Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes) and 3 Ethnic Take-Offs

Colcannon is a lovely Irish traditional mix of boiled cabbage or kale along with a root vegetable, usually mashed potatoes, but sometimes turnip, or carrots. Leaks and/or onions, and garlic, are pretty popular additions. Chopped green onions, chives and/or parsley are often used as a stirred-in garnish. You will also find 3 other Colcannon-type recipes-- take-offs of cultural classics with potatoes and greens from Mexico, Zambian and Ukrainian are sure to delight you as well when you want to try something a little different. These are all delicious, healthy comfort foods!

I am vegan, so all of the recipes are vegan colcannon-- no dairy butter or milk involved.

The following are ingredients in the colcannon I made (Missing from the picture are water, garlic, pepper, oil, and fine sea salt):

Lovely Colcannon: potatoes, cabbage, leaks, green onions, and parsley

INGREDIENTS (2-4 servings)

3 T. (30 mg) Olive Oil (or water, or coconut oil)
1/2 Cabbage, shredded
2    Leeks, finely sliced (or shredded)
4 cloves minced Garlic
4 cups peeled, diced Potatoes (I used yellow flesh Yukon Gold)
1/2 cups Water (if using Instant Pot-- enough to cover vegetables if using regular pot on stovetop).
1 tsp. Fine Sea Salt
Black Paper
Finely chopped Green Onions and Parsley

Bake this hearty vegan spelt soda bread—

simple, rustic, and delicious! Perfect with soup

 or toasted the next day. No yeast, just wholesome goodness!

METHOD:

(Using Instant Pot)

• Using the saute setting, take about 5-10 minutes to stir the cabbage, leaks and garlic in olive oil until tender

1. Turn off the Saute setting
2. Add in potatoes and the water.  Put on the lid and set the pot for Steam and 10 minutes.
3. Release steam.  Remove the lid.  Add salt and mix.  Mash in the cannister with potato masher if you wish, or remove to a large bowl and mash.  You may add non-dairy milk (rice, soy, oat) and a couple of tablespoons of vegan butter if desired.  If the potatoes are perfectly steamed through, and they often are, you may wish just to mash without adding in non-dairy milk and/or vegan butter.
4. Stir in green onions and parsley.  Sprinkle pepper.
5. Serve piping hot.

(Using on-stove pot)

1. Put the potatoes in the pot and add water to cover the potatoes.  Bring the pot to a boil and let it cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
2. In another large pot, cover the cabbage with water and boil for about 15 minutes.  
3. Drain the cabbage and set it aside.
4. In a third pot, cook the leeks in about 1 cup of water (or 1 cup of soy (rice) non-dairy milk) for about 15 minutes.
5. When the potatoes are cooked, combine them with the leeks, salt and and non-dairy milk if desired.  Mash well.
6. Add in the cabbage and stir together.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve garnished with parsley and green onions.

You can eat these delicious "Irish mashed potatoes" on St. Paddy's Day or any day of the year!  Enjoy!  If you are having soup today (or tomorrow) you might want to bake up an easy-peasy loaf of vegan soda bread.  I use spelt flour in the recipe (because I like this ancient grain) but you can just use about half white and half whole wheat instead.

ADDITIONAL NOTE from Fall 2024: This year we had a winter crop of root veggies. Turnips and Rutabegas seem to do best over the winter here. And guess what? Turnip greens grown over the winter don't have the extensive insect damage that occurs during the regular growing season when the insects are also out in full force. Sooo, I chopped up some turnip greens and included them in the Colconnan, and they were delicious! However, for anyone who is on beta blockers or other medications that conflict with potassium in vegs. (like, apparently turnips have more potassium than potatoes?) may want to talk to their health provider before chowing down on the turnip greens. Rutabega is a cross between turnip and kale, so, yeah, potassium rich!

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Below are three ethnic variations of colcannon, each using traditional potatoes, greens, and seasonings from their respective cuisines:

Jump to a Recipe:

• Mexican-Style Colcannon (Puré de Papas con Quelites)
• Zambian-Style Colcannon (Ifisashi-Inspired Mashed Potatoes)
• Ukrainian-Style Colcannon (Kartoplia z Kapustoi)

Mexican-Style Colcannon (Puré de Papas con Quelites)

This version incorporates quelites (wild greens like purslane or spinach), papas criollas (yellow potatoes), and classic Mexican seasonings.

Ingredients

2 lbs (900 g) yellow potatoes (or Yukon Gold), peeled and cubed

2 cups (475 ml) quelites (purslane, spinach, or lamb’s quarters), chopped

3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil or vegan butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground cumin

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) smoked paprika

½ cup (120 ml) plant-based milk

Salt and black pepper to taste

Optional: ¼ cup (60 ml) vegan crema (or cashew cream) for richness

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until fork-tender (about 20 minutes). 

2. Drain and mash.

3. Sauté the garlic in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant. Add the greens and cook for 2 minutes until wilted.

4. Stir the sautéed greens into the mashed potatoes. 

5. Add cumin, smoked paprika, and plant-based milk.

6. Mix well, season with salt and pepper, and serve warm.

Zambian-Style Colcannon (Ifisashi-Inspired Mashed Potatoes

This version features sweet potatoes, mustard greens (or collards), and groundnut (peanut) sauce, inspired by ifisashi, a Zambian peanut-and-vegetable dish.

Ingredients

2 lbs (900 g) orange sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups (475 ml) mustard greens (or collard greens), chopped

½ cup (120 ml) unsweetened peanut butter

½ cup (120 ml) coconut milk

1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice

½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground coriander

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Boil the sweet potatoes in salted water until soft (about 15–20 minutes). 

2. Drain and mash.

3. Steam or boil the greens until tender, then drain well.

4. In a small saucepan, mix peanut butter, coconut milk, lemon juice, coriander, and cayenne. Heat gently, stirring until smooth.

5. Combine mashed sweet potatoes with the peanut sauce and greens. 6. Stir well, adjust seasoning, and serve.

Ukrainian-Style Colcannon (Kartoplia z Kapustoi

This variation uses starchy white potatoes, sautéed cabbage, and a hint of dill and garlic for flavor.

Ingredients

2 lbs (900 g) starchy potatoes (Russet or white potatoes), peeled and cubed

2 cups (475 ml) green cabbage, shredded

3 tbsp (45 ml) sunflower oil or vegan butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp (2.5 ml) caraway seeds (optional)

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) ground black pepper

½ cup (120 ml) plant-based milk

1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh dill, chopped

Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Boil potatoes in salted water until fork-tender (about 20 minutes). 2. Drain and mash.

3. In a skillet, heat sunflower oil and sauté garlic until fragrant. Add shredded cabbage and caraway seeds, cooking until tender and slightly golden (about 5–7 minutes).

4. Stir the sautéed cabbage into the mashed potatoes. Add plant-based milk, black pepper, and dill.

5. Mix well, adjust salt, and serve warm.

Each version maintains the comforting, rustic appeal of traditional colcannon while reflecting the culinary heritage of its respective country.

Some portions of this blog post were edited using AI assistance (ChatGPT) for clarity and readability. Images by Adobe Firefly. All final content has been reviewed and approved by me.