add in the cabbage, season with salt, and cook over medium-low heat for 6-7 minutes or until very tender. Keep warm.

Irish Colcannon Recipe (6)

Boil the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5-7 minutes or until tender.

Irish Colcannon Recipe (7)

Before removing the potatoes, quickly mix in the green onions with the milk mixture.

Irish Colcannon Recipe (8)

Strain the potatoes completely and then mash them through a food mill.

Irish Colcannon Recipe (9)

Fold in the milk and green onion mixture until combined and then fold in the cabbage, salt, and pepper until combined. Serve.

Irish Colcannon Recipe (10)

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten when it is done cooking.

How to Store: They can be stored in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen covered for up to 2 months; however, they will lose quite a bit of moisture and flavor if frozen.

How to Reheat: Add your desired portion to a small saucepot with a little bit of butter or milk and heat over low heat until hot. In addition, you can simply add them to the microwave and heat them until hot.

Irish Colcannon Recipe (11)

chef notes + tips

  • This is a meal in of itself and can be enjoyed by itself much like a soup, which is kept warm all day.
  • If you do not have a food mill, feel free to use a hand masher or electric hand beaters.
  • You can swap out both the whole milk and heavy whipping cream in combination for half and half.
  • Do not caramelize the cabbage when cooking, just sweat until tender.
Irish Colcannon Recipe (12)

More Irish Recipes

  • Soda bread
  • Irish Beef Stew
  • Shepherd’s Pie
  • Corned Beef and Cabbage

Irish Colcannon Recipe (13)

Video

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Irish Colcannon Recipe

Irish Colcannon Recipe (14)

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4.91 from 10 votes

This creamy delicious Colcannon recipe is loaded up with braised cabbage and tossed with crispy bacon and leeks.

Servings: 10

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 8 ounces sliced bacon, thickly sliced
  • 1 thinly sliced leek
  • 1 head thinly sliced savoy cabbage, stem removed
  • 2 pounds peeled and thinly sliced russet potatoes
  • 2 pounds peeled and thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes
  • 1 bunch thinly sliced green onions
  • salt and ground white pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Add the butter, milk, and cream to a medium size pot, and heat over very low heat. Keep warm.

  • Next, add the bacon to a large rondeau pot or frying pan over medium heat and cook until very crispy and browned, which takes about 5 to 6 minutes.

  • Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside, and then add the leeks to the pan and cook them in the rendered bacon fat for 3 to 4 minutes.

  • Add in the cabbage, season with salt, and cook over medium-low heat for 6-7 minutes or until very tender. Keep warm.

  • Boil the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5-7 minutes or until tender. They should cook in that amount of time if you thinly slice them.

  • Before removing the potatoes, quickly mix in the green onions with the warm milk and butter mixture just to heat them up.

  • Strain the potatoes completely and then mash them through a food mill.

  • Fold in the butter-milk and green onion mixture until combined and then fold in the cabbage, bacon, salt, and pepper until combined. Serve.

Notes

Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten when it is done cooking.

How to Store: They can be stored in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen covered for up to 2 months; however, they will lose quite a bit of moisture and flavor if frozen.

How to Reheat: Add your desired portion to a small saucepot with a little bit of butter or milk and heat over low heat until hot. In addition, you can simply add them to the microwave and heat them until hot.

This is a meal in of itself and can be enjoyed by itself much like a soup, which is kept warm all day.

If you do not have a food mill, feel free to use a hand masher or electric hand beaters.

You can swap out both the whole milk and heavy whipping cream in combination for half and half.

Do not caramelize the cabbage when cooking, just sweat until tender.

Nutrition

Calories: 461kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 9gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 196mgPotassium: 1054mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1768IUVitamin C: 52mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 2mg

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: irish

Author: Chef Billy Parisi

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18 comments

    • Janice Waggoner
    • Irish Colcannon Recipe (15)

    Made it for St Patrick’s Day. delicious!

    • Reply
    • Dawn Fiedler
    • Irish Colcannon Recipe (16)

    This recipe was easy to make and sooooooooo delicious

    • Reply
    • Susan
    • Irish Colcannon Recipe (17)

    I have tried many of your recipes. This is my favorite.

    • Reply
    • Susan

    I have made this it is out of this world delicious!

    • Reply
    • Irish Colcannon Recipe (19)

        excellent!

        • Reply
      • deborah
      • Irish Colcannon Recipe (20)

      Have made this recipe a few times now…absolutely fantastic.

      • Reply
      • Cecilia O’Shaughnessy
      • Irish Colcannon Recipe (21)

      again, yum! so good with corned beef! and a lovely way to cut potato carbs.

      • Reply
      • Irish Colcannon Recipe (22)

          yes indeed!

          • Reply
        • Jackie
        • Irish Colcannon Recipe (23)

        Time consuming but sooooo good. My family loved it. Thanks Billy for all the great recipes.

        • Reply
        • Irish Colcannon Recipe (24)

            Anything worth doing is 🙂

            • Reply
          • Debra Roy
          • Irish Colcannon Recipe (25)

          This is an outstanding recipe with a great video to go along. Really tasty and company loved it. I served it with Corned Beef and some steamed carrots.

          The recipe itself is easy to cook and you get a delicious rejoice result.

          • Reply
          • Irish Colcannon Recipe (26)

              Fantastic!

              • Reply
            • Steve
            • Irish Colcannon Recipe (27)

            I have made this at least 3 times. This year, I was visiting home with my siblings and mom and made it, and it was a total hit! (I even saw my sister, who is a picky eater, stealing seconds which made my heart happy.) My son keeps asking when I’m going to make it again, Soon!

            • Reply
            • Irish Colcannon Recipe (28)

                Amazing

                • Reply
              • Vivian Soul
              • Irish Colcannon Recipe (29)

              This recipe was a lot more difficult than I expected. I did not however have a mandolin, so my cabbage was not nearly as thin as in the video. The flavor was absolutely amazing. My family preferred this to the usual boiled potatoes and cabbage. The leeks in this recipe really gave the recipe a great flavor.

              Love your recipes, will have to purchase more kitchen gadgets.
              Vivian

              • Reply
              • Anna Prudhomme

              I’ve been enjoying a similar twist of this since childhood, absolutely delicious! Had no idea it was a classic dish.
              I add tender celery and celery leaves for an added freshness as well as a drizzle of olive oil to finish it. Yum! Thanks for sharing Billy!

              • Reply
              • Robin Minevich
              • Irish Colcannon Recipe (30)

              This was fantastic and super easy. It’s now a family favorite.

              • Reply
            Irish Colcannon Recipe (2024)

            FAQs

            What is 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 is the difference between colcannon and bubble and squeak? ›

            Simply put, Champ and Colcannon are essentially boiled potatoes with the addition of Cabbage, in the case of Colcannon, and Onions in the case of Champ. Bubble and squeak is left over potatoes, cabbage and any veg you have left over. Fried in butter or lard. don't use vegi oil if you want a proper bubble and squeak.

            Why is colcannon important in Ireland? ›

            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 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.

            Why do they call it colcannon? ›

            The first syllable 'col' is likely to be derived from the Irish 'cál' meaning cabbage. The second syllable may derive from 'ceann-fhionn' meaning a white head (i.e. 'a white head of cabbage') – this usage is also found in the Irish name for a coot, a white-headed bird known as 'cearc cheannan', or 'white-head hen'.

            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.

            Who invented colcannon? ›

            The name comes from the Gaelic phrase “cal ceannan,” which means “white-headed cabbage”. One of the earliest written references to colcannon comes from the diary of William Bulkeley, who wrote on October 31, 1735 while on a visit to Dublin: “Dined at Coz. Wm.

            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.

            What do they call mashed potatoes in England? ›

            Mashed potato or mashed potatoes (American, Canadian and Australian English), colloquially known as mash (British English), is a dish made by mashing boiled or steamed potatoes, usually with added milk, butter, salt and pepper. It is generally served as a side dish to meat or vegetables.

            What do British people call potato cakes? ›

            Bubble and Squeak (or Potato Cakes) is a British classic, and an easy and flexible recipe. You can make it from scratch OR use up leftover veggies. Flavorful, colorful, fluffy, creamy and so so good. Perfect as a breakfast or brunch recipe!

            What do Brits call bubble and squeak? ›

            Bubble & Squeak is mashed up potatoes mixed with cabbage and fried in a pan. You can make little rounds first then fry it if you like. Colcannon is potatoes and cabbage mashed together with butter - not even a hint of a frying pan.

            Why did the Irish only eat potatoes? ›

            Why were potatoes so important to Ireland? The potato plant was hardy, nutritious, calorie-dense, and easy to grow in Irish soil. By the time of the famine, nearly half of Ireland's population relied almost exclusively on potatoes for their diet, and the other half ate potatoes frequently.

            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 they eat in Ireland before potatoes? ›

            Grains. Until the arrival of the potato in the 16th century, grains such as oats, wheat and barley, cooked either as porridge or bread, formed the staple of the Irish diet.

            What is colcannon mash made of? ›

            I ate plenty of colcannon on travels through Ireland and it has a special place on an Irish dinner table. It's a hearty side dish made of creamy mashed potatoes mixed with cabbage, kale, chard or other greens, and a generous slab of butter. And while it's commonly associated with St.

            What do the Irish eat instead of corned beef? ›

            According to Regina Sexton, food and culinary historian and programme manager, Postgraduate Diploma in Irish Food Culture, University College Cork, corned beef and cabbage is not a dish much known in Ireland. What the Irish actually eat is bacon and cabbage. "A traditional dinner is bacon, potatoes, and cabbage.

            What did the Irish eat instead of potatoes? ›

            Until the arrival of the potato in the 16th century, grains such as oats, wheat and barley, cooked either as porridge or bread, formed the staple of the Irish diet. The most common form of bread consisted of flatbread made from ground oats.

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