Name: Colcannon
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ pounds of peeled and cubed white potatoes (about 6 small potatoes); 2 slices of thick-cut bacon; ¼ small head of cabbage (shredded or chopped); 1 medium onion (chopped); ¼ cup milk (can be non-dairy); ¼ teaspoon white pepper; 2 tablespoons butter or margarine (melted)

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Colcannon. Bacon. Potatoes. Cabbage. What could an Irish lass like better (except dancing, of course)?

Colcannon, a bowl full of delicious-ness.

Colcannon, an Irish favorite

Have you ever tried Colcannon? I hadn’t until a few years ago. I’m reposting my tasty recipe just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. This recipe is based on an AllRecipes version called “Diane’s Colcannon.” When I saw the ingredients, I decided I would have to try it. Of course, I made the Colcannon my way—meaning I changed it a bit.

It looked delicious. And it was. Because. Bacon! Bacon makes everything better in my humble opinion. Really, I could be vegetarian if it wasn’t for bacon (and pork, in general). I heard a guy once say, “I’m a pork-i-tarian.” I can identify with that statement. All other meats, poultry and fish would be much easier to give up.

Colcannon, a traditional Irish food.

Traditional Irish Fare?

I asked my Irish friend if this dish was something people from Ireland make and she told me it was an American Irish dish. However, when I looked for the history of colcannon online, I found several websites saying colcannon is a traditional Irish food, including this description on Food Timeline:

Potatoes were introduced to to Europe by 16th century explorers. … Originally an Irish dish of boiled potatoes and cabbage or kale mashed together and flavoured with onion, shallots, or leeks and cream or butter…The word ‘colcannon‘ is from the Gaelic cal ceannann’ which literally means white-headed cabbage.

Either way, I found it quite tasty. I know you’re gonna wanna eat this colcannon. When you make it, please let us know how you like it by posting a comment.

What You Need

For this recipe, you will need a good skillet and a pot, a knife, cutting board, measuring cups and measuring spoons. You’ll also want a pretty dish in which to serve it, right? Whatever you buy, buy the best you can afford. You’ll never be sorry if you buy quality tools.

Colcannon Recipe

Colcannon

Print Recipe

Author: Lois Carter Crawford based on Diane's recipe on AllRecipes.com
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

1½ pounds of peeled and cubed white potatoes (about 6 small potatoes)
2 slices of thick-cut bacon
¼ small head of cabbage (shredded or chopped)
1 medium onion (chopped)
¼ cup milk (can be non-dairy)
¼ teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons butter or margarine (melted)

Instructions

Bacon

In a skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp, turning once as it cooks, about 10 minutes.
Remove the bacon and crumble it.
Set aside.

Cabbage & Onions

In the skillet you just used for the bacon, place the onion and cabbage in the bacon fat, and cook over medium heat until both are transparent and tender. Keep warm.

Potatoes

Boil the potatoes in a pot of water until tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes.
Add the white pepper and milk to the potatoes and mash them with an electric mixer until smooth.

Combine

Mix the mashed potatoes, cabbage mixture, and bacon and transfer to a serving bowl.
Make a little indentation in the top of the potatoes and pour in the melted butter.
Serve hot.

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Recipe Nutrition Information

This recipe is GF, NF, SF*

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Colcannon Nutrition Label. Each serving is about 3/4 cup.

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Colcannon! Irish food. So good you’ll dance a jig. #colcannon #irishfood #imirish #recipes #glutenfree #recipeideashop

*Allergen Key

Note: If you have serious allergies or sensitivities, to be considered free of these allergens, you need to use products specifically marked “gluten free,” etc. There can be cross-contamination in facilities.

This recipe was originally posted on Recipe Idea Shop March 2, 2017 and updated March 17, 2021.