This hearty Colcannon recipe for Irish Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage combines rich, buttery mashed potatoes and cabbage sautéed with onion for a side dish that’s satisfying, nutritious, and delicious.
Halloween isn’t my favorite holiday. I kind-of see it as a non-holiday holiday that must be endured before the real holiday season can be ushered in (and for this I apologize to my darling Halloween-loving readers!).
But I will admit there are some fun things about it. Costumes, for example. And jack-o-lanterns. Scary movie marathons. And if you’re still young enough to do so, trick-or-treating is always a blast (who would refuse free candy, right?). These are the traditions that I grew up associating with Halloween.
I think it’s interesting to see how people in other parts of the world celebrate the same holiday, which is why I was intrigued when I recently found a recipe for Colcannon, a traditional Irish Halloween dish, in a cookbook called Irish Pub Cooking. This recipe is loosely based on the recipe from that cookbook.
And even though this side dish is traditional for Halloween, it’s delicious enough to enjoy anytime! Pair it with roast chicken, pot roast, grilled meat, or a rich, hearty stew.
In This Article
The Tradition Behind Colcannon
Years ago in Ireland (or perhaps it’s still done to this day?), it was traditional to serve Colcannon for Halloween and hide coins or small charms in it.
If it was coins that were found, the finder would have good fortune in the upcoming year. If charms were used, the particular charm would determine the finder’s future. For example, a button meant the finder would stay a bachelor for the year, and a thimble meant the finder would stay a spinster.
I’ve also heard tales of Colcannon pertaining to marriage. Legend has it that an unmarried woman would put Colcannon into a stocking and hang the stocking on the door. Apparently the next unwitting chap to come through the door was her future husband! You can read more about Irish Halloween traditions and recipes on IrishCentral.
I made this lovely dish for dinner with my parents’ a couple weekends ago, and served it with a fantastic Basic Beef Stew Using Pantry Staples. In keeping with tradition, I was tempted to put (thoroughly scrubbed) pennies in it! However, I feared my mom would see even scrubbed pennies as unclean (and no, I definitely do not blame her for that, lol!).
Coins present or not, this is comfort food at its finest.
What is Colcannon?
Colcannon is a rustic mashed potatoes dish with cabbage or kale. It frequently has some kind of onion as well.
The original recipe I found called for scallion, but that just wasn’t enough onion for me! I added a regular cooking onion as well. However, the book said you could substitute leeks if you prefer, so I’m guessing just about any kind of onion will do.
Colcannon has a somewhat obscene amount of butter and half and half, as do so many recipes for mashed potatoes. But in my humble opinion, this tastes so much better than most mashed potato dishes out there, and at least it comes with the added nutrition of cabbage and onion.
And it’s no small amount of cabbage! If you think cabbage isn’t your thing, I highly recommend this recipe. Paired with butter and potatoes, you might find that you love cabbage!
Colcannon Recipe
Colcannon is delicious, and also loaded with vegetables! If you’re trying to eat more real foods, this side dish is a good choice.
And this recipe is easy to make for all skill levels!
Ingredients in Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes):
- Potato
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Half and half
- Green cabbage
- Onion
- Black pepper
- Scallion
How to Make Colcannon
First things first, peel the potatoes.
Chop the peeled potatoes into large cubes.
Put the potatoes into a pot and cover them with cold water by about 2 inches.
Bring them to a boil, cook until tender, drain well, and put them back into the pot they cooked in. Add the butter and salt, and give the potatoes a good mash.
Add the half and half a little at at time, mashing between additions. By adding it a little at a time, it ensures that the potatoes absorb all the liquid.
Just look at how rich and creamy these mashed potatoes are!
Now it’s time to make the cabbage component of this recipe. Start by thinly slicing green cabbage.
Peel and chop an onion. I love the savory flavor it adds here.
Thinly slice a few scallions. Don’t skimp out on the scallion! They bump up the freshness and add a subtle burst of savory flavor.
Sauté the cabbage and onion in butter with salt and black pepper until it’s tender, and then stir in half of the sliced scallion.
If you think cabbage isn’t your thing, taste it at this point! It will have a rich, buttery flavor with a hint of savoriness and should be tender enough to almost melt in your mouth, but with just a little touch of al dente texture. Careful, you’re about to become a cabbage lover.
Add the cabbage mixture to the mashed potatoes.
Give it a good stir to combine.
Transfer the Colcannon to a serving bowl. Top with a little more butter and a little more scallion, because why not?! Serve it up, and revel in the fact that you have unlocked the secret to the world’s best mashed potatoes.
What Type of Potatoes Should I Use For Mashing?
To make mashed potatoes, I like to use either Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes.
Russets yield a light and fluffy mash with a creamy white color. Yukon Golds result in a rich and dense mash with a buttery yellow color.
I used Yukon Gold potatoes to make this Colcannon recipe, but you can use whatever you prefer.
What is the Difference Between Champ and Colcannon?
Both Champ and Colcannon are mashed potato-based dishes. However, the main difference lies in the additional ingredients.
Champ is mashed potatoes with scallion.
Colcannon is mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale.
I’ve also found that Champ is mashed to a much smoother consistency than Colcannon, which is commonly somewhat of a rough mash.
What to Serve with Colcannon
If you’re wondering what to eat this Colcannon recipe with, know that it’s delicious with anything you’d eat mashed potatoes with! Here are a few ideas:
- Homemade Irish Sausage with Onion Stout Gravy
- Guinness Beef Stew
- Pan-Seared Ribeye with Garlic Butter
- Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Sausage Guinness Stew
More Delicious Recipes with Some Form of Potatoes:
- Garlic Roasted New Potato and Asparagus Salad
- Vegetable Beef Guinness Casserole Topped with Champ
- Creamy Dijon Potato Salad
- Chicken Pot Pie Topped with Garlic and Herb Potato Mash
- Maple Pecan Potato Chip Cookies
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below because I love hearing from you! You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media. To stay up-to-date FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Xoxo, Faith
Colcannon Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes peeled and cubed (about 4 medium-sized potatoes)
- 2 3/4 teaspoons salt divided
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 pounds green cabbage quartered, core removed, and thinly sliced (about 1 small head)
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 scallions white and green parts, thinly sliced, divided
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover by 2 inches with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat down and simmer until tender, about 7 to 10 minutes; drain. Put the drained potatoes back into the pot they cooked in, and mash them with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 5 tablespoons butter (leaving lumps if you like). Gradually mash in the half and half a little at a time so the potatoes absorb it all.
- Add 5 tablespoons butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage, onion, remaining 11/2 teaspoons salt and the black pepper. Cook until tender, about 10 to 14 minutes. Stir in half of the sliced scallion, and cook 30 seconds more.
- Stir the cabbage mixture into the mashed potatoes. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired.
- Serve hot, with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and remaining scallion on top.
Faith's Tips
- Recipe adapted from the recipe for Colcannon in Irish Pub Cooking published by Parragon Books Ltd.
- If desired, you can substitute Savoy or Napa cabbage for the green cabbage in this recipe. Just be sure to decrease the cooking time accordingly (or if you prefer, you can use kale instead).
- To make the mashed potatoes for this recipe, I like to use either Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes. Russets yield a light and fluffy mash with a creamy white color. Yukon Golds result in a rich and dense mash with a buttery yellow color. I used Yukon Gold potatoes to make this Colcannon recipe, but you can use whatever you prefer.
- If I have it on hand, I like to add 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram to this dish.
Nutrition
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on October 31, 2011. I updated it with more information on March 12, 2021.
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links to products I believe in, which means that even though it doesn’t cost you anything extra, I will receive a small amount of money from the sale of these items. Thank you for helping to support An Edible Mosaic!
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Colcannon is lovely – serve it up with a bit of boiled bacon for ultimate Irish comfort food!
I’ve never had a coin hid in mine though – there is a traditional heavy Irish cake called a barn brack in which a ring is hidden. The person to find the ring in their piece will be first the marry. This is something that we always had at Halloween and you can buy them in the shop or make your own.
Halloween is celebrated a lot in Ireland, it has roots in the ancient pagan festival of Samhain and we’ve basically never stopped celebrating it!
Sorry for the long comment, I just loved your recipe and thought I’d add my tuppence worth. :)
LOVE this – and I’ve basically made it before, and many variations of it, but never realized the history of the combination of these ingredients! I’m with you on the sauteed cabbage for sure, and I just adore leeks. (tried to grow them this year, but I’m never successful there!)
What an interesting dish. I’ve never heard of this before and enjoyed learning about the different types of items you could put in this and what the items signified. Thank you for sharing that, Faith. Colcannon sounds like a dish I’d surely enjoy.
I have made versions of this and always loved it. Yours is making me think, I should make it again.
Happy Halloween!
I’ve never had Colcannon before – but that doesn’t mean those photos didn’t left me drooling!
I’ve made Colcannon for St. Patrick’s Day but I never realized it was a traditional Irish Halloween dish! Yours look delicious!
Sounds delightful. Cabbage and mashed potatoes, ultimate comfort!
LL
I’m a potato junkie…hence, this will certainly be one more recipe to put on my to-do list ;o)
Faith, have a great week and looking forward to what you do for the next non-pleasurable holiday. LOL
Ciao,
Claudia
Faith, I like your addition of marjarom to the colcannon, and increased onions of any variety! leeks would be especially good.
I have nothing against Halloween … but as a Freakonomics devotee, I’m fascinated by the things we do and how they compare to the things we say we do. And the one data point that stands out is: if we love dressing up so much, why do we only do it once a year? Whatever happened to the non-Halloween costume party?
Cheers!
This looks unbelievable! To make it a little more Irish, could you serve it up with some cod…. I’m looking for a way to get some protein in there somewhere to go with this dish!
Samantha, Oooh, I think it would be wonderful with cod! I served it with a very easy beef stew, which was also quite tasty (recipe coming soon!). :)
There is wisdom in the folktale. I am looking at Halloween with a different perspective now. I am happy to have experienced a little of Irish Halloween by just reading your blog. I just feel a little weird about finding coins in a dish. I am guessing those are pretty big coins or any other stuff just to be on the safe side, you do not want to be doing Heimlich manuever to your guests after serving Colcannon on Trick or Treat Night. Right? Just a thought…Thanks for the post!!!
Oooh, nice..I love butter and cream :) I bet it tastes amazing!
I’m with you…halloween is something I put up with, but just can’t get excited about!
omg..I’m droooooooooling over this wonderfully flavored dish..;)
Tasty Appetite
wow…I always thought Halloween was just about dressing up and trick-or-treating! haha…..To be honest, I never used to like Halloween either, because I never had any friends who would go trick-or-treating with me so i would always be at home whilst other people were celebrating- and sometimes, kids who knock on doors aren’t that nice :S But I actually like Halloween now, with all the cute and creative foods that food bloggers come up with ;) Putting coins in foods reminds me of those movies where the guy tries to propose to a girl by putting the ring in food but the girl ends up eating it…lol But it sounds like a really fun thing to do! This looks very delicious- I love mashed potatoes, and this sounds even better than any mashed potatoes I’ve ever had!
You can’t go wrong with potatoes any time at all. And colcannon is a big ol’ bowl of comfort.
It certainly has a lot of butter but it sure looks tasty with the cabbage! I would not put in the coins either.
Happy Halloween and this looks so yum …love the clicks. .I have tagged you in 7 link game …check out my blog :)
I’m going to make this with kimchi. Why not? Both are with cabbage. :D
As a Christian, I’m not enamored with Halloween either…I do like the candy sales though! hee hee
This looks so interesting, I’ve never heard of anything quite like it. Cabbage in mashed potatoes, who would have thought. What exactly does it taste like? Cabbage? Potatoes? Spices? I am intrigued.
I love seeing non-candy related posts for Halloween :) Especially ones with legends and history. This looks and sounds delicious; I’ll be making this soon, thanks for sharing!
This sounds so hearty and delicious! Those legends are really interesting. It reminds me of the baby in the king cake. :) Another fabulous recipe Faith, thanks for sharing1
I love hearing about Halloween! We don’t celebrate it in Australia, so it’s fun to see what other people celebrate.
Irish myths and legends are so fascinating! Thanks for sharing! These potatoes look delicious…but you’re right. That IS a lot of butter and cream!
I haven’t heard of colcannon before but it does sound good! I don’t like Halloween either except for the candy of course and now maybe the colcannon!
Completely agree on Halloween-I find it infuriating- but this colcannon is exactly the kind of thing that would calm me down. Beautiful stuff- as always.
Yummy recipe. I always associate colcannon with St. Patrick’s day. It nice to know when the Irish like to enjoy it.
Mimi
Faith, thank you for showing us halloween in different parts of the world! I’ve made calcannon before but never knew it had anything to do with this holiday! I’m with you and also am not a fan of halloween… much more excited for the ones to come, but with a dish like this, I would find any excuse to celebrate!!
What a fun dish! Who knew the irish had halloween specific dishes!
Happy Halloween!
That is a wonderfully comforting recipe!
Cheers,
Ros
I adore pub food! It’s comfort food personified. This looks wonderful, Faith, and you stayed true to the dish, too.
Halloween is such fun; it may not be your favorite holiday, but I love how everyone gets so creative and their sense of humor shines through.
I just like to dress up. Happy Halloween! :)
Yummy Colcannon! I loved this dish and the folklore! Whether I find a coin in it or not, I would love to eat this up! HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN!