Colcannon Recipe

Enjoying a huge bowl of colcannon potatoes topped with green onions and bacon

It's no wonder these ultra buttery, garlicky mashed potatoes with tender kale mixed in are an Irish favorite. It's a mouthwatering side fit for any occasion.

Course Side

Cuisine Irish

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 530kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

2 pounds (900g) potatoes
2 teaspoons (12g) salt, divided
4 slices bacon, cut into ¼ inch pieces
3-4 cups (200-275g) kale or cabbage, stems removed, then chopped
2 teaspoons (10g) minced garlic
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 cup (237ml) milk, warmed
6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon (3g) black pepper
More butter, bacon, and green onions or parsley for optional garnish

Instructions

Peel, wash, and cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Put the chopped potatoes in a large pot of cold water. Add about a teaspoon of salt to season.
Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, 15-18 minutes. Drain in a colander.
While the potatoes are cooking, place the bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Cook it for 6-8 minutes or until bacon is golden and crispy. Remove it from the pan and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Add the kale (or cabbage) and garlic. Sauté for 4-5 minutes or until kale wilts. Stir in the green onions, season with half the remaining salt and pepper, and continue sautéing for another minute. Remove from heat.
Return the drained potatoes to the pot and mash them with a potato masher. Add the milk, butter, garlic, and kale.
Mix the ingredients well with a spoon until smooth. Avoid overworking the potatoes to keep the texture creamy rather than gluey. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately topped with butter, bacon, and green onions if desired.

Notes

You can use a potato masher, hand mixer, or potato ricer to mash your potatoes. But please don't use a food processor because it will make the colcannon potatoes gummy.
I highly recommend peeling the potatoes for this recipe. It makes for a creamier dish, but there's still plenty of texture with the greens.
Even if you don't crumble bacon on top of the colcannon, cooking the kale and garlic in some bacon grease adds serious flavor to this dish.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition