✔ Published · new Irish Halloween recipe with the charm tradition, kale + make-ahead options
Colcannon is creamy Irish mashed potatoes folded with buttered cabbage or kale and scallions, and it is the traditional dish of Halloween night in Ireland.
What Is Colcannon? (Quick Answer)
Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes mixed with buttered cabbage or kale and scallions, served with a pool of melted butter. Boil 3 pounds of floury potatoes, mash them with hot milk, butter and scallions, and fold in cabbage softened in butter. In Ireland it is the classic Halloween night supper, once served with a ring and coin hidden inside.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Use floury potatoes and heat the milk before you add it. Floury potatoes mash light and fluffy, and hot milk keeps the colcannon creamy instead of gluey and lukewarm.
Families once hid a ring and a coin inside to tell fortunes for the year ahead.
Why You'll Love This Colcannon
- A real Irish tradition: the dish served on OÃche Shamhna (Halloween night) for generations.
- Simple pantry ingredients: potatoes, cabbage, scallions, milk and good butter.
- Comfort food, creamy and buttery with a little bite from the greens.
- Goes with everything, from sausages and bacon to beef stew and roast chicken.
- Leftovers become potato cakes, fried until crisp the next morning.
Colcannon and the Irish Halloween Tradition
Halloween began in Ireland as Samhain, the Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest and the start of winter. In Irish it is still called OÃche Shamhna, Samhain night. When it became the eve of All Saints' Day, it was kept as a fast day without meat, so a hearty dish of new potatoes, cabbage and butter made the natural Halloween supper.
Colcannon also became a fortune-telling game. Small charms were hidden in the big pot before it was served, and whoever found one learned their fortune for the coming year. Children were sometimes given coins wrapped in paper inside their portion.
The same charms went into barmbrack, the spiced fruit loaf still sold in Irish shops every October with a ring baked inside. Turnip lanterns, apple bobbing and snap-apple games completed the night. See more Irish desserts, including barmbrack.
| Charm | Traditional meaning |
|---|---|
| Ring | Marriage within the year |
| Coin | Wealth and good fortune |
| Thimble | Staying unmarried (a spinster) |
| Button | Staying a bachelor |
Keeping the Charm Tradition Safely
Hidden objects are a real choking hazard, especially for children. Never hide charms in food for children under 5. For everyone else, wrap each charm well in parchment paper, use only clean items too big to swallow easily, and tell the whole table before anyone eats.
A safer modern version is to tape a wrapped charm under one bowl or plate, or to hide it in a single marked portion that an adult serves.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Choose floury potatoes. Russets in the US, or Rooster, Maris Piper or Kerr's Pink in Ireland and the UK, mash fluffy. Waxy potatoes turn gluey.
- Steam them dry. After draining, leave the potatoes in the hot pot for 2 minutes so excess water evaporates and the mash doesn't go watery.
- Heat the milk with the scallions. It infuses a gentle onion flavor through the whole mash and keeps it hot.
- Don't overcook the cabbage. Five to seven minutes in butter keeps it sweet and green; long boiling makes it gray and sulfurous.
- Mash by hand. A masher or ricer gives the best texture. A food processor or blender overworks the starch and makes it gluey.
- Be generous with butter. The pool of melting butter in the middle is part of the tradition, and each forkful gets dipped through it.
Colcannon
6
servings15
minutes25
minutes330
kcal40
minutesTraditional Irish colcannon: floury potatoes boiled until tender and mashed with hot milk and butter, then folded with shredded green cabbage or kale softened in butter with scallions. Served with a pool of melted butter in the center, as on Halloween night in Ireland. Serves 6 in about 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- For the Potatoes
3 lb floury potatoes (russet, Maris Piper, Rooster or Kerr’s Pink), peeled and cut into large chunks
1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
1 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons salted butter, divided
- For the Cabbage
1/2 head (about 1 lb) green cabbage (savoy or York), cored and finely shredded, or curly kale, stems removed
6 scallions (spring onions), thinly sliced
black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg (optional)
2 tablespoons extra butter, to serve
Directions
- Cook the Potatoes
- Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch and add the salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance.
- Cook the Cabbage and Scallions
- Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the cabbage or kale with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes until tender and bright green but not browned.
- Put the milk, the scallions and the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a small pan and heat gently until the butter melts and the milk is hot but not boiling. Let it steep for 5 minutes.
- Mash and Serve
- Drain the potatoes well, return them to the hot pot and let them steam dry for 2 minutes. Mash until smooth, then beat in the hot scallion milk a little at a time until creamy.
- Fold the buttered cabbage or kale through the mash and season with salt, black pepper and nutmeg, if using.
- Pile into a warm serving bowl, make a well in the center and drop in the extra butter to melt into a golden pool. Serve hot.
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Colcannon vs Champ vs Mashed Potatoes
For plain mash, see how to make creamy mashed potatoes.
| Dish | Greens | Origin | Served with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colcannon | Cabbage or kale, plus scallions | All of Ireland; Halloween tradition | A pool of melted butter |
| Champ | Lots of scallions, no cabbage | Especially Ulster | A well of melted butter |
| Classic mashed potatoes | None | Everywhere | Gravy or butter |
Variations
- Kale colcannon: swap the cabbage for 8 ounces of curly kale, stems removed and finely chopped, cooked in butter for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Bacon colcannon: fry 4 slices of chopped bacon until crisp and cooked through, then soften the cabbage in the bacon fat. Not traditional for the Halloween fast, but a popular year-round version.
- Leek colcannon: use 1 thinly sliced leek, softened in butter, instead of some of the scallions.
- Baked colcannon: spread it in a buttered dish, dot with butter and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes until golden on top.
- Colcannon cakes: shape cold leftovers into patties, dust with flour and fry in butter for 3 to 4 minutes per side until crisp and hot through.
Make-Ahead, Storage and Reheating
- Make ahead: up to 2 days in advance. Cool within 2 hours, cover and refrigerate.
- Fridge: keeps 3 to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer: up to 2 months. The texture softens slightly; beat in a little hot milk and butter when reheating.
- Reheat: in a covered buttered dish at 350°F (175°C) for 25 to 30 minutes, or on the stovetop with a splash of milk, stirring, until steaming hot and 165°F (74°C).
What to Serve With Colcannon
On Halloween night colcannon was often the whole meal. Today it is a classic side for sausages, boiled ham or bacon, lamb chops and roast chicken, and it is excellent with a beef stew. For more ideas see these potato side dishes and the full list of Halloween recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is colcannon eaten on Halloween?
Halloween (OÃche Shamhna) grew out of the Celtic festival of Samhain, and in Ireland the eve of All Saints' Day was traditionally a meatless fast day. Colcannon, made from the new season's potatoes and cabbage, became the customary Halloween supper, often with charms hidden inside to tell fortunes.
What charms were hidden in colcannon?
Customs varied by county, but a ring meant marriage within the year and a coin meant wealth. A thimble or a button meant you would stay unmarried. Coins were usually wrapped in clean paper. Barmbrack, the Halloween fruit bread, carried the same charms.
Is it safe to hide a ring or coin in colcannon?
Hidden objects are a choking hazard, so don't put them in food for young children. If you keep the tradition, wrap each charm in parchment paper, tell everyone at the table before serving, and supervise. Many families now tuck the charm under the bowl or a plate instead.
What is the difference between colcannon and champ?
Both are Irish mashed potato dishes. Colcannon includes cabbage or kale, while champ, more common in Ulster, is mashed potatoes beaten with milk and plenty of chopped scallions, with no cabbage. Both are served with a well of melted butter.
Should colcannon be made with cabbage or kale?
Both are traditional. Kale was common in many parts of Ireland in early autumn, while green or savoy cabbage is the most widely used today. Kale gives a deeper green color and slightly chewier texture; cabbage is sweeter and softer.
Can colcannon be made ahead?
Yes. Make it up to 2 days ahead, cool it within 2 hours and refrigerate it covered. Reheat it in a buttered baking dish at 350°F (175°C) for 25 to 30 minutes, or on the stove with a splash of milk, until steaming hot (165°F or 74°C).
