Whether you’re in the mood for a comforting dish or looking to upgrade your mashed potatoes, this vegan colcannon recipe will hit the spot.
Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish that’s made of mashed potatoes and a leafy green, usually cabbage or kale. It’s also eaten all year round, though many people enjoy making it as a vegan St. Patrick’s Day recipe.
There are many regional variations of colcannon, but our vegan version is made of Russet potatoes, baby kale, onions, garlic, vegan butter, and flax milk. The result is a creamy and satisfying potato side dish.
Enjoy this vegan colcannon with our chickpea meatloaf, vegan meatballs, or our delicious one-pot vegan mushroom stew.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
- Russet potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 1 1/2-inch chunks.
- Kale. The green specks in this vegan colcannon recipe are finely chopped baby kale. Other leafy greens, such as cabbage, also work well in this recipe.
- Vegan butter. Plant-based butter gives this dish a creamy and satisfying texture.
- Non-dairy milk. This recipe uses flax milk, but you can also use soy, hemp, or rice milk. We recommend avoiding nut milks, if possible, as the nutty flavor may not work well with potatoes.
How to Make Vegan Colcannon
The steps for making vegan colcannon are similar to those of mashed potatoes. The main difference is the addition of leafy greens, which adds a nutritious and delicious twist. Check out the step-by-step tutorial at the bottom of this post.
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and boil for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
2. While the potatoes are boiling, melt 4 tablespoons plant-based butter in small skillet. Sauté the finely diced onions until fragrant and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic and chopped kale. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the kale is completely wilted.
4. Drain the potatoes. Transfer them to a large bowl, then mash with a potato masher or large fork. Alternatively, you can do this in the same pot you boiled the potatoes in.
5. While the potatoes are still warm, add the kale-onion mixture, non-dairy milk, salt, white pepper, and 2 tablespoons butter. Stir to combine, or until it reaches your desired consistency. You can make it as chunky or smooth as you’d like.
6. Scoop into individual bowls, top with a pat of plant-based butter, and serve immediately.
Recipe Tips, Variations, and Substitutions
- Switch up the leafy greens. Instead of kale, try using chopped spinach or cabbage. You could even use a combination of greens.
- Use black pepper. If you don’t have white pepper, ground black pepper also works great.
- Mash when the potatoes are warm. It’s best to mash the potatoes immediately after you drain them. This will ensure the colcannon is warm upon serving.
- Add the milk slowly. When adding the non-dairy milk, add it slowly and mix between each addition. This way, you’ll be able to use just enough to reach your desired consistency. You can always add more milk, but you can’t take it away!
- Use a stick blender. If the colcannon is not smooth enough for your liking, puree it with a stick blender.
How Do You Store Vegan Irish Colcannon?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy it within 3 days. To freeze leftover vegan colcannon, keep it in an airtight container such as a SouperCube.
Serving Suggestions
- Vegan coconut bacon — A umami and crunchy topping
- Easy vegan meatloaf — The classic partner for potatoes
- One-pot vegan mushroom stew — Serve as a side with this hearty stew
Vegan Irish Colcannon
Ingredients
- 4 Russet potatoes peeled and chopped into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- ½ large onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups baby kale leaves finely chopped
- 1 cup flax milk or soy, hemp, or rice milk
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter plus more for topping
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of white pepper
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and boil for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
- While the potatoes are boiling, melt 4 tablespoons plant-based butter in small skillet. Sauté the finely diced onions until fragrant and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped kale. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the kale is completely wilted.
- Drain the potatoes. Transfer them to a large bowl, then mash with a potato masher or large fork. Alternatively, you can do this in the same pot you boiled the potatoes in.
- While the potatoes are still warm, add the kale-onion mixture, non-dairy milk, salt, white pepper, and 2 tablespoons butter. Stir to combine, or until it reaches your desired consistency. You can make it as chunky or smooth as you’d like.
- Scoop into individual bowls, top with a pat of plant-based butter, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Instead of kale, try using chopped spinach or cabbage. You could even use a combination of greens.
- If you don’t have white pepper, ground black pepper also works great.
- It’s best to mash the potatoes immediately after you drain them. This will ensure the colcannon is warm upon serving.
- When adding the non-dairy milk, add it slowly and mix between each addition. This way, you’ll be able to use just enough to reach your desired consistency. You can always add more milk, but you can’t take it away!
- If the colcannon is not smooth enough for your liking, puree it with a stick blender.
Recommended Tools & Products
Nutrition
About the Author
Kirsten Nunez
Contributing Writer
Kirsten is a journalist who focuses on healthy food and cooking. Her vegan and plant-based recipes have appeared on VegNews, eHow, Shape, and more. When she’s not creating and photographing vegan recipes for Clean Green Simple, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen and sharing plant-based meals with friends and family. More articles by Kirsten.
[email protected]
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Delish!
What a fun delicious twist to a family favorite!!!
My wife and I both love kale. We both like potatoes, but my wife REALLY LIKES POTATOES!!! This looks like an excellent dish for both of us.
Note: I spent 2 years in the U.K.. They have a dish called: “Bubblin’ Squeak” that can be vegan. At first I thought they were tryin’ to pull one on the “Yank”! But, I didn’t bite and over time I kept hearing about “bubblin-squeak”. So I asked about it.
I was told that the “missus” saves all of the left-overs. Then once a week or twice-a-week. the “missus” will make mashed potatoes and mix in the saved leftovers. She will place the mixture into a frying pan and set it on low heat. As the mixture heats up it starts to: “bubble and squeak”!
After I received the explanation, I set about to verify it;. Everyone that I talked with did verify the story about “bubblin’ squeak”!
Since kale is green and when mixed with mashed potatoes you end up with “green-fleckted”: mashed potatoes. Could this be the “Irish” intent?
Here nor there, we think the potato-kale mixture is superb!!!
Thanks for the recipe tip!!!
We don’t get kale here… I wonder what I could substitute? Spinach?
I think spinach would work wonderfully! Cabbage is also use traditionally but that would definitely add a different type of flavor (could be tasty though!)
Using kale for this classic was a great idea! Any excuse to eat kale, especially since it’s green for this holiday, is good in my book.
What a great way to get your greens in! 😀