Colcannon Potatoes: The Traditional Irish Recipe You Never Knew You Needed

Grab a Guinness and let’s explore a traditional Irish potato dish—colcannon potatoes.

What Are Colcannon Potatoes?

It’s a traditional dish made of mashed potatoes and cabbage. It’s flavored with salt, pepper and butter, with occasional additions of bacon, kale, milk, cream, onion, spinach and/or vinegar, to name a few. The dish is served warm as the main dish for breakfast, or as a side for ham or “cold salt meat,” as mentioned in the 1847 cookbook, Mrs. Crowen’s American Lady’s Cookery Book. We serve ours with a ham-and-egg casserole or as a side dish on St. Patrick’s Day.

The Odd History of the Dish:

In Ireland, colcannon potatoes were traditionally associated with Halloween celebrations and used for the purposes of “marriage divination.” The Oxford Companion to Food by Alan Davidson can help fully explain:

Charms hidden in bowls of colcannon were portents of a marriage proposal should unmarried girls be lucky enough to find them, whilst others filled their socks with spoonfuls of colcannon and hung them from the handle of the front door in the belief that the first man through the door would become their future husband.

Regardless of your relationship status, colcannon potatoes are a tasty treat for all. Thanks to Irish immigrants, colcannon potatoes were introduced to kitchens all over the U.S.—and I’m happy to make colcannon on any sleepy Sunday.

Serious about spuds? Find more potato recipes here.

Why Serve Colcannon Potatoes on St. Patrick’s Day?

It’s traditional Irish food, which is perfect for a cold day in March. I encourage you to try this delish dish because it has hearty ingredients that come together to make comfort food with a story. Plus, it’s made with butter, potatoes, salt, pepper, bacon—enough said! Sláinte!

Next, check out these Irish baking recipes.

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This rich dessert is not pudding in the American sense of the word. The moist, spiced cake is loaded with mincemeat and toasted walnuts, drizzled with warm buttery toffee sauce. We like our sticky toffee pudding steaming or at room temperature. —Denise Nyland, Panama City, Florida

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Jennifer Schwarzkopf