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Home » Side Dishes » Colcannon Recipe

January 8, 2020 By Sara 12 Comments

Colcannon Recipe

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This colcannon recipe is a mix of mashed potatoes, sauteed cabbage and bacon, all combined to form a hearty and savory side dish. Colcannon pairs perfectly with chicken, beef and pork, and also happens to be super easy to make.

Mashed potatoes are the ultimate side dish, whether they’re cooked as a casserole, in a crock pot, or with cabbage in this traditional Irish dish.

Colcannon Recipe | Mashed Potatoes #potatoes #cabbage #bacon #sidedish #stpatricksday #dinner #dinneratthezoo Colcannon Recipe | Mashed Potatoes #potatoes #cabbage #bacon #sidedish #stpatricksday #dinner #dinneratthezoo

Colcannon in a pot with mashed potatoes, cabbage and bacon.

Have you ever tried colcannon? If not, you’re missing out. This recipe is delectable blend of cabbage, potatoes and bacon, all mashed together for a creamy and satisfying dish.

What is colcannon made of?

Colcannon is an Irish recipe made with just a few simple ingredients. This side dish always contains potatoes, butter, some type of greens and herbs. Russet potatoes are most commonly used, but Yukon Gold potatoes are also a good option. The greens typically consist of either shredded cabbage or kale. There are often other ingredients added into the mix such as leeks, green onions, parsley or bacon.

Quartered peeled potatoes in a bowl.

How do you make colcannon?

This recipe starts with potatoes, which are peeled, then boiled until tender. While the potatoes are boiling, it’s time to cook up the rest of the dish. Bacon goes into a pan and cooks until crispy and browned. The bacon is removed from the pan, and cabbage is sauteed in the remaining bacon fat. The potatoes are mashed with some butter and cream until smooth, then the bacon and cabbage mixture are stirred into the potatoes. Add some fresh herbs for garnish, then serve and enjoy.

Sauteed cabbage and bacon in a skillet.

Tips for the perfect side dish

  • Cut your potatoes into similar sized pieces. This helps to make sure that all the potatoes finish cooking at the same time.
  • You can use a potato masher, a hand mixer, or potato ricer to mash your potatoes. Don’t use a food processor, it will make the colcannon gummy.
  • This recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance. Reheat your colcannon on the stovetop or in the oven.
  • You can freeze this dish for up to 2 months in an airtight container.
  • Use a mandoline to finely shred the cabbage. You can also buy a bag of pre-shredded cabbage to save on time.

Mashed potatoes with bacon and cabbage on top.

Recipe variations

This recipe is fabulous as written, but you can switch up the ingredients to customize this dish to your tastes.

  • Meat: Instead of bacon, try using pancetta or even ham for a totally different flavor profile.
  • Greens: Skip the cabbage and substitute in sauteed kale, spinach or swiss chard.
  • Garlic Lover’s: Increase the amount of garlic to 1 tablespoon, or use 1/4 cup of whole roasted garlic cloves instead.
  • Dairy: Try this recipe with sour cream or cream cheese instead of heavy cream.

A bowl of colcannon potatoes topped with bacon, parsley and melted butter.

Whether you’re looking for an easy and unexpected side dish, or searching for a recipe to accompany your St. Patrick’s Day corned beef, this colcannon is sure to hit the spot!

More cabbage and potato recipes you’ll enjoy

  • Braised Cabbage
  • Baked Potato Wedges
  • Cabbage Soup
  • Fried Cabbage
  • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Colcannon Video

Colcannon in a pot with mashed potatoes, cabbage and bacon.
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5 from 10 votes

Colcannon

This colcannon recipe is a mix of mashed potatoes, sauteed cabbage and bacon, all combined to form a hearty and savory side dish. Colcannon pairs perfectly with chicken, beef and pork, and also happens to be super easy to make.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Irish
Keyword colcannon
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 402kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds Russet potatoes peeled and quartered
  • 6 slices bacon diced
  • 2 teaspoons garlic minced
  • 4 cups shredded cabbage
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/3 cup green onions thinly sliced
  • 1 cup heavy cream can also use milk
  • 1/4 cup butter cut into slices
  • additional butter, bacon and green onions or parsley for garnish optional

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the potatoes for 15-18 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes.
  • While the potatoes are cooking, place the bacon in a pan over medium heat. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until bacon is crispy.
  • Remove the bacon from the pan.
  • Add the cabbage and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until cabbage is wilted. Stir in the green onions and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Place the potatoes back in the pot. Add the heavy cream, butter and salt and pepper to taste. Mash until smooth.
  • Pour the cabbage mixture and bacon into the mashed potatoes. Stir to combine.
  • Serve immediately, topped with butter, bacon and herbs if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 43.11g | Protein: 8.69g | Fat: 21.28g | Saturated Fat: 16.98g | Cholesterol: 89.2mg | Sodium: 240.65mg | Potassium: 1034.38mg | Fiber: 3.09g | Sugar: 1.59g | Vitamin A: 874.85IU | Vitamin C: 14.52mg | Calcium: 63.35mg | Iron: 2.12mg

Filed Under: Side Dishes Tagged With: Bacon, Cabbage, Potatoes

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Comments

  1. Kathy says

    March 9, 2020 at 12:56 pm

    5 stars
    I had never heard of this dish before but found it on Pinterest and we loved it!

    Reply
  2. Daphne says

    March 7, 2020 at 12:11 pm

    This looks delicious! I have had a very good colcannon recipe for years but it doesn’t have bacon in it! So I will definitely give this a try. Can you tell me why there are 2 different measures for garlic? There is a 2 teaspoon and a 1teaspoon, but in the instructions there is only one time garlic is used. Unless I missed it🤷‍♀️

    Reply
  3. Beth says

    January 16, 2020 at 7:50 pm

    5 stars
    So many delicious flavors all in one dish! So good!

    Reply
  4. SHANIKA says

    January 15, 2020 at 7:38 pm

    5 stars
    I’m loving the sound of mashed potatoes and cabbage! This looks so creamy! And let’s not forget that bacon! YUM!

    Reply
  5. Vicky says

    January 15, 2020 at 6:40 pm

    5 stars
    I can already tell this is going to be a recipe on repeat for my family! Yum!!

    Reply
  6. Deanne says

    January 15, 2020 at 6:24 pm

    5 stars
    I can’t wait to make this – what’s not to love with bacon, cabbage and potatoes?? Yum!

    Reply
  7. Emily Liao says

    January 15, 2020 at 5:03 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve never made this type of dish before but it looks absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to give this a go.

    Reply
  8. TIsha says

    January 15, 2020 at 12:04 pm

    5 stars
    So many great flavors for a perfect side dish!!

    Reply
  9. Dorothy Reinhold says

    January 14, 2020 at 5:32 pm

    Where has this dish been hiding?! My family is going to love this one. Bring on the bacon.

    Reply
  10. Tara says

    January 14, 2020 at 4:28 pm

    5 stars
    The tips really do help and also thank you for a new cabbage recipe! I was wondering the other day what I could make, but really had no idea.

    Reply
  11. Demeter says

    January 14, 2020 at 1:06 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for all of your time saver tips. This looks like a great dish to celebrate the upcoming holiday.

    Reply
  12. Anita says

    January 8, 2020 at 8:37 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve never had this dish before, but this is like an upgrade to the more usual mashed potato. Really delicious. 🙂

    Reply

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With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
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