Complete your authentic Irish supper by making Irish Colcannon, full of mashed potatoes and tender buttery cabbage!
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Why we love this recipe
This Irish favorite is a creamy conglomeration of mashed potatoes, chopped cabbage and scallions, and here is the most wonderful part.
Both the potatoes and the chopped cabbage are cooked to soft, mashable deliciousness in milk, so they are both gently tender.
And because the potatoes are the thin skinned Yukon Gold variety, you don’t even need to peel them. (Although you can if you want to!)
The vast majority of the 45 minutes it takes to make this Irish side dish is the simmering, so it’s easy on top of easy.
What is colcannon made of?
Colcannon is basically the Irish version of mashed potatoes, with some green onions and cooked cabbage stirred in.
And butter (Kerrygold, if you can!), and milk, and nutmeg. My mama always makes more than enough, which works out well when I want shepherd’s pie a few days later.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Potatoes: We love Yukon Gold potatoes (sometimes known as butter potatoes) for this and every other mashed potato recipe…they have the perfect creamy texture. And because they have such thin skins you don’t have to peel them if you don’t want to – just scrub them up and cut them into even chunks.
- Cabbage: Regular green cabbage is what you want for this recipe. Lately my supermarket has been carrying mini cabbages, which end up being the perfect amount for this recipe.
- Milk: Whole milk or 2% will both work.
How to make this recipe
STEP 1: Scrub your potatoes and cut them into even chunks, about 1 to 2 inches.
STEP 2: Simmer your potatoes in milk until they are tender (a paring knife should slide in easily), about 15 minutes. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon, leaving the milk in the pot.
STEP 3: Bring the milk back to a simmer and add some chopped cabbage. Simmer it until the cabbage is tender, about 10 minutes.
STEP 4: While the cabbage is cooking, mash the potatoes with a potato masher or a ricer.
STEP 5: Scoop the cabbage out of the milk and add it to the mashed potatoes, along with some chopped scallions, some butter and a pinch of nutmeg. Mix it together well, give it a taste and add salt and pepper as needed. If you want to loosen it up a little, drizzle in some milk from the pot. You’ve made colcannon!
PRO TIP: Colcannon is usually served without baking but sometimes my mama will put it in a buttered casserole dish, dot it with little cubes of butter and bake it at 400 until the top is golden. (That’s my favorite.)
Recipe FAQs
You can, if you can’t find Yukons. You can also use Russet potatoes. We do recommend peeling both of these kinds of potatoes first, since the skins are thicker (and you can make potato chips with the peelings!)
I usually cut mine into chunks and pulse it a few times in the food processor. You can also use a hand shredder.
Yes! If you are making it within an hour of the rest of the meal, you can keep it warm in a 200 degree oven. If you are making it earlier than that, store it in a covered container in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature before you are going to serve it and reheat it on the stove with a little milk stirred in.
Pop your question in the comments section below and I will answer pronto!
Now please go start looking for corned beef, because all the best pieces of corned beef (the BIG ones!) go fast and you want to be ready.
Want to round out your meal?
Well OBVIOUSLY the very best partner for colcannon is good old Irish corned beef. With some carrots on the side.
And for dessert, the only thing that will do in our house is Irish Trifle!
Other Irish recipes we love
Could you leave us a review?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.
Irish Colcannon
Complete your authentic Irish supper by making Irish Colcannon, full of mashed potatoes and tender buttery cabbage!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Irish
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 6 Yukon Gold potatoes (no need to peel them!)
- 6 cups milk
- 6 scallions, chopped
- ½ head cabbage, chopped
- 4 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes and cut them into even pieces, about 1-2 inches. Place them in a pot and pour the milk over them and bring to a simmer. Simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Scoop the potatoes out of the milk, mash or rice them and set aside.
- Bring the potato milk to a simmer and add the cabbage, simmering until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Scoop out of the milk and add to the potatoes along with the chopped scallions, the butter and the nutmeg. Mix together well and add salt and pepper to taste. If the colcannon is too thick, drizzle in some of the milk to loosen it up.
Notes
-
- Potatoes: We love Yukon Gold potatoes (sometimes known as butter potatoes) for this and every other mashed potato recipe…they have the perfect creamy texture. And because they have such thin skins you don’t have to peel them if you don’t want to – just scrub them up and cut them into even chunks.
-
- Cabbage: Regular green cabbage is what you want for this recipe. Lately my supermarket has been carrying mini cabbages, which end up being the perfect amount for this recipe.
-
- Milk: Whole milk or 2% will both work.
Rickye says
Delicious. The Irish version of French mashed potatoes with carrots.
Susan says
Canโt wait to make this for St. Patrickโs Day this year! Love the simplicity of the recipe!
Mary Kate Morgan says
Sadly a smaller piece of corned beef this year–no party! But it will be on the menu with colcannon! Thank you Kate!!
Love you so much! Next year we will need the big piece! :)