Colcannon is a traditional Irish recipe of mashed potatoes with kale, butter and milk. It is a great dish to serve on St. Patrick's Day! It is a great dish to serve on St. Patrick's Day! My favorite main dish to serve with colcannon is Irish Stew.
There are a variety of recipes for Irish Colcannon, some use cabbage or parsnips, but the most traditional uses kale. Kale is an amazing super food that adds great flavour to this mashed potato dish. Any kind of stew is great to serve with colcannon, as well as Slow Cooker Braised Ham.
Celebrate St Patrick's Day with some traditional Irish recipes and a pint of Guinness beer. For dessert try my decorative Shamrock Cookies or St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes that are frosted with a Baileys Irish Cream frosting.
Tips for making the perfect colcannon recipe
- Cook potatoes in boiling salted water only until tender. How do you know when potatoes are perfectly done? Poke potato with a fork and if the fork slides easily all the way to the centre the potatoes are done. Be sure to drain the water completely from the potatoes.
- What are the best potatoes to use for colcannon? I like to use russet potatoes or Yukon Gold.
- When cooking kale heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, then add the chopped kale. Stir immediately to avoid burning and only cook until softened and turns a vibrant green.
- For perfect mashed potatoes use a potato masher or potato ricer and mash until fluffy. Under mixing causes lumpy potatoes, but over mixing will cause gluey potatoes.
- Do not boil the milk, it simply needs to be heated until the butter melts.
- Be sure to taste the potatoes before seasoning with more salt.
- Serve with a generous dollop of butter on top for more creamy flavor to this tasty mashed potato recipe!
Variations to traditional Irish Colcannon recipe
Add some sautéd onions, scallions, leeks, or green onions to the recipe.
Substitute the kale with cabbage.
Add in some bacon!
Substitute cream for the milk for exceptionally creamy mashed potatoes.
What would I serve with Colcannon?
This post was originally published March 15, 2014. Occasionally I update with fresh tips, content and photos. Current update February 23, 2020.
Irish Colcannon
Ingredients
- 5 cups potatoes I like Yukon Gold
- 3 cups kale finely chopped, tough rib center removed
- ½ cup milk
- 4 tablespoons butter
- salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Peel potatoes, cut in to quarters.
- Cook in large pot of salted water until tender.
- While potatoes are cooking, melt 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan.
- Add the kale and cook over medium heat until softened and turns a vibrant green.
- Remove from heat, set aside.
- In a small saucepan, add the milk and 4 tablespoons of butter. Heat until the butter is melted.
- With a potato masher or potato ricer, mash the potatoes until fluffy.
- Add the milk and butter, combine well.
- Stir in the kale, season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a serving dish and top with dollop of butter.
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