Colcannon potatoes are a traditional Irish dish that’s so easy to make. Mashed potatoes are mixed with kale, bacon, butter, green onions, and cream for a delicious side dish. Serve it with corned beef, pork, or any savory main dish for a comforting dinner.
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What is Colcannon made of?
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this delicious, creamy Irish potato recipe. It’s the best side dish for so many main dishes, and especially great for your St. Patrick’s Day dinner.
- Potatoes: Russet potatoes are best for boiling and mashing. You could also use Yukon Gold or white potatoes.
- Kale: Kale has a great texture that holds up well when cooked and mashed into the potatoes.
- Butter: Butter adds lots of rich flavor.
- Heavy Cream: This makes the potatoes super creamy and smooth.
- Green Onions: This add a bit of color, texture, and a subtle onion flavor.
- Bacon Crumbles: Cook and crumble the bacon beforehand, as it’s added at the end as a mix-in.
Can I use cabbage in colcannon potatoes instead?
Absolutely! Cabbage is another traditional option for these Irish mashed potatoes, so feel free to substitute it for the kale. Just follow the same instructions with chopped cabbage.
Colcannon is a traditional Irish potato recipe. It combines creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale, along with bacon and lots of butter.
It takes about 20 minutes to boil russet potatoes until tender enough to mash.
Don’t let the potatoes boil too long, and don’t overwork them when mashing and mixing ingredients. Otherwise they might get gluey or sticky.
Using a potato masher is my preferred way to mash boiled potatoes, since it creates the best texture. This also allows you to mix in the other ingredients as you mash. If you prefer, you can use a mixer to mash/cream the potatoes, then fold in the ingredients.
How to Store Irish Mashed Potatoes
Colcannon potatoes store and reheat really well, so keep those leftovers. Keep them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. I like to mix in a bit more cream while reheating to refresh the texture.
I recommend cooking and crumbling the bacon ahead of time, and keeping it in the fridge until ready to use.
I don’t recommend freezing because potatoes tend to get grainy when frozen and reheated.
What to Serve with Colcannon Potatoes
These creamy mashed potatoes with kale and bacon make a great side dish for your favorite Irish recipes. Serve it with corned beef and cabbage or this corned beef casserole. It also pairs well with this honey mustard pork chops and turkey meatloaf.
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
Colcannon Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1/2 cup butter divided
- 6 cups lightly packed kale chopped
- 1 cup green onions chopped
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup crumbled bacon cooked
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 20 minutes or until fork tender.4 pounds russet potatoes
- Drain the pot and set potatoes aside. Return the pot to medium/high heat and add 1/2 cup butter. Add the kale and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3 minutes. Add green onion and cook for one more additional minute, stirring.1/2 cup butter, 6 cups lightly packed kale, 1 cup green onions
- Pour in the cream and stir to combine. Add the potatoes. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes and mix everything together.2 cups heavy cream
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Stir in the cooked bacon crumbles.1/2 cup crumbled bacon
- Serve drizzled with the remaining 1/4 cup melted butter.
- Enjoy!
Becky’s Tips
- Boil the potatoes in salted water so you add flavor to the dish right from the beginning.
- Don’t over work the potatoes, this can cause them to become gluey in texture.
- Season this dish to your taste.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
