Made with creamy, buttery potatoes, tender cabbage, and crispy bacon, this recipe for Irish Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage, or Colcannon, will make you swoon!
4cupschopped green cabbagesee notes for using kale
¼cupsliced green onions
4tablespoonsunsalted buttermelted (plus 2 tablespoons if not adding bacon)
1 to 1-½cupswhole milkwarmed
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.
Notes
Colcannon Without Bacon: Instead of sauteeing the cabbage in the bacon drippings, use 2 tablespoons of butter and omit the bacon from the recipe. Cabbage: Use green cabbage, curly kale, or savoy cabbage. If using kale, be sure to remove the thick stem and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Storage: Leftover colcannon can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.