Colcannon

5 from 1 vote

Colcannon is an Irish tradition made of creamy mashed potatoes and colorful greens. This delicious dish is perfect for St. Patrick's day or a new Halloween tradition!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Irish

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 30

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 391kcal

Author Alexandria Drzazgowski

Equipment

Pot(s)
Frying Pan
Potato Masher
Strainer/Colander

Ingredients

2 ½ lb russet potatoes peeled and cubed
2 large garlic cloves peeled and sliced thinly
4 oz green kale leaves of kale removed from the stem and chopped
5 pieces uncooked bacon
6 tbsp unsalted butter cubed
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
4 stalks scallions chopped (both white and green parts)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil optional
½ tsp sea salt optional

Instructions

In a large pot, add the 2.5 lb cubed potatoes. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Salt the water, then place a lid on the pot. Turn the heat to high, bringing the water to a boil.
Boil the potatoes for 20-25 minutes until fork tender.
While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the kale and bacon.
[Optional but Recommended Step] To soften your kale, do the following: Place the 4 oz kale in a large colander and rinse it until it is clean. Drizzle the 1 tbsp of olive oil and the ½ tsp of sea salt onto the kale. Use your hands to massage and squeeze the kale for about 2-3 minutes until you can feel it soften.
Use a knife to mince the kale, chopping it into tiny pieces.
In a skillet, cook 5 oz bacon until it is crispy. Remove the bacon from the heat to a paper-towel lined plate. Keep the remaining grease in the pan.
Turn the heat to low. Once the bacon grease has cooled a bit, add 2 sliced garlic cloves into the pan and saute for about 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.
Then, add the minced kale into the bacon grease with the garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes until the kale has turned a bright green color and has cooked down a bit. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Chop the now-cooled bacon into small bacon bits.
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the excess water off of them. Return the potatoes to their warm pot, and add the 6 tbsp butter and ¼ cup heavy whipping cream in with the potatoes.
Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until smooth. Next, add the bacon, kale, and 4 stalks chopped scallions into the pot. Stir to combine. Then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe Copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only.

Potatoes: Russet potatoes have just the right amount of starch and water to produce a nice, fluffy mash, but you could also use yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes.
Kale: Remove the stems and take a little extra time to massage your kale before cooking it. If you want to make a more traditional version of this recipe you could use green cabbage instead of kale. You could also substitute Swiss chard, leeks or green onions.
Bacon: Bacon is not always included in colcannon, but some more modern recipes include it. I love it and encourage it!
Heavy Whipping Cream: Whipping cream is also optional but if you decide to skip it it’s a good idea to substitute butter or whole milk for the best flavor. The cream does make for a fluffier mash.
Some recipes do not include bacon or cream. You can omit these if you’d like.
If you cannot find kale, green cabbage or Swiss chard would work as a substitute.
This dish is great when served alongside sausage, lamb or beef.
Make sure to cool the bacon grease before adding the garlic. If not, the garlic will burn and crisp instead of becoming fragrant.