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Irish Colcannon Soup Recipe

Irish Colcannon Soup is a hearty version of a classic Irish recipe. Made with potatoes, cabbage, onions, cream and butter, this piping hot soup will keep your insides warm and your spirits high this Winter.

Irish Colcannon soup in a bowl.

This soup is a manifestation of my Ireland withdrawals. Symptoms include buying a 50 lb bag of potatoes, cooking Irish food, listening to Irish music as well as the RTE Ireland podcast. There is only one cure that I know of. I must go back. I may have left Ireland, but Ireland did not leave me.

The memories of the bucolic farms dotted with sheep will always be in my heart. The little villages where the ranchers live are like quaint pockets of Irish beauty. When you visit Ireland, the beauty and history will settle in your bones so that when you close your eyes at night, you will be transported back to that special place.

We should all go to Ireland. It’s really easy, especially if you already have a passport. If you don’t have one yet, shame on ye. For tips on how to travel to and around Ireland, check out my article on Planning a Trip to Ireland and start planning. A journey of a thousand miles… begins now.


Find out more about what you will find in an Irish Pantry.

Potatoes, onion and cabbage on a cutting board.

why i love this soup

It’s the potatoes. I’m a raving fan. There is not a potato dish that I don’t like. Buying a 50 lb bag of potatoes when it’s just me and my husband was not daunting.

This simple soup is easy to make and allows the ingredients to really shine through. There aren’t any heavy spices or overpowering ingredients that cover up the simple beauty of potatoes, onions, cabbage and butter.

This lovely soup only requires the most basic of cooking skills. Chop veggies and stir a pot. I used an immersion blender at the end, the most technical skill that is needed.

Irish Colcannon soup in a bowl.

Winters here in Utah are long and sometimes harsh. There is definitely a lot of snow and cloudy skies. Savory soups simmering away on the stove is always a welcome sight for me. The coziness of a steamy bowl of hearty soup is somehow very comforting here. I am definitely on team soup six months out of the year.

When our lovely daughter visits from Texas, we usually go skiing. The adventures on the slopes followed by a hearty bowl of soup is something that we treasure. Of course there’s hot chocolate too. I have many fond memories of skiing and soup with this kid. What are some of your favorite soup memories?

What is the Difference Between Colcannon & Champ?

Colcannon uses cabbage instead of scallions. Champ uses scallions. It you love mashed potatoes, you are going to love both Colcannon and Champ. They are the next level mashed potatoes.

What Do You Eat With Colcannon?

Savory sausage known as bangers are traditionally served with colcannon. Another great entree to eat with Colcannon is Beef and Guinness Pie, a rich and meaty savory pie that goes great with a side of potatoes.

Step-by-Step

Colcannon ingredients in a pot.
  1. Add butter and onions to soup pot. Cook over medium heat until soft.
  2. Add cabbage and cook until wilted.
  3. Add potatoes, broth and black pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. Process with immersion blender. Add milk. Bring to a simmer and serve with crusty bread.

What people are saying about this recipe

“We all loved this. I did sauté the cabbage in butter and I would add even more cabbage next time. Delicious!

-Shelly

“I used about 1/2 a head of cabbage and added garlic to the potatoes. So tasty!!!

-Jenna

“That’s how my Irish grandma feed me. Everything in one bowl. Miss you grandma ☘

-Diane

“This is so yummy! I love this with ham, pork chops, for breaky too.”

-Carla

Did you make this recipe?  Don’t forget to rate the recipe and comment below!  Take a picture and tag us @FusionCraftiness #FusionCraftiness on Instagram for a chance to be featured in our Insta Stories:)

If you are making your own broth, you will need to check out this post on How to Make Broth. It also gives you clues as to when homemade broth is a must or if you can get away with store bought broth.

Colcannon soup in a bowl.

Irish Colcannon Soup Recipe

Yield: 6 Bowls
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Irish Colcannon Soup is a hearty version of a classic Irish recipe. Made with potatoes, cabbage, onions, cream and butter, this piping hot soup will keep your insides warm and your spirits high this Winter.

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbs salted butter
  • 1 large onion, peeled & diced (2 cups)
  • 1/2 lb chopped cabbage
  • 4 medium starchy potatoes (1 1/2 lb) peeled & chopped
  • 5 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk or half & half
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. In large pot add butter and onions. Cook over medium heat until soft. Add cabbage and cook until cabbage wilts.
  2. Add potatoes, broth & black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
  3. With an immersion blender, process soup until thick but slightly chunky. You may use a food processor instead. If you have a small food processor, you may need to do this in batches.
  4. Add milk to pot, bring to simmer and serve with Irish Soda Bread.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 121Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 729mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 3g

Did you make this recipe?

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Irish Colcannon soup in a bowl.

Crispy

Friday 10th of January 2025

Excellent flavor and easily made in the IP slow cooker mode. Used half & half and increased it slightly. Otherwise followed the recipe. Taste # 9/10. Spiciness: #0/10. Definitely will make it again!

Jacqueline

Thursday 2nd of January 2025

I made this soup New Years Day for the first time and it's my family's new favorite, pushing out their former favorite Leek and Potato soup which has been everyone's favorite...until now!!

Tina

Sunday 5th of January 2025

I'm so glad to heat that. I love soup all year round and this is probably my favorite.

Mina

Tuesday 5th of November 2024

I have made this soup countless times and I LOVEit…this last time I made it I did not have fresh cabbage so I used the coleslaw mix and used frozen hash browns..I love cumin so I decided to add…I will NEVER do that again..going forward only fresh cabbage and potatoes…but please try it..

Tina

Sunday 5th of January 2025

Using frozen hashbrowns genius! Thanks for the tip Mina and I'm so glad you really liked this soup.

Elizabeth J.

Friday 13th of September 2024

Pretty easy to make and quite tasty and satisfying. I used two smallish onions, three potatoes, and a bag of coleslaw mix cabbage. Added a dash of cumin as suggested in other posts. Definitely would make again.

Tina

Wednesday 9th of October 2024

Cumin is a great idea, so glad you liked it. Such an easy recipe.

Charles P Foley Sr

Saturday 23rd of March 2024

I love this recipe. Any potatoe soup recipe is 👍with me. As with so.many other soups, if you want to enhance the base flavors, add a tbl of cummin to the mix. You'll be surprized at how the flavors pop.

Tina

Tuesday 26th of March 2024

That is very interesting. I have a friend that swears by cumin for everything. He is from Armenia so I think it's what he's used to. I will have to remember that. Thanks Charles!

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