Golden and crisp on the outside, soft and buttery in the middle—these crispy Colcannon Cakes are what your leftover mashed potatoes wish they could become. Leftover Colcannon is used to create these crave-worthy potato Cakes that are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a quick savory snack. One bite, and you’ll see why this easy Colcannon Cakes recipe is quickly becoming a go-to favorite, I guarantee you’ll make them on repeat!
Irish Colcannon Cakes are wee potato cakes you make by mixing Colcannon with flour. Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish of creamy mashed potatoes enriched with butter and milk or cream, combined with Savoy cabbage or similar varieties like Napa; some versions use kale. Many recipes also add scallions or leeks. The potato and cabbage mixture is then shaped into round discs and pan-fried in oil or another flavorful fat.
Crispy Colcannon Cakes with their humble beginnings are now gracing the tables of trendy, popular restaurants across Ireland. Read on to see why you’ll love them!
Why You’ll Love These Colcannon Cakes
- They are comfort food at its best!
- Great for using up leftover Colcannon or mashed potatoes.
- Make ahead of when needed to make meal planning a breeze.
- Quick & budget-friendly. Serve with a fried egg to make a complete meal.
- So versatile as they can be served at every meal period including brunch (makes you want to rethink Eggs Benedict.)
- They make great snacks.
- Pack easily in lunch boxes and are easily reheated.
- Suggestions for optional add ins that will take traditional Colcannon Cakes to the next level!
- Use gluten free flour if preferred, along with plant based fat and milk for a GF and dairy free alternative.
- Form them into tiny discs to make party-ready appetizers. One serving suggestion is to top them with flavored cheese cheese and garnish with sliced radishes and garden cress.
Differences Between Mashed Potato Dishes
If you’re interested in the history of Colcannon, History in the Making offers an informative piece on it.
Ingredients for Colcannon Cakes
- Colcannon: Refer to the recipe for Colcannon (mashed potatoes + cabbage.)
- Flour: plain / all purpose flour.
- Fat for frying.
- Seasoning: salt and pepper.
- Garnish: parsley which is entirely optional.
What is the Best Fat When Making Colcannon Cakes?
Use a high-quality, high-heat oil like avocado oil or olive oil; save extra virgin olive oil for salad dressings.
Animal fat is a more flavorful alternative, such as tallow, duck fat and pork lard. I used bacon fat.
Optional Add-Ins to Upgrade Your Colcannon
- bacon
- cheese
- green onions
- sour cream
Optional Toppings to Finish Your Colcannon Cakes
- fried or poached eggs
- fresh herbs
- shredded pot roast
- sausage
- corned beef
How to Make Colcannon Cakes (Step-by-Step)
This is a reliable, easy recipe that uses leftover Colcannon or mashed potatoes.
Step 1 – Prepare the Colcannon
For a detailed run down of how to prepare Colcannon refer to this post.
- Add peeled and cubed potatoes to a pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 – 10 minutes until tender. Drain the water.
- In a separate pan, add sliced cabbage and chopped onions to melted butter and sauté until soft.
- Add milk. Bring the milk and cabbage mixture to the boil.
- Add the cabbage and onion mixture to the mashed potatoes and combine well. Colcannon is ready.
Step 2 – Shape the Cakes
- Add flour to the bowl of prepared Colcannon. Use a spatula to bring the potato mixture and flour together to form a dough.
- Use a ladle or cup to portion out the cakes. Form them into round, flat discs.
Step 3 – Fry Until Crispy
- Preheat a skillet or frying pan over a medium to high heat and add your fat of choice (such as avocado oil or bacon fat). Add the Colcannon Cakes once the fat has heated up.
- Fry for 3-4 minutes on one side, then flip the cakes to fry the other side.
- Once both sides are cooked, remove them from the skillet, serve with whatever topping you like or serve them on their own.
What is the Secret to Crispy Potato Cakes?
For a crispier potato cake, make sure the temperature of the fat is between 350°F – 375°F (175°C – 190°C).
When a crispy, crunchy surface has formed, turn the cakes over and repeat to form a crispy layer on the other side.
A Tip From Me
To stop Colcannon Cakes from falling apart use the ‘chilling and flour trick.’ This requires the Colcannon to be chilled before forming it into cakes. Sufficient flour should be added to the potato base to ensure the dough is pliable but not too tacky.
To prevent the Cakes from being soggy, make sure the temperature of the fat is between 350°F – 375°F (175°C – 190°C). Confirm that the bottom side is crispy and golden before flipping the Cakes to cook the other side.
Once cooked, only stack Colcannon Cakes if they are going to be eaten immediately.
If the Cakes are to be refrigerated or frozen for future use, arrange them in a single layer until they have completely cooled. Then stack them and place in a freezer bag.
Got Questions?
I’ve got answers – hopefully!
Air fryer is the best method of reheating Colcannon Cakes. Pre heat the fryer to 350°F / 175°C and add the Cakes. Air fry for 3-5 minutes until heated through.
You certainly can. Using mashed potatoes will create more of a Potato Farl or Boxty type of dish, so technically not Colcannon Cakes, but some type of potato cake that is equally delicious!
I would keep Colcannon Cakes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Yes, Colcannon Cakes freeze well. Use a freezer bag and separate the Cakes using pieces of wax, greaseproof or parchment paper. This will allow you to take the quantity you want, so that the entire batch does not unnecessarily need to be defrosted. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the air fryer.
Crispy Colcannon Cakes Easy Irish Potato Cakes
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Colcannon Use this recipe for a Colcannon recipe.
- 150 g flour Plain / all purpose.
- 2 tbsp fat I used bacon fat.
Instructions
- Add flour to the bowl of prepared Colcannon. Use a spatula to bring the potato mixture and flour together to form a dough.
- Use a ladle or cup to portion out the cakes. Form them into round, flat discs.
- Preheat a skillet or frying pan over a medium to high heat and add your fat of choice (such as avocado oil or bacon fat). Add the Colcannon Cakes once the fat has heated up.
- Fry for 3-4 minutes on one side, then flip the cakes to fry the other side.
- Once both sides are cooked, remove them from the skillet, serve with whatever topping you like or serve them on their own.
Notes
- Use this Colcannon recipe
- To stop Colcannon Cakes from falling apart use the ‘chilling and flour trick.’ This requires the Colcannon to be chilled before forming it into cakes. Sufficient flour should be added to the potato base to ensure the dough is pliable but not too tacky.
- To prevent the Cakes from being soggy, make sure the temperature of the fat is between 350°F – 375°F (175°C – 190°C).
- To ensure crispiness, confirm that the bottom side is crispy and golden before flipping the Cakes to cook the other side
- If the Cakes are to be refrigerated or frozen for future use, arrange them in a single layer until they have completely cooled. Then stack them and place in a freezer bag.
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