Colcannon Mash

Flavorful and delicious, Irish mashed potatoes with cabbage are one easy side dish you absolutely MUST add to your repertoire! Don’t serve these only on St. Patrick’s Day, these are great all year round!

These creamy mashed potatoes are loaded with butter and milk, but they also have shredded cabbage in them! The word colcannon is from the Gaelic term “cal ceannann” which means white-headed cabbage.  It is also believed to be a form of the old Irish “cainnenin” translated as garlic, onion, or leek.

In Ireland, this easy side dish recipe is usually served alongside ham. It is often served on Halloween, too, and the evening is referred to “Colcannon Night”. If you happen to find a hidden ring inside your serving of colcannon, you just might be getting married in the next year!

What’s the difference between Colcannon and Champ?

These two side dishes get interchanged a lot, but there is a difference! Champ are mashed potatoes with green onions. Colcannon takes that and adds cabbage into the mix, too. Similar, but just different enough!

What kind of potatoes should I use for Colcannon?

Did you know there are different varieties of potatoes in different parts of the world? So depending on where you live, you might have different kinds of potatoes available in your market. Whichever kind of potatoes you have, you need to use a nice starchy potato for this recipe. I like using Yukon Gold here, as they have a great starch and moisture content to have flavorful, fluffy, and creamy mashed potatoes. 

How to make Colcannon potatoes

These potatoes are very simple and easy to make, and don’t take much more time than regular mashed potatoes. This is a brief overview of how to make this recipe, for the full set of directions, please scroll down to the recipe card below.

1. Wash, peel, and dice the potatoes into large chunks. 
2. Place the potato chunks into a large pot and fill it with water until the potatoes are covered, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. 
3. While the potatoes are simmering, slice the cabbage into thin strips and small pieces. Also slice the green onions (but keep them separate from each other).
4. When the potatoes are done, drain them into a large colander in the sink. 
5. Return the empty pan to the stovetop and place the butter into the pan over medium heat.
6. When the butter is melted, add the shredded cabbage and stir to toss in the melted butter. Cook until the cabbage is starting to become wilted, then add in the green onions.
7. Turn the heat off the stovetop but leave the pan on the burner.  Add the potatoes back to the pan and add an additional pinch of salt, and the milk.
8. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes and combine all the ingredients.

How to serve Colcannon 

Serve these great mashed potatoes alongside some sausages, and with a side of Wheaten Bread (that’s Irish Soda Bread with whole wheat flour).

How to make these kid friendly 

These Irish mashed potatoes are a great kid friendly side dish, and a fun way to add cabbage to your meals! 

If you have a reluctant eater, invite your kids to help you cook the meal with you. The more they are involved, the more likely they are to want to try it. You could also help them sculpt their potatoes into a little well and place a pad of butter in it. That way they have their own little pool of melted butter to dunk their potatoes into.

Dinner conversations with kids

How we talk to our kids at the dinner table is really important! Inviting them into the dinner conversation in a way that brings their curiosity and interest to the meals helps them want to actually eat it! Try these conversation starters 

• How do these potatoes look different than the mashed potatoes we have had before?
• How do they smell different?
• What tastes do you notice when you take a bite? Do they taste sweet, sour, or earthy? What other words can you use to describe these potatoes? 

Read more about how to explore the sense of taste with your kids.