Colcannon is an easy stove top Irish mashed potato recipe that combines sautéed cabbage, kale, and green onions with seasoned buttermilk mashed potatoes. This makes an easy and delicious side dish for any dinner, but goes especially great with your favorite St. Patrick's Day recipes.
Why this recipe works so well:
- Delicious! No one can deny how tasty homemade buttermilk mashed potatoes are, but when sautéed greens are added, they're even better.
- Quick and easy to make. While the potatoes are boiling on the stove, you sauté the greens. That way, once the potatoes are mashed, you simply stir the Colcannon cooked greens in.
- Customize the recipe to your liking. Prefer more kale to cabbage? Want them to be even more buttery? This Colcannon recipe is just a starting point and you can easily tweak the ingredients and ratios to your preferences.
Colcannon ingredients:
- Potatoes: I use Russet potatoes that I peeled and sliced. You can also use red or golden potatoes and leaving the skin on is optional.
- Kale: Any kind works, but I just used Curly Kale. Be sure to remove any thick spine pieces as they tend to be too fibrous.
- Green Cabbage: I used about a quarter of a medium sized head of cabbage.
- Green Onions: About 9 were used in this Colcannon recipe and I used both the green and white part of the scallion.
- Buttermilk: You can substitute with milk and a bit of lemon juice if needed.
- Butter: These are Irish mashed potatoes, so might as well use Irish butter!
- Salt and Pepper: Can also add additional seasonings like garlic powder or onion salt.
How to make Colcannon Mashed Potatoes:
- Cook the potatoes: After the potatoes have been peeled and sliced, add them to a large pot and cover with at least an inch of cold water and some salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer, mostly covered, until fork tender.
- Cook the greens: Sauté the kale and cabbage in a bit of butter and then add the chopped green onions. You want to cook them until they are tender and slightly brown.
- Mash the potatoes: Mash the drained potatoes and mix in the butter and buttermilk.
- Combine: Stir the sautéed greens right into the mashed potatoes!
Cooking tips for best results:
- Soak the potatoes: If you have the time, soak the potatoes in cold water for up to 24 hours before you plan to cook them. Then rinse and cook in fresh water. Soaking potatoes helps remove extra starch and the final result is a more creamy and wonderful tasting potato.
- Buy pre-shredded veggies: Stores like Trader Joe's sells packs of pre-shredded kale and cabbage. This is a great time saving short cut!
- Use the Instant Pot instead: Skip the peeling and the chopping and cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot. When done, they'll be tender on the inside and the peel will come right off.
Other great St. Patrick's Day recipes:
Looking for other Irish inspired recipes to try? Here are some recommendations.
- Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Irish Soda Bread
- Irish Cheddar Shepherd's Pie
- Corned Beef Hash
- Guinness Chocolate Sauce
- Irish Stew
If you’ve made this or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out. I love hearing from my readers!
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Full Recipe Instructions
Colcannon Irish Mashed Potatoes
Colcannon is an easy stove top Irish mashed potato recipe that combines sautéed cabbage, kale, and green onions with seasoned buttermilk mashed potatoes. This makes an easy and delicious side dish for any dinner, but goes especially great with your favorite St. Patrick's Day recipes.
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Scale: servings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes (Peeled and sliced a quarter inch thick)
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
- 8 Tablespoons butter (divided, Kerrygold recommended)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups kale (chopped and packed, thick stems removed)
- 2 cups green cabbage (chopped (about a quarter of a medium sized head of green cabbage))
- 6 ounces green onions (8-10 green onions, sliced to include both green and white parts)
- salt and pepper (added at the end, to taste)
Instructions
- Add peeled and sliced potatoes to a large pot. Cover with enough cold water so that the potatoes are fully covered by at least an inch of water. Add kosher salt. Cover with a lid allowing a small vent of steam to escape. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to avoid bubbling over. Cook until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork, about 10-15 minutes. Drain and keep warm.
- While the potatoes are cooking, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add kale and cabbage, stir to coat in butter, and allow to cook undisturbed, stirring only to prevent burning, about 5-10 minutes. Once they start to get a nice golden brown sear, add the green onions, stir, and allow to cook for another few minutes.
- Mash cooked potatoes with a masher or potato ricer. Add remaining butter as well as buttermilk and stir well to combine. Stir in cooked vegetables. Season with additional salt and pepper, as desired. Serve hot with an additional pat of butter on top.
Notes
- Soak the potatoes: If you have the time, soak the potatoes in cold water for up to 24 hours before you plan to cook them. Then rinse and cook in fresh water. Soaking potatoes helps remove extra starch and the final result is a more creamy and wonderful tasting potato.
- Buy pre-shredded veggies: Stores like Trader Joe's sells packs of pre-shredded kale and cabbage. This is a great time saving short cut!
- Use the Instant Pot instead: Skip the peeling and the chopping and cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot. When done, they'll be tender on the inside and the peel will come right off.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 1025mg | Potassium: 924mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2304IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 2mg
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Margaret Budge
Haven't tried recipe yet. Question: Soaking potatoes for 24 hours under water in fridge. After peeling and slicing, or, just clean and eye potatoes and soak whole.
Thank you.
Krissy
I always soak after peeling and slicing.
Angela
Colcannon is a great way to enjoy mashed potatoes. Comfort food at its best and perfect for the upcoming holiday!
Beth
Such an easy delicious side dish for any night of the week! Plus a great way to sneak some green veges into my son's diet.
Tracy
Now this is my kind of mashed potatoes! Love that kale in there! Talk about a great way to get those greens in!
Dannii
This is ultimate comfort food and the perfect side dish this time of the year.
Angela
This is amazing! Best way to make mashed potatoes ever! Love the combo of kale and cabbage... YUM!