Colcannon is a traditional Irish mashed potato recipe with kale and scallions. It’s irresistibly delicious and perfect for St. Patrick’s Day too.
Colcannon is a traditional Irish mashed potato recipe, perfect for St. Patrick’s Day.
Try it once and you’ll be hooked!
With only five ingredients this dish is easy to whip up and a great authentic Irish dish.
It’s a familiar cousin to the iconic American comfort food, mashed potatoes.
What is Colcannon?
Colcannon is a traditional Irish recipe of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage, scallions and butter.
Some recipes include milk or cream; some do not (this does not).
It also can contain other ingredients in the onion family such as leeks or chives.
Like many traditional recipes, there are family or regional variations, such as including boiled ham or bacon.
It’s a hearty, affordable recipe that is particularly satisfying in the cold weather months.
Colcannon Fun Fact
Colcannon is traditionally served in Ireland on Halloween with charms hidden in it!
The charms are simple but with significant meanings foretelling future events!
How to Pronounce ‘Colcannon’?
Coal-can-in.
Ingredients in Colcannon
The ingredients are simple. This Colcannon recipe includes:
- Yukon Gold Potatoes
- Curly Kale leaves
- Scallions
- Unsalted butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
That’s it!
What Type of Potatoes to Use for Colcannon?
In a traditional Irish Colcannon recipe, ‘floury’ potatoes would be used.
The closest in the United States would be a russet potato.
Though Yukon Gold potatoes may not be an indigenous Irish potato variety, their creamy nature makes this traditional Colcannon recipe perfection.
Colcannon is perfect traditional dish for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.
What Does Colcannon Taste Like?
If you have not enjoyed it before you may imagine a strong taste of kale making it seem like more of a “green vegetable” dish.
It is not!
The curly kale is lightly blanched and processed with the scallions before incorporating into the buttery potatoes.
The heady aroma of the kale and onion when freshly diced coming out of the food processor is truly divine; light, fresh and singing of springtime.
This Colcannon recipe is truly irresistible.
Tip for Removing Kale Stems
There is a trick that makes removing kale leaves from the kale stem a breeze:
- Hold the end of the kale stalk (the stem) in one hand.
- With the other hand, place the thumb and forefinger at the base of the leaves on the stalk.
- Pull the stalk with the first hand (the hand holding the stem), holding the other thumb and forefinger firmly in place.
Leaves will peel off the stalk easily and are ready for chopping.
How to Make Colcannon – Step by Step:
Colcannon is very easy to make. There are four basic steps:
STEP 1: Boiling the potatoes
STEP 2: Blanching the kale (blanching = quickly adding the kale to boiling water then an ice bath to barely cook it)
STEP 3: Processing the kale and scallions in a food processor
STEP 4: Making the Colcannon
Specific recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
STEP 1: Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes by at least an inch (the potatoes should have plenty of room) and bring to a boil.
STEP 2: Add a large pinch of salt.
STEP 3: Place the potatoes into the boiling water until done (about 20 minutes). Drain and return to the pot.
STEP 4: While the potatoes are cooking….bring a second pot of water to a boil (for blanching the kale).
STEP 5: Set up a large mixing bowl of cold water and ice.
STEP 6: Place the kale into the boiling water for 2 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon and place in the ice water for 2 minutes.
STEP 7: Combine the blanched kale and scallions in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is finely diced.
STEP 8: Add the butter to the potatoes and allow it to melt.
STEP 9: Mash the potatoes and stir in the kale and scallions.
Recommended Tool: Potato Ricer
The Colcannon may be mashed with a traditional potato masher or a potato ricer,which is my preferred method.
If you have not used a potato ricer, it makes quick work of mashing potatoes and gives them a wonderful texture.
Potato Ricers come with a few disks with different sized holes which are fitted into the end of the cylinder.
How Does a Potato Ricer Work?
Add potatoes to the main cavity fitted with disk.
Pull the handles together which depresses a solid metal piece forcing the cooked potatoes through the perforated disk.
Adding Milk
Milk (or cream in some cases) is another variable ingredient in Colcannon.
The type of potatoes used may affect how moist the Colcannon recipe turns out.
If desired to make a lighter, creamier Colcannon, feel free to add a bit of warm milk in the last step.
More Irish and St. Patrick’s Day Recipes You’ll Love!
- Dublin Coddle
- Irish Potato Champ
- Cottage Pie
- Authentic Irish Coffee
- Irish Potato Soup
- Instant Pot Corned Beef Brisket cooked in Guinness
- Irish Chocolate Mousse with Baileys
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Authentic Irish Colcannon
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 pinch Kosher Salt
- 4 ounces Curly Kale leaves (about 6 ½ ounces with stem)
- ½ cup Scallions trimmed, white and lower green of stalk rough chopped
- 1 stick (8 TB) Unsalted butter cut into 4 pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish with scallion slices (about ¼ cup needed for whole recipe)
Instructions
Cooking the potatoes
- Fill a large pot of water with enough room to cover the potatoes by 1 inch (with plenty of room for the potatoes). Bring to a boil.
- Add a large pinch of salt to the boiling water.
- Place potatoes in boiling water until done (about 20 minutes; poke a fork in them to ensure they are no longer hard and are cooked through). Drain and return to cooking pot.
Preparing the Kale (blanching)
- While potatoes are boiling, bring a second pot of water to boil for blanching the kale and fill a large mixing bowl of ice and water.
- Place the kale leaves into the boiling water for two minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure they all become submerged.
- Remove from boiling water, and place immediately into ice water bath. Allow them to remain there for two minutes then place them in the bowl of a food processor.
- Add the rough chopped scallions to the bowl of the food processor. Pulse for 10-15 seconds until kale and onions form a finely diced mixture.
Making the Colcannon
- Add the stick of butter to the potatoes; mix together to allow butter to melt.
- Once the butter is melted, mash the potatoes with a masher. NOTE: if using a ricer, rice the potatoes first then add the butter.
- Add the diced kale and scallion; stir to fully combine.
- Serve hot garnished with scallion slices.
Nutrition
Originally published March 8, 2013
Catalina says
The perfect side dish for St. Patrick’s dinner! Sounds so easy to make too!
Beti says
This is SO GOOD! We all loved it.
Erin says
I love this Colcannon! It’s delicious.
Eden says
wow, best mashed potatoes ever! These were fantastic!! Super flavorful and easy to make.
katerina @ diethood.com says
These are incredible!! I absolutely love the addition of kale!! Fantastic!
Natalie says
What a great dish!! I love mashed potatoes in any way & the kale & scallions add great flavor!
Keira says
Could the kale be swapped for cabbage?
Toni Dash says
Yes! Just follow the recipe as directed and use cabbage instead of kale.
Larraine says
How can the nutrition information be correct?! No fat or cholesterol when there’s a whole stick of butter in the recipe?
Toni Dash says
Lol! Wouldn’t that be great if it WERE true?! Thanks Larraine for the head’s up. The nutritional calculator miscalculated and it has been updated.
Suzy says
Love the potatoes and kale together! So tasty! Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!
Lindsay Cotter says
These are so delicious! Love the healthy addition of kale!