Cabbage. Not one of my favorite foods. But what’s a girl to do when St. Patrick’s Day rolls around and your hungry crowd is expecting traditional dishes like Colcannon? Improvise! This Colcannon with Kale is a great spin on a classic, and is dressed up with extra green to win the day–and the meal!
So I have this really great brother named Jeff. Like many of us, he loves a good party, and none more than when that party has lots of family in attendance, and has enough food to feed a small nation. Given my affinity for the same darned things, you can understand why I think he’s pretty cool.
While all parties of any fashion are anticipated with bated breath, he really, really loves St. Patrick’s Day. Now let me say that our side of the family is German. We’re not just a little German with a bunch of other stuff tossed in there. We’re like 95% German. I think there is some English in there somewhere, but it is drowned out by the beer-drinking, loud-personalities of the German ancestors.
My aunt, however, married into a very Irish family. As a result, that side of the family celebrates not only Oktoberfest each year (I mean, lederhosen, beer steins, bratwurst and all), but also throws themselves into their Irish heritage with style. And because we are family, after all, we’ve always been welcome at these rowdy gatherings of green beer, Irish song-singing (Danny Boy being the most sung), and again lots of eating.
One of the dishes ALWAYS served alongside the corned beef and beer is Colcannon. My brother always begs my one particular cousin to make it (yes, that’s you Karla!), and no St. Patrick’s Day gathering is complete without it. Now, for you non-Irish and non-Irish-family-having folk, this dish is generally pretty basic. Potatoes, cabbage, butter, and BAM–you’re doing a jig with your plate o’plenty. Colcannon for everyone!
However, being that I am NOT of actual Irish descent, I have to admit that this is the one manner in which you can put me off of mashed potatoes. No, seriously. My confession is this: I don’t like cabbage. <gasp> I know, I know, even as a German I’m walking a fine line with that statement.
But thankfully, people across the centuries (apparently the dish dates back to the mid-1700s) have at times used other items in place of green cabbage. In this case, kale. I figure it’s greener than green cabbage, so it seems more fitting to be found in an Irish dish, right?
And because I AM German, and we like our pork, I decided to get a nod in there to my heritage too by using bacon. Who’s going to say no to that, right?
I don’t know if my brother would approve of my version of Colcannon, as anything green makes him turn up his nose. But the bacon may get his blessing. An Irish blessing, at that!
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 8 people | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 30 minutes |
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In doing some looking at various recipes, there seem to be some basic rules for traditional Colcannon--potatoes, butter, and either cabbage or kale. Even though I decided to break the rules a bit and add bacon, I think most Irishmen I know would approve! Any time of year, this hearty dish would be considered good luck for anyone around the table!
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- 3 lb. red potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 lb. bacon, diced
- 4 cups kale, stems removed and chopped into small pieces
- 1 medium leek, diced and rinsed well
- 4 tbsp. salted butter
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- Peel the potatoes, and dice them into same-sized chunks (about 1-2" cubes). Slice the leeks and rinse them well as they will likely have a lot of sand in them.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot, and cover with water. Add two bay leaves. Bring to a boil, and then lower heat to an active simmer, cooking for approximately 20 minutes or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork. Drain well.
- While the potatoes cook, cook bacon until just crisp. Remove from skillet and drain any fat from the pan.
- In the same pan, saute the leeks until tender and beginning to brown, about 7 minutes.
- Add kale to skillet, and cook until kale is cooked through and begins to lightly crisp on the edges. Set the leek and kale mixture aside.
- Add milk, butter, salt & pepper to potatoes. Using a hand mixer, mash the ingredients until creamy.
- Add kale & leek mixture, as well as 3/4 of the bacon. Gently fold ingredients into potatoes until incorporated.
- Serve immediately topped with additional bacon.
What I love about these peasant dishes like Colcannon is that, because they were born of what was on hand, variation was the mother of necessity in terms of using what you had. And I would assume that the variation of kale vs. cabbage came about in this way. Of course, no one knows that for sure, but I think no matter which way you prepare it, you'll have happy people digging into this hearty and delicious dish.
For those purists out there, have no fear. I've included below the original recipe used by my family, and demanded by my brother each year.
Traditional Irish Colcannon:
- 4 lbs. white potatoes
- 1 tsp. salt, divided
- 3 cups finely sliced green cabbage
- 3 tbsp. minced onions
- 3 tbsp. butter, divided
- 1/8 tsp. white pepper
- 2 tbsp. milk
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Peel & quarter the potatoes. Place them in a saucepan, and cover with water by 1 inch. Cover and cook 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain and mash them.
- Meanwhile, cook cabbage in 1 inch of water until tender. Add 1/2 tsp. salt to the water.
- Saute onions in 1 1/2 tbsp. of the butter until soft.
- Combine onions with potatoes, drained cabbage, pepper & milk. Beat until smooth
- Pour potato & cabbage mixture into cooking spray-coated dish, and dot with remaining butter. Bake 15 minutes; serve immediately.
Happy St. Patrick's Day from me, and from Jeff!
I love your family! They are my kind of people. Kale is a fabulous substitute for cabbage. Plus it makes the dish look so pretty with those sparks of green.
I’m the exact opposite. I love cabbage but usually hate mashed potatoes! I could totally get down with this version though!
You HATE mashed potatoes? Lauren, we need to talk. LOL We all have our likes/dislikes, but I keep trying things just in case I actually find a way to try something new. :o)
Looks delicious Dee Dee! Love the bacon.
My father’s family is 80% German and 20% Irish. I grew up eating spaetzle with pork, potato pancakes and many other German dishes, but we celebrate St. Patrick’s day with wonderful dishes like colcannon, too. I love your variations. Bacon and kale sounds fantastic!
Love the Kale aspect. I usually love cabbage just the same because it is a zero vegetable. Like celery, it burns more calories than it has! How delicious and a full meal all in one bowl!
This is the second time I have come across colcannon this week, so it must be a sign that I need to get on this! I like the idea of kale and bacon, and I mean, potatoes are always a big win in our house 🙂
‘Tis the season for colcannon! I just had to switch it up this time around, hence the appearance of bacon. It was de-lish!
believe it or not, I am irish and have never made colcannon, but I love that you added kale and bacon, everything is better with bacon
Honestly, I had never made it either because the family always made it. Now that I don’t live nearby and don’t get to drop in on the festivities anymore, it was time to make my own version. And yeah, what’s not better with bacon???
This looks really good! I have to admit, the only food that I honestly don’t like is cabbage. But I do love kale! Looks like a great St. Patty’s side dish.
I know, I have tried and tried, but I just don’t like it. Too bitter, perhaps. I like other types of cabbage (Napa, red, bok choy) but not the regular old stuff. Thank goodness for subs like the kale here!