Irish Colcannon Recipe, Healthy St. Patrick's Day Food! (2024)

By Robin Gagnon | Updated on

Articles may contain compensated links

Jump to Recipe

A colcannon recipe, for a healthy Saint Patrick's day. Colcannon is an Irish staple, heck they love it so much, there's even a traditional Gaelic song about it. Though I'm not Irish myself, I don't wait around until St. Patrick's day rolls around to enjoy this simple but satisfying dish.

Colcannon is really just mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage mixed in, but it's one of those concoctions where the sum is equal to more than the parts. I prefer the kale version, so that is what I am sharing with you today.

Irish Colcannon Recipe, Healthy St. Patrick's Day Food! (1)

Irish Colcannon Recipe, Healthy St. Patrick's Day Food! (2)Grasslands Road Celtic( 9in -22.8cm) Irish Soda Bread Handled Baking Dish with Soda Bread RecipeIrish Colcannon Recipe, Healthy St. Patrick's Day Food! (3)Irish Colcannon Recipe, Healthy St. Patrick's Day Food! (4)Celtic Classics Traditional Irish Basket Weave Shamrocks Dinner Plates, Set of 4Irish Colcannon Recipe, Healthy St. Patrick's Day Food! (5)Irish Colcannon Recipe, Healthy St. Patrick's Day Food! (6)Ulster Weavers Traditional Irish Recipes Linen Tea TowelIrish Colcannon Recipe, Healthy St. Patrick's Day Food! (7)

I actually made the batch pictured here about a month ago. It is a bit heavier on the kale than most people make it, but I like to mix white beans into the leftovers, when reheating, for a quick vegetarian meal, so the extra greens ensure there's plenty of nutrients. Colcannon is comfort food at it's best.

While this Irish mashed potato recipe is typically served with regional fare, it also goes great with kielbasa or salmon.

This kale colcannon recipe is easier than most. I don't fuss with extra pans and such. One is sufficient.

Irish Colcannon Recipe, Healthy St. Patrick's Day Food! (9)

Colcannon Recipe

4.86 from 14 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Irish

Prep Time: 8 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories:

Author: Robin Gagnon

Ingredients

  • 2-3 lbs potatoes peeled or thin skinned
  • 1 bunch fresh kale
  • ½ cup milk or cream
  • 2 tbs butter
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Chop the potatoes into small cubes and put in large pan. Add water to cover potatoes.

  • Place on med-high burner.

  • Cut the thick stems out of kale, and chop the leaves. Pile the kale on top of the potatoes and cover. It will steam up there, don't worry if some gets mixed in with the potatoes and boils.

  • Once the potatoes are soft, drain well and add remaining ingredients.

  • Mash and mix well.

  • Serve as you would typical mashed potatoes, or add some sauteed onion or bacon for extra flavor.

More St. Patrick's Day Foods to Enjoy!

Guinness Bread Recipe

Walnut Crusted Salmon with Guinness Reduction

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Frosting | St. Patrick's Day Dessert Recipe

Still Kickin Bailey’s Pound Cake

«

Campanelle Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. courtney says

    Never heard of this - but yum!! And such beautiful pictures!

    Reply

  2. Tricia Nightowlmama says

    not sure what colcannon is but I'm sure you had to of found it tasty to put together that delicious craeations

    Reply

  3. Kathleen Bunn says

    I have never tried them with Kale, but as an Irish girl, I generally love potatoes in any form.

    Reply

    • Allie M says

      I've never heard of it with kale, either, only with leeks or cabbage.

      Reply

  4. Theresa says

    Mmm yummy! I've got to make this sometime soon.

    Reply

  5. Emily @FamilyNLifeLV says

    Smart to mix Kale in!! I love that superfood!

    Reply

  6. Vanessa says

    great recipe. thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply

  7. Robin (Masshole Mommy) says

    I've never heard of colcannon before, but it sounds mighty tasty!

    Reply

  8. Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says

    I've never heard of this in my life, but I sure like what's inside of it!

    Reply

  9. Leilani says

    I've never heard of colcannon before. My husband has a close friend who is Irish and we've been trying a bunch of different Irish dishes lately.

    Reply

  10. Tammy says

    My mom used to make something like this when we were growing up - she used spinach instead of kale, and added bacon pieces to it. Wonderful comfort food 🙂

    Reply

  11. Jenn says

    Never heard of it. Sounds good though!

    Reply

  12. Andrea says

    I had never heard of this until now but it sounds good. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

    Reply

  13. Marcie W. says

    I've never heard of Colcannon but it sounds scrumptious!

    Reply

  14. Donna says

    I love kale and LOVE anything with potatoes, I'd love this!

    Reply

  15. Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies says

    I've only had colcannon with cabbage--I'm kind of obsessed with kale, though, so I love the idea of using that instead! I love your redesign too, BTW. 🙂

    Reply

  16. TerriAnn @ Cookies & Clogs says

    Okay, I was already planning to post a similar recipe that we make in the Netherlands. Just wanted to give you a heads up and let you know I'm not copying 😛 Plus, your pics are always prettier any way.

    Reply

  17. Jelma Louw says

    Randomly saw this on Pinterest. I grew up on this recipe, as I was born in The Netherlands. Except we called in Boerenkool. I love it especially with sausage mmmmm!

    Reply

  18. Stephanie says

    I made this recipe tonight and it turned out AMAZING! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Robin Gagnon says

      Once you start, you'll find yourself tossing greens into your mashed pretty regularly :).

      Reply

  19. Jennifer @TheRebelChick says

    I've never heard of this before but it looks delicious!

    Reply

  20. Caroline says

    I am from Ireland ...ie born there lived there for first 20 years of my life ..still have family there ...
    Colcannon is made with cabbage not kale ....

    Reply

  21. Stefani says

    I will never make plain mashed potatoes again. I may try it with cabbage next time.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Irish Colcannon Recipe, Healthy St. Patrick's Day Food! (2024)

FAQs

What is a good Irish meal for St. Patrick's day? ›

Patrick's Day party, including soda bread and a seriously tasty trifle to whip up for dessert.
  • Bacon and Cabbage. ...
  • Irish Soda Bread. ...
  • Irish Stew. ...
  • Irish Coffe. ...
  • Corned Beef and Cabbage. ...
  • Colcannon.

What is Irish colcannon made of? ›

The word colcannon is derived from the Gaelic term cal ceannann, which means "white-headed cabbage" — the vegetable most commonly mixed with potatoes in this dish. It's often served alongside Irish meats, and is made by combining potatoes and greens (usually cabbage, but kale and other leafy greens are sometimes used).

What is the difference between colcannon and champ? ›

Colcannon is made with cabbage or kale while champ is made by flavoring milk with green onions, then mixing them into mashed potatoes. To finish the dish off, it's mixed with melted butter.

Why is colcannon important in Ireland? ›

Colcannon is a hearty dish that has been eaten on Halloween night for years. Traditionally, a ring was hidden in the dish, and whoever was to find it would be likely to marry in the upcoming year! Colcannon was even paired with a little poem: Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream?

What is the most eaten food on St. Patrick's Day? ›

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Though families across the globe prepare this dish every St. Patrick's Day, the truth is that the dish originated in Ireland as bacon and cabbage. It wasn't until Irish immigrants in America substituted bacon for corned beef in the 19th century that the dish became what it's known as today.

What is a good Saint Patrick's Day menu? ›

That might mean corned beef and cabbage, the standout dish stateside, or a lamb or beef stew—the entrées those in the Emerald Isle are most likely to eat on March 17. Perhaps you'd prefer bangers and mash or a Guinness pie packed with beef? Create your St.

What does colcannon mean in English? ›

Colcannon (Irish: cál ceannann, meaning "white-headed cabbage") is a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes with cabbage.

What did the Irish eat instead of potatoes? ›

Just like today, porridge was the perfect meal for those cold, rainy days. Fruits and Vegetables: While the potato wasn't around just yet, there were plenty of other root vegetables to choose from. The Irish diet included onions, garlic, radish, cabbage, and carrots.

What kind of potatoes did the Irish eat? ›

The varieties of potatoes eaten ranged over the centuries from the Irish Apple, Cup, Lumper, Rock, Champion, Kerr's Pink, to the Rooster which today holds the dominant market position. Potatoes were eaten at all levels of society, but in different guises.

Is bubble and squeak same as colcannon? ›

Simply put, Champ and Colcannon are essentially boiled potatoes with the addition of Cabbage, in the case of Colcannon, and Onions in the case of Champ. Bubble and squeak is left over potatoes, cabbage and any veg you have left over. Fried in butter or lard. don't use vegi oil if you want a proper bubble and squeak.

Who invented colcannon? ›

The name comes from the Gaelic phrase “cal ceannan,” which means “white-headed cabbage”. One of the earliest written references to colcannon comes from the diary of William Bulkeley, who wrote on October 31, 1735 while on a visit to Dublin: “Dined at Coz. Wm.

What do the Irish call spring onions? ›

In Ireland, scallions are chopped and added to mashed potatoes, known as champ or as an added ingredient to Colcannon.

Why did the Irish only eat potatoes? ›

Why were potatoes so important to Ireland? The potato plant was hardy, nutritious, calorie-dense, and easy to grow in Irish soil. By the time of the famine, nearly half of Ireland's population relied almost exclusively on potatoes for their diet, and the other half ate potatoes frequently.

Why do the Irish eat corned beef and cabbage? ›

The Irish immigrants also realized that cabbage was a more readily available vegetable in America than in Ireland, where it was traditionally a fall and winter vegetable. So they combined the corned beef with cabbage to create a hearty, filling meal that was reminiscent of their homeland.

Why is Irish food so good? ›

And even if one were to factor in a well-deserved reputation for rather bland cooking even twenty years ago in Ireland, the answer to the question is that Irish food now can be among the best in Europe simply because of the exceptional quality of its ingredients—including seafood ranging from wonderful crabs and ...

Is there a special meal for St. Patrick's Day? ›

Corned beef and cabbage, green beer, and Guinness-infused desserts might be best described as Irish-American dishes, but there's no denying that they're a major part of many St. Patrick's Day celebrations around the world. We've rounded up the best St.

What is a famous Irish dish? ›

Irish stew: This is the dish Irish people are most likely to roll out for St. Patrick's Day celebrations. Hearty chunks of lamb are slow-cooked in a rich gravy with onion, potatoes, carrot and parsley. Coddle is a traditional Dublin stew with sausages, onion, potato and bacon – or rashers as they're known locally.

What is a leprechaun's favorite food? ›

Maybe you would wish for food, like maybe some ice cream. Do you think leprechauns like ice cream? Well, turns out Leprechauns eat different types of wild- flowers, nuts, potatoes, and mushrooms. They also enjoy fancy homemade beverages and on given occasions, they take dandelion tea.

What does the Irish phrase Erin go bra mean? ›

Patrick's Day, people turn to their dictionary to look up Erin go bragh, which means “Ireland forever.” The original Irish phrase was Erin go brách (or go bráth), which translates literally as “Ireland till doomsday.” It's an expression of loyalty and devotion that first appeared in English during the late 18th-century ...

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Trent Wehner

Last Updated:

Views: 6408

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (76 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Trent Wehner

Birthday: 1993-03-14

Address: 872 Kevin Squares, New Codyville, AK 01785-0416

Phone: +18698800304764

Job: Senior Farming Developer

Hobby: Paintball, Calligraphy, Hunting, Flying disc, Lapidary, Rafting, Inline skating

Introduction: My name is Trent Wehner, I am a talented, brainy, zealous, light, funny, gleaming, attractive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.