Fluffy mashed potatoes, sautéed cabbage, and melted butter come together in this Colcannon recipe. Simple ingredients that form a vegetable forward comfort food dish.
This post is in partnership and sponsored by The Little Potato Company as part of their Brand Ambassador Program. My Kitchen Love has been compensated monetarily and with product. We only support brands we love and cook with at home.
Colcannon is one of my favourite Irish recipes. Digging into a heap of fluffy mashed potatoes mixed with sautéed cabbage and served with a pat of melted butter on top is comfort food defined for me.
What is Colcannon made of? 5 simple ingredients that include potatoes, cabbage (or kale in some cases), and green onions.
Why is it called Colcannon? This traditional Irish potato recipe translates Colcannon down from Gaelic to white-headed cabbage and now has become a staple skillet potato and cabbage dish.
Given that both potatoes and cabbage keep so well when stored properly, I have no doubt that their union into Colcannon was a natural choice in the “what to cook tonight” decision process all humans have faced at some point in the kitchen.
There is (heavenly) butter used with a free hand in this recipe. There is butter added to the top of Colcannon and allowed to melt, then traditionally, each bite of Colcannon has a bit of melted butter in it. SO good.
I used The Little Potato Company’s Boomer Gold varietal in this Irish potato recipe for their ease of cooking (no washing or peeling required), their supreme taste, and their tender skins that go unnoticed when mashed (even from the kiddos!).
I’m not going to hide that I also love using these nutrient dense Little potatoes in lieu of a more conventional potato varietal for that little boost of nutrients.
What do you eat with Colcannon? Anything Irish that naturally fits, like the sausage links above (they are a leek pork-based sausage that fit in with this Colcannon like a dream). Here are a few more ideas:
- Ham, sliced
- Top with a fried egg
- Smoked Salmon
- Bacon rashers
- Lamb Stew
Colcannon Recipe Substitutions and Variations:
- Vegan: To make this a Vegan Colcannon recipe simply swap the dairy butter for a vegan based butter or olive oil and the milk for a non-dairy alternate milk product.
- Potatoes: I used Boomer Gold Little Potatoes for their natural yellow flesh colour, however Morning Pearl or Fingerlings from The Little Potato Company will work as well.
- Green Onions: also known as Scallions and Spring Onions so use whichever one you have. Leeks can also be used if preferred.
- Cabbage: white cabbage can be swapped for Lacinato Kale (Black Kale) or Curly Green Kale.
More Irish recipes to get inspired with this St. Patrick’s Day:
- Guinness Beef and Onion Pot Pie
- Apple and Honey Oat Scones
- Chocolate, Pear, and Whiskey Tart
- Chocolate Chip Mint Bundt Cake
Fluffy potatoes with sautéed cabbage form a delicious Colcannon recipe.
- 1.5 lbs Boomer Gold Little Potatoes or any yellow or white fleshed Little Potato
- 4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage this is about 1/2 medium cabbage
- 5 medium green onions, thinly sliced
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2-4 tbsp whole milk
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Place potatoes in a medium sauce pan and cover by 1" with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes until tender. Drain, add 3 tbsp butter and milk and return potatoes to pot and mashed until desired consistency is reached.
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Meanwhile, add 1 tbsp of butter to a skillet and add cabbage and white parts of the green onion and sauté until cabbage is just starting to soften.
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Mix cabbage and potato together. Top with remaining butter and green onion.
Enjoy! xo
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