A classic Irish dish, colcannon is rich, buttery mashed potatoes mixed with tender cabbage or kale. This lighter, low-carb twist swaps potatoes for cauliflower, keeping all the creamy, comforting flavor while making it a healthier option. Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any time you’re craving a cozy, satisfying side, try this cauliflower colcannon with kale.
Who doesn't love real mashed potatoes? My husband might live on them if I let him. If you want to reduce starchy carbs or just change things up, try this cauliflower colcannon. Cauliflower stands in for traditional mashed potatoes for a healthy and delicious twist on traditional Irish colcannon.
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- A good way to get more veggies on the table.
- Tastes terrific.
- A twist on a traditional recipe using cauliflower.
For another easy Irish-inspired recipe for St. Patrick's Day, make a loaf of this Irish soda bread. It's gluten-free too.
Recipe Ingredients
- Cauliflower: Buy a large head of head cauliflower or 24 ounces of bagged florets.
- Kale: Look for Tuscan or Lacinato kale with the larger, flatter leaves.
- Onions: Go with green onions or scallions.
- Garlic: Pick up a head of fresh garlic or try the puree in a tube for speed.
- Milk: Use half and half or canned coconut milk for no-dairy.
- Butter: Use unsalted grass-fed butter or clarified butter (note below).
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt and pepper. For another terrific recipe with cauliflower, try this smooth and creamy cauliflower soup.
Substitutions and Variations
- Don't like kale? Swap baby spinach.
- Use dairy heavy cream for a rich indulgence.
- Swap plant butter for dairy butter or use extra virgin olive oil.
- Add garlic and green onions for more savory flavor.
Chef's tip: Clarified Butter is lightly heated until the milk solids separate and are then strained out. It has a mild, clean butter flavor and a higher smoke point (good for higher heat cooking) than regular butter. Many dairy-sensitive people tolerate clarified butter (and ghee which is cook longer) because the milk solids (whey and casein) are removed during the clarifying process. This makes them a good option for those with lactose intolerance or casein sensitivity. While you can buy it, here is how to make homemade clarified butter.
Recipe Instructions
Trim a head of cauliflower to just the florets. In a pinch, you can use 24 ounces of bagged florets, but it's easy to do yourself and fresher. For the kale, strip tough center stems with your hands, then chop the leaves into small pieces.
Serving Suggestions
Cauliflower puree loses its temperature quickly. To serve this hot, either mix and place the bowl in a warm oven or microwave for a few minutes until hot again for serving.
To make cauliflower colcannon ahead of time, completely make the dish and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in either a microwave oven or in a 350°F oven until heated through to 165°F. It will take awhile if it's very cold straight out of the refrigerator.
Optionally, if you enjoy Parmesan cheese, add a little grated to the colcannon before serving. It's not traditionally Irish, but it sure tastes good!
Recipe FAQs
Traditional ingredients for Irish colcannon include potatoes, butter, and kale or green cabbage, but spinach can be swapped for the greens. Garlic and onions add flavor. Enjoy it not just on St. Patrick's Day but year round for a savory side dish.
Colcannon is easily made dairy-free or vegan, and is naturally gluten-free. To make colcannon dairy-free or vegan, skip the dairy butter and substitute a good plant-butter or extra virgin olive oil.
Colcannon is delicious served as a side dish with savory meat dishes such as corned beef or roast chicken. It's also a great side dish for roast salmon.
More Savory Side Dish Recipes
Whether St. Patrick's Day or every day, here are a few terrific side dishes and a side dish recipe index for you to peruse for more ideas.
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📖 Recipe
Cauliflower Colcannon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower 2 pounds, or 24 ounces bagged florets
- 1 bunch Tuscan or Lacinato kale
- 3 green onions or scallions
- 4 large garlic cloves peeled
- ¾ cup canned coconut milk
- 2-3 tablespoons unsalted grass-fed butter, ghee, plant butter divided use
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper, preferably white
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Instructions
- Trim the head of cauliflower into florets; discard center stem. Strip the stem from the kale leaves with your hands, then chop the leaves into small pieces. Chop green onions fine. Save a few of the green tops for garnish and use the rest when cooking.
- Fill a large pot (5 quarts) with a few inches of water, add a steamer rack inside and place a lid on top. Over medium high heat, bring the water to a boil with steam coming out of top. Place the cauliflower florets and garlic cloves into the steamer rack and steam until very soft, 8-10 minutes. While the cauliflower is steaming, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium sauté pan. Add the green onions and kale and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
- Drain florets and add to the bowl of a food processor with a steel knife. Puree the cauliflower and garlic cloves with the coconut milk and 1 tablespoon butter until fairly smooth.
- Add the cauliflower puree and kale to a bowl and stir together. Add salt and pepper. Serve hot. Finish with one last tablespoon of butter if desired. If the colcannon has cooled down, microwave to heat or place in a warm oven while you are finishing the meal. For a more refined colcannon, add the kale to the food processor and pulse.
Notes
Variations:
- Don't like kale? Swap baby spinach.
- Use dairy heavy cream for a rich indulgence.
- Swap plant butter for dairy butter or use extra virgin olive oil.
- Add garlic and green onions for more savory flavor.
Nutrition
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