By Becky Hardin
Published Dec 13, 2020
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.
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!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 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.
More Mashed Potato Recipes We Love
- Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
- Pommes Aligot
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Fried Mashed Potato Balls
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!
Notes
- 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
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
