Creamy and delicious dairy-free vegan Colcannon is made with just three simple and wholesome ingredients. Enjoy the healthy plant-based spin on this traditional Irish dish! Oil-free and gluten-free, it’s perfect for St. Patrick’s Day and year-round.
Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish that combines mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale. It is usually made with butter and milk, but for those following a plant-based diet, there are plenty of ways to make this dish delicious and healthy so that everyone can enjoy it!
It’s so easy to make and perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or year-round.
I love pairing mashed potatoes with cabbage. So, I figured it was time to finally do it right and honor my Irish ancestors of the past with an authentic, but healthy, Celtic classic Irish dish.
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Ingredients
Vegan colcannon is super simple to make, wholesome, and requires very little in the way of ingredients. You only need three ingredients and here they are:
- potatoes
- kale
- unsweetened plant-based milk
- optional: salt and pepper to taste
See the recipe card down below for quantities and more detailed instructions.
How To Make Vegan Colcannon
All you need are 3 ingredients to make this hearty and wonderful vegan colcannon.
Place the chopped potatoes in a large pot and cover them with water.
Boil and drain the potatoes, add the plant-based milk, and mash the potatoes with a potato masher until they are smooth and creamy.
While the potatoes are cooking sauté the chopped kale until it wilts.
Fold the kale mixture into the mashed potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Garnish: top this magnificent dish with my vegan bacon bits, caramelized onions, or chopped green onions.
Substitutions & Add-ins
If you find this recipe “boring,” which I think is ludicrous, or you don’t kale, try adding some of the options I’ve listed below.
- Cabbage – use green cabbage instead of kale if you prefer
- Extra Flavor – chopped garlic, onions, leeks, or shallots to the pan when cooking the kale.
- Cashew Cream – to make these Irish potatoes even richer replace the plant-based milk with my cashew cream.
- Nutmeg – a ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg adds a nice depth of flavor.
If you intend on making this part of your St. Patrick’s Day feast, it will nestle up very nicely beside this delicious vegan corned beef.
Equipment
A vegetable peeler, chef’s knife, and cutting board are essential when it comes to cutting potatoes. And, a good nonstick skillet will allow you to sauté the kale without using oil or vegan butter.
Storage
If you want to make this dish ahead of time, you can store it in an airtight container. It will be good for up to 3 days.
Reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop when you’re ready to eat.
Top tips
- If you want a fluffy, creamy texture potatoes like russets are best. But, Yukon golds will work as well.
- I prefer unsweetened soy milk or cashew milk because they’re both rich and creamy. But, unsweetened almond milk will work as well.
- Peel and cut your potatoes into large even pieces. If the pieces are too small they can absorb too much water that basically turns into potato gelatin. The easiest thing to do is simply cut the potatoes into quarters.
- Yes, you can overcook potatoes so don’t. They should be cooked until they are just fork-tender then drain them immediately using a colander.
FAQ
Both russet potatoes and Yukon gold work well.
Colcannon comes from the Irish word, cál ceannann, meaning ‘white-headed cabbage. It’s a traditional dish from Ireland made of mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale.
Yes!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
What pairs well with vegan colcannon?
These are my favorite dishes to serve with vegan colcannon:
This vegan colcannon with kale is a great way to add some extra nutrients to your meal while still enjoying a traditional Irish dish. The kale adds a great texture and flavor to the dish, and the plant-based milk makes it just as creamy as the traditional version. Give it a try and leave a comment with a star rating.
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Dairy-Free Vegan Colcannon Recipe
Creamy and delicious dairy-free vegan Colcannon is made with just four simple and wholesome ingredients. Enjoy the healthy plant-based spin on this traditional Irish dish! It’s oil-free, gluten-free, and the perfect St. Patrick’s Day side dish.
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 4 medium to large potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 4 cups of chopped kale, stems removed
- 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the chopped potatoes in a large pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- While the potatoes are cooking, place the chopped kale in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with a small amount of water and sauté until the kale is wilted. Usually no more than 5 minutes or so.
- Once the potatoes are tender, drain the water and return the potatoes to the pot. Pour in the plant-based milk and mash the potatoes with a potato masher until they are smooth and creamy.
- Fold the kale mixture into the mashed potatoes and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve the vegan colcannon hot, garnished with a bit of chopped fresh parsley or green onions. Enjoy!
Notes
If you want a fluffy, creamy texture potatoes like russets are best. But, Yukon golds will work as well.
I prefer unsweetened soy milk or cashew milk because they’re both rich and creamy. But, unsweetened almond milk will work as well.
Peel and cut your potatoes into large even pieces. If the pieces are too small they can absorb too much water that basically turns into potato gelatin. The easiest thing to do is simply cut the potatoes into quarters.
Yes, you can overcook potatoes so don’t. They should be cooked until they are just fork-tender then drain them immediately using a colander.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Vegan Side Dish Recipes, Vegan Holiday Recipes
- Method: Boil, Sauté
- Cuisine: Vegan, Irish
- Diet: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 of 4
- Calories: 184
- Sugar: 4.4 g
- Sodium: 88.6 mg
- Fat: 1.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 39.6 g
- Fiber: 6.4 g
- Protein: 5.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: st. patrick’s day recipes, vegan colcannon, plant-based colcannon, dairy-free, holiday recipes
Could mixed in blender white cooked beans be used instead of the plant based milk or cashew cream? Also could a hand mixer be used instead of a masher. Thank you
Most likely but I’ve never tried it.