Irish Mashed Potatoes, also known as Colcannon, make the perfect Thanksgiving side dish that’s full of flavor but still easy to make and GLUTEN FREE too.
I like making mashed potatoes, probably mostly because my hubby always tells me how much he loves my mashed potatoes. It’s such a super simple, gluten free side dish with basic ingredients that you likely have on hand at all times. Smooth, creamy and comforting and perfect for resting a nice pork chop on top, just like these Baked Apple Pork Chops that I first served with these Irish Mashed Potatoes.
What is colcannon?
Colcannon is, simply put, an Irish Mashed Potatoes recipe. The difference between Irish Mashed Potatoes and regular mashed potatoes is the addition of green onions, cabbage and a bit of garlic. The rest is very much the same. The cabbage and green onions make this a more textured mashed potato recipe, so it’s important to chop them finely so it’s textured but not lumpy.
How do you make Colcannon?
- Boil the potatoes. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan (don’t you love one pan dishes?), melt some butter then add some garlic and finely sliced green onions. Let the vegetables saute for a minute or so, then add the finely shredded cabbage. Wilt that down until it’s nice and soft.
- Add potatoes back to the pan with vegetables. Mash the potatoes and mix through with the other ingredients.
- Add whole milk, salt, and pepper to taste and mix to combine.
- Serve with a few pats of softened butter.
This is a hearty and gluten free side dish perfect for the holidays. Irish Mashed Potatoes go great with your Thanksgiving turkey.
Can you eat mashed potatoes on a gluten free diet?
YES! Potatoes are naturally gluten free. Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and other grains. Potatoes aren’t grains, they’re a type of starchy vegetable, so mashed potato recipes like these Irish Mashed Potatoes are great for loading on your plate if you are sensitive to gluten. Just be sure other ingredients used in the mashed potatoes recipe are also gluten free before digging in.
What are the best potatoes for mashed potatoes?
For the perfect mashed potatoes you’re looking for potatoes with a high starch content – think Yukon Gold or Russet. Stay away from any known waxy potatoes as these tend to not mash so smoothly, or take a really long time to do it, which could end up in over-mashed potatoes (see tips below)
I love having an arsenal of simple but delicious naturally gluten free side dishes for celebrations like Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner. One of my absolute favorite recipes is my Buttery Garlic Potatoes with Crispy Prosciutto and how about these gorgeous Garlic Parmesan Roasted Carrots. Any of these and I’m in cozy, roast dinner heaven.
Tips for making perfect mashed potatoes
You want to make sure your guests are coming back for more, right? Mashed potatoes that are watery or flavorless won’t do that, so it’s important to keep a few simple rules in mind so you can confidently serve up the perfect creamy mashed potatoes.
- Peel the potatoes – chunks of skin are not pleasant to eat
- Cold water – Potatoes always work out best when placed in cold water and then brought up to the boil.
- Salt the water – I always make sure to salt the water when boiling potatoes as some (not all) of that salt will get absorbed by the potatoes adding to the flavor.
- Cook until just fork tender – if you cut your potatoes no larger than 1.5 inches, and turn the water down to a simmer as soon as it boils, you should have perfect fork-tender potatoes in around 7-8 minutes.
- Dry them out – this is the most important step in my opinion. Many a mashed potato fails because the potatoes are full of water, caused by boiling for too long or not drying them out. How do you dry them out? Simple. Once you’ve drained the cooked potatoes, return them to the saucepan. Over low heat, cook them for another 30 seconds, shaking the pan often. This will steam away any excess moisture. (this is also the best step to get perfect roast potatoes like these)
- Don’t add too much milk or butter – just enough to get a creamy texture and good flavor.
- Don’t over-mash – if you mash potatoes too long, you’ll end up with potato slop and no one goes back for potato slop.
So there you have it – a perfect Thanksgiving side dish. Simple but flavorful and your guests will definitely be coming back for more.
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Irish Mashed Potatoes, also known as Colcannon, make the perfect Thanksgiving side dish that’s full of flavor but still easy to make and GLUTEN FREE too.
- 5 medium potatoes peeled and quartered
- 6 tablespoons butter divided (4:2)
- 3/4 cup green onions finely sliced (scallions)
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 2 cups savoy cabbage finely shredded & packed
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- Salt + pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
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Cover potatoes with cold water in a medium saucepan and add a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil over medium high heat, reduce to a simmer and boil for 7 minutes (or until soft enough for a fork to poke into them easily).
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Drain the potatoes, then return to the saucepan over very low heat for 30-40 seconds, shaking every so often, to steam off any residual moisture. Set aside.
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Using the same saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of butter over low-medium heat. Hold back 2 tablespoons of green onions and add the rest to the saucepan with the garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes until the cabbage has softened.
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Turn the heat to low. Add potatoes and mash them, gradually mixing them into the other ingredients.
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Once the potatoes are mashed and all mixed through, add the milk and stir it in until it is all absorbed into the potatoes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and salt and pepper to taste and mix through.
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Serve, dotted with the extra butter and green onions scattered on top.
Recipe Video
- Peel the potatoes – chunks of skin are not pleasant to eat
- Cold water - Potatoes always work out best when placed in cold water and then brought up to the boil.
- Salt the water – I always make sure to salt the water when boiling potatoes as some (not all) of that salt will get absorbed by the potatoes adding to the flavor.
- Cook until just fork tender – if you cut your potatoes no larger than 1.5 inches, and turn the water down to a simmer as soon as it boils, you should have perfect fork tender potatoes in around 7-8 minutes.
- Dry them out – this is the most important step in my opinion. Many a mashed potato fails because the potatoes are full of water, caused by boiling for too long or not drying them out. How do you dry them out? Simple. Once you’ve drained the cooked potatoes, return them to the saucepan. Over low heat, cook them for another 30 seconds, shaking the pan often. This will steam away any excess moisture.
- Don’t add too much milk or butter – just enough to get a creamy texture and good flavor.
- Don’t over-mash – if you mash potatoes too long, you’ll end up with potato slop and no one goes back for potato slop.
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I make colcannon with diced ham mixed in and serve it as a main dish. It’s our go to meal for St. Patrick’s Day.
Yes! We love this recipe on St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s also a nice change to add to other holiday meals like Thanksgiving. So much flavor! Thanks for stopping by, Wendy 🙂