What is Colcannon?
Colcannon is a traditional Irish side dish of creamy mashed potatoes mixed with sauteed cabbage or kale. Cooked fork-tender potatoes are mashed with warm milk, butter, salt, and pepper. Then greens are sauteed in butter and mixed in, and it’s garnished with sliced green onions. This dish is often associated with St Patrick’s Day, but it’s an all-year-round dish as it’s made with easy-to-find ingredients, it’s cheap, and an excellent side to be served with any main.
The Ingredients
Potatoes – go for potatoes that are creamy, fluffy, and starchy. Yukon Golds, or Russets work great (US). If you’re in the UK, go for Maris Piper or King Edward.Milk – for extra creamy potatoes, go for heavy cream (double cream in the UK), to lighten the potatoes up go for half and half or 2% milk (what I used). Alternatively, you can use plant-based milk and it will work just fine.Butter – good quality unsalted butter works best (you can use salted butter, but will have to use less salt to season the potatoes).Greens – use white cabbage, napa cabbage, curly kale, Tuscan kale (cavolo nero), or spring greens. And of course, green onions (spring onions).Salt and pepper.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Colcannon?
Top Tips
Do not add the potatoes to boiling water, start with cold water and bring to a boil. This will ensure that the potatoes cook evenly.Salt the water! This will season the potatoes better.Drain the potatoes well after boiling and before mashing.Do not overwork the potatoes when mashing to avoid getting a gluey texture. I like to use a potato ricer to ensure smooth and creamy mashed potatoes.Warm up the milk before adding it in, and make sure that you’re using room temperature butter.
What to Serve Colcannon With
Traditionally, Colcannon is served with ham or Irish bacon. But it’s delicious to be served with so many mains such as roast chicken (or try this spatchcock chicken), garlic butter chicken tenders, short ribs, braised lamb shanks, or garlic butter salmon.
Common Questions
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