Colcannon is the ultimate Irish comfort food. Made with creamy, buttery potatoes, tender cabbage, and crispy bacon, this recipe for Irish Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage will make you swoon!

Colcannon in serving dish topped with a pat of butter and bacon.

What is Colcannon?

Colcannon is a traditional recipe for Irish Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage. Simply stated it is creamy, buttery, mashed potatoes folded together with either sauteed cabbage or kale.

Just like every Irish family has their version of Corned Beef and Cabbage and Irish Stew, every family puts their spin on Colcannon. But my recipe for Irish Mashed Potatoes comes from my Irish grandfather, and in my opinion, it is the best.

What Makes this Colcannon Recipe the Best

Easy Potato Recipe. While Irish Mashed Potatoes have the additional step of sauteeing bacon and cabbage, it still is a simple dish made with humble ingredients that come together relatively quickly.
Amazing Texture. Filled with crispy bacon, tender cabbage, and creamy mashed potatoes, Colcannon has quite a bit more texture than classic mashed potatoes.
Bacon. If you are not a vegetarian, I strongly recommend adding bacon to this recipe for Irish Mashed Potatoes, just like my grandpa did. Not only does the bacon add chew and flavor to the mashed potatoes themselves, but using the bacon grease to saute the cabbage or kale adds tremendous flavor.
Unbeatable Flavor. Made with butter, cream, and bacon, this recipe for Irish Mashed Potatoes is creamy, salty, buttery, and rich. It is the ultimate comfort food recipe!

Notes on Ingredients

Ingredients for Colcannon labeled on counter.

Potatoes: You want to use a starchy potato, such as russet or gold potatoes. For the creamiest, richest mashed potatoes, I highly recommend using Yukon gold potatoes if you have them on hand.
Cabbage: Use green cabbage, savoy cabbage, or curly kale for this recipe.
Green Onions: Sliced green onions add a nice, fresh mild onion flavor to the mashed potatoes. Some recipes for Colcannon call for leeks in place of green onions, but I much prefer the flavor of the green onions in this recipe.
Bacon: The bacon is optional, but add a rich, savoriness that makes this Colcannon recipe irresistible.
Milk: I recommend using whole milk, not reduced-fat milk for rich, creamy mashed potatoes. You can certainly use half in half in place of milk for ultra-luxurious mashed potatoes.
Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter to control the level of salt yourself. If you can find it, this is a great time to use Irish butter.

Recipe Modifications

Using Salted Butter? If you have salted butter, omit the addition of salt to the mashed potatoes, but still be sure to salt the cooking liquid for the potatoes.
Irish Mashed Potatoes Without Bacon. Instead of sauteing the cabbage in the bacon drippings, use 2 tablespoons of butter and omit the bacon from the recipe.
Colcannon with Kale. If using kale instead of green cabbage to make these Irish mashed potatoes, be sure to remove the bitter, tough stem before chopping it into bite-sized pieces.

How to Make Colcannon

There are several steps to making Colcannon, as the potatoes and cabbage need to be cooked individually before being combined. That said, you can start everything at the same time and have this classic Irish side dish on the table in just over 30 minutes. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card.

Step One: Boil Potatoes. Whenever you make any variety of mashed potatoes, it is best to cut your potatoes evenly and start with cold water. This will ensure your potatoes cook evenly.

Cubed potatoes in dutch oven covered with water.

Step Two: Pan-Fry Bacon. While the potatoes are cooking, use this time to saute your bacon. If you are NOT adding bacon to the Colcannon skip this step, and instead begin to saute the cabbage.

Bacon in skillet after browning with cabbage on the side.

Step Three: Saute Cabbage. If you do not have bacon drippings to use, you will want to melt 2 tablespoons of butter into a large saute pan. Otherwise, use the rendered fat from the bacon as the fat to saute the cabbage and green onions, giving it an incredible flavor.

Side by side photo of cast iron skillet with cabbage before and after sauteeing it.

Step Four: Mash Potatoes. After sauteing the greens, the potatoes should be fork-tender. Drain off the cooking liquid and return the potatoes to the hot pan. Cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes, or until all of the water has evaporated. This will let potato flavor shine through and you won't be left with watered-down mashed potatoes. Mash the potatoes until smooth, using a handheld masher, not a mixer, which can lead to gummy mashed potatoes.

Side by side photo showing potatoes after cooking and after mashing.

Step Five: Combine the Potatoes and Cabbage. Once the potatoes are mashed, it is time to add all the glorious additions of butter, cream, cabbage, green onions, and bacon, which turn these mashed potatoes into Colcannon.

Mashed Potatoes mixed with cabbage and bacon inside dutch oven skillet.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Colcannon alongside any entree that you enjoy serving with mashed potatoes, such as Balsamic Pork Tenderloin, Lemon Baked Cod, or London Broil.

Shortcut Colcannon Recipe

If you happen to have leftover mashed potatoes, be it classic stovetop mashed potatoes, Instant Pot mashed potatoes, Crockpot mashed potatoes, or even red-skinned mashed potatoes, you can quickly transform them into Irish Mashed Potatoes to put a new spin on

Saute the bacon and cabbage or kale as directed.
Warm the leftover mashed potatoes with a bit of cream and butter.
Fold the potatoes into the cabbage and bacon and serve.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Allow leftover Colcannon to cool slightly and store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Reheat in a heat-safe bowl in the microwave for one-minute intervals until heated through. You may need to add a splash of milk or butter to help thin the potatoes out, as they tend to thicken once stored.
Creative Leftover Idea: Another fantastic option for leftover Irish Mashed Potatoes is to use them to make Pierogi Lasagna. Out of this world good!

More Favorite Potato Recipes

If you tried this recipe for Irish Mashed Potatoes, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

Colcannon

Made with creamy, buttery potatoes, tender cabbage, and crispy bacon, this recipe for Irish Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage, or Colcannon, will make you swoon!

5 from 10 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Irish

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 40

Servings:

Calories: 286kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

▢ 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes or Russet Potatoes
▢ 1 tablespoon kosher salt plus more to taste
▢ 4 strips thick cut bacon optional
▢ 4 cups chopped green cabbage see notes for using kale
▢ ¼ cup sliced green onions
▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (plus 2 tablespoons if not adding bacon)
▢ 1 to 1-½ cups whole milk warmed

Instructions

Scrub and peel potatoes. Chop the potatoes into even ½-inch cubes. Place the potatoes into a large heavy-bottomed pot and add cold water so that the potatoes are covered by 1 inch of water. Bring the potatoes to a rapid boil over high heat. Once boiling rapidly, turn the heat to medium-high and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Meanwhile, in a separate frying pan or cast-iron skillet, brown the bacon over medium-high heat until browned and crispy. Remove the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, reserving the bacon drippings in the pan. If needed, add in additional butter if needed to equal about 2 tablespoons of fat.
Add the cabbage to the bacon drippings and cook, over medium heat, stirring often, until the cabbage mixture is softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the green onions and saute for 1 minute longer just to soften. Remove the cabbage mixture from the heat.
Once the potatoes are fork-tender, drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pan cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes to allow any excess moisture to evaporate. Remove the potatoes from the heat and mash with a potato masher until super smooth and creamy.
Melt the butter and heat the milk/cream until warm to the touch. Add the melted butter, 1 cup of the warmed milk, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, to the mashed potatoes and continue to mash until creamy and smooth. Add more milk as needed, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, to reach the desired consistency.
Fold in the wilted cabbage, green onions, and cooked bacon. Taste and add in additional salt to taste. Serve immediately.