Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 25 minTotal 40 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1kg floury potatoes (Roosters or Kerr's Pinks), peeled and halved
  • 1 small savoy cabbage, cored and finely shredded
  • 4 spring onions, finely sliced (white and green parts separate)
  • 100g salted Irish butter
  • 150ml whole milk, warmed
  • 100ml double cream
  • Freshly grated nutmeg, pinch
  • Sea salt, white pepper
  • 30g butter and 1 tbsp neutral oil, for the crispy cabbage finish
  • 60g streaky bacon, finely diced (optional)
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method

  1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until completely tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain well and let steam-dry in the colander for 3 minutes.
  2. In another pan, bring 1cm of salted water to a boil. Blanch shredded cabbage 2 minutes until just tender, drain, refresh under cold water, squeeze dry.
  3. Mash potatoes thoroughly with 80g butter, warm milk, and cream until smooth. Stir in the white parts of the spring onion.
  4. Fold the blanched cabbage through the mash. Season with salt, white pepper, and a tiny grating of nutmeg.
  5. For the crispy top: heat remaining butter and oil in a wide pan. Add bacon (if using) and cook 4 minutes until crisp.
  6. Add a generous handful of the remaining shredded cabbage and the green spring onion tops. Fry 3 minutes until edges crisp.
  7. Mound colcannon into warmed bowls. Make a well in the centre with the back of a spoon, drop in a knob of cold butter to melt.
  8. Crown with the crispy cabbage and bacon mix. Scatter parsley and serve immediately.

Tip from the editors. Steam-dry the boiled potatoes for a full 3 minutes before mashing; wet potatoes give a heavy, gluey colcannon, dry ones give a fluffy mash that holds the cabbage.

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Where to eat colcannon with crispy cabbage

Colcannon with Crispy Cabbage in Kilkenny

Foodworks ★ 3.8

€ IrishMedieval Mile

Foodworks on Parliament Street offers farm-to-fork lunches under €14 that draw directly from the owners' family farm, consistently strong value for money.

Directions

Matt The Millers ★ 4.0

€€ IrishJohn Street

Matt The Millers on John Street is a popular late-night pub for trad music and live acts in a converted mill, with food until 20:30 and late bar trading.

Directions

Langton's Bar and Restaurant ★ 4.1

€€ Traditional IrishJohn Street

Langton's on John Street is a Kilkenny institution, winner of Best Gastro Pub Kilkenny 2025, serving hearty Irish food and an extensive Irish whiskey list.

OrderHearty seafood chowder or the Angus beef steak; the Guinness here is poured with care.

TipFood runs noon to 21:00 daily. Live music starts at 21:00; arrive before 20:30 if you want to eat in peace.

Directions

Wildflower Cafe at Butler Gallery ★ 4.0

€€€ Cocktail barMuseum garden cafeMedieval Mile

Wildflower at Butler Gallery serves plant-based bowls, vegan raw cakes, and botanical teas in a walled gallery garden with genuine dietary inclusivity.

DrinkBotanical teas and natural wine

FoodPlant-forward lunch and bakes

Directions

Kyteler's Inn ★ 4.0

€€ IrishMedieval Mile

Kyteler's Inn on St Kieran's Street serves over 90 Irish whiskeys with live trad music in a medieval building that stays open until 00:30 most nights.

Directions

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