Colcannon (Traditional Irish Potatoes)

Creamy, buttery, and full of flavor, these Colcannon potatoes will become your new go-to side dish recipe for any meal! They are simple and easy to make and packed with all kinds of delicious ingredients!

Potatoes make the best side dish because they go with everything! Try out these Hasselback potatoes, these roasted potatoes, or these classic mashed potatoes!

What is Colcannon?

Colcannon is an Irish mashed potato recipe that usually included kale or cabbage. This recipe mixes two types of potatoes, and you season them with garlic, pepper, green onions, and salt. Colcannon uses half and half to make these potatoes extra creamy! It’s a classic St. Patrick’s Day dish that is often served with corned beef and cabbage.

St. Patrick’s Day is so much fun and my kids looooove it when I make things that are green for the holiday! So I jump in with both feet for the festivities and make sure that my entire meal is cooked with the Irish in mind! You can bet that our holiday is going to be filled with anything green! Whether that means cooking delicious Irish foods or just adding some food coloring or mint to my dessert, it’s all festive and fun. My pot at the end of the rainbow would be filled with food, not gold!

What Ingredients are in Colcannon?

Luckily, this list of ingredients is short and sweet. In fact, these ingredients are probably something that you already have in your kitchen! The recipe card for colcannon is at the bottom of the post has all of the exact measurements listed for you!

• Russet Potatoes: Peel these potatoes and cut them up into similar sized chunks.
• Red Potatoes: Leave the skins on these potatoes, the red skin will add texture to the recipe! Then, cut them up into the same size as your other potatoes so that they cook evenly.
• Butter: I use unsalted butter for these potatoes.
• Garlic: You can use fresh cloves or minced. 1 garlic clove equals about 1/2 tsp of minced garlic.
• Greens: Use cabbage or kale for colcannon.
• Green Onions: I love these because they add flavor AND another dash of green for the holiday!
• Half and Half: You can also use heavy cream instead.
• Kosher Salt and Cracked Black Pepper: These will season and enhance the flavors in the colcannon.

How Do you Make Colcannon?

These colcannon potatoes are super easy and you can whip them up in less than 30 minutes. This only yields about four servings, so I would double it if you feed a larger crowd. After all, everyone loves potatoes!

1. Boil Potatoes: In a large pot, add the potato chunks. Add enough cold water to completely cover the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil, and cook the potatoes for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are fork tender. Drain in a colander and set aside.
2. Melt Butter: To the same pot, add the butter and melt over medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. 
3. Cook Greens: Add the kale or cabbage, and continually stir and cook for 4 minutes to help soften the greens. Add the chopped green onion and cook an additional 2 minutes.
4. Mash the Potatoes: Return the boiled potatoes to the pot on top of the cooked greens. Pour in the half and half, and mash the potatoes.
5. Season: Continue to mash and incorporate all the ingredients together. If the potatoes seem dry, add more half and half until you reach your desired creamy texture. Season with salt and pepper, add more to taste if needed.
6. Serve: Serve with additional butter if you desire!