Twice-Baked Colcannon Potatoes

These Twice-Baked Colcannon Potatoes are a festive and easy-to-make St. Patrick's Day side dish. A twist on the classic Irish dish, colcannon, these potatoes are mashed with buttermilk, sour cream, and chives and mixed with kale, cabbage, leeks, and bacon. A generous measure of Irish cheddar cheese melts on top for maximum tastiness. Baking the potatoes twice creates a crispy exterior and a creamy, delicious interior!

Jump to:

• What is colcannon?
• What are Twice-Baked Colcannon Potatoes?
• What ingredients do you need to make Twice-Baked Colcannon Potatoes?
• The best way to make baked potatoes
• How to make twice-baked potatoes
• What to serve Twice-Baked Potatoes with
• Twice-Baked Potatoes: A Time-Saving Side Dish for Entertaining
• Freezing Twice-Baked Potatoes for Future Meals
• What tools do I need to make Twice-Baked Colcannon Potatoes?
• Looking for more Irish recipes for St. Patrick's Day?
• Twice-Baked Colcannon Potatoes

What is colcannon?

Colcannon is a traditional Irish recipe that is typically made with mashed potatoes, kale or cabbage, leeks, and butter or cream. It's the perfect combination of warm, creamy potatoes and hearty greens, making it a popular Irish comfort food dish. These Irish mashed potatoes have been a staple of Irish cuisine for centuries and are a healthy, gluten-free, and budget-friendly recipe that's easy to make, packed with flavor, and the perfect way to add some warmth and comfort to any meal.

What are Twice-Baked Colcannon Potatoes?

These Twice-Baked Colcannon Potatoes are a festive St. Patrick's Day side dish that's both delicious and easy to make. This recipe puts a twist on the classic Irish comfort food dish, colcannon, by baking the potatoes twice to create a crispy exterior. Inside, the potatoes are mashed with buttermilk, sour cream, and chives then mixed with hearty kale, cabbage, and leeks.

While we love adding bacon to the recipe, it's entirely optional, so feel free to omit it for a vegetarian version, but don't forget to top these potatoes with a generous measure of Irish cheddar cheese before baking for maximum flavor!

What ingredients do you need to make Twice-Baked Colcannon Potatoes?

• Russet potatoes - I look for ones that are around 8-9 oz each (give or take) and reasonably equal in size.
• Cabbage - I prefer savoy cabbage because the leaves are nice and tender, but you can also use traditional green cabbage if you prefer.
• Kale - I prefer Lacinato kale (also called dinosaur kale, Tuscan kale, Italian kale, or cavolo nero) but you can also use curly kale or red kale if you prefer.
• Leeks - If you cannot source leeks, you can substitute for other alliums such as green onions/scallions, spring onions, or green garlic.
• Chives - Fresh is best, but you can swap for dried chives if you prefer.
• Garlic - You can use fresh minced garlic cloves or garlic powder for this recipe. If you have a fresh garlic intolerance and can tolerate garlic-infused olive oil you can substitute this for the cooking fat (butter or bacon drippings) if you prefer.
• Buttermilk - Adds a lovely creamy and slightly tangy flavor. You can substitute for whole milk, half & half, or heavy cream if you prefer.
• Sour cream - Adds a lovely creaminess to the mashed potato. You can substitute sour cream for whole Greek yogurt in a pinch!
• Irish cheddar cheese - I love using this one from Kerrygold, but use whatever you like best!
• Bacon - Bacon is totally optional but highly encouraged. If you don't want to use bacon, it can easily be omitted from the recipe.
• Cooking fat - I prefer to use some of the rendered bacon fat to cook the green veggies in for an extra-indulgent flavor boost. If you are making the vegetarian version of these twice-baked potatoes you can substitute for butter or olive oil (garlic-infused is great if you have it).
• Olive oil - A small amount is used just to coat the potatoes before baking. You can substitute olive oil for canola oil or another neutral cooking oil if you prefer.
• Kosher salt
• Cracked black pepper

The best way to make baked potatoes

If you're looking for the best way to make baked potatoes that are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, these step-by-step instructions will help ensure your potatoes come out perfect every time.

This baked potato recipe is simple and easy to follow!

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F / 220 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and reserve to the side.
2. Choose potatoes that are around the same size. This will help ensure that they bake at the same rate.
3. Scrub the potatoes well under water to remove any dirt.
4. Dry the potatoes thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel. Water can prevent the potato skins from crisping properly.
5. Poke holes in each potato with a fork to release steam while they bake. I like to poke each potato around 12 times.
6. Coat each potato evenly with a light layer of olive oil or other neutral cooking oil.
   • Coating the potatoes in a light layer of kosher salt is optional. For this recipe, I don't bother, but for traditional baked potatoes I prefer to salt them after oiling so the salt sticks to the skin.
7. I prefer to bake potatoes directly on the middle oven rack with the parchment-lined sheet pan placed on the lower rack below to catch liquids that may drop from the potatoes. However, you can also bake the potatoes directly on the sheet pan on the middle rack if you prefer.
8. Large russet potatoes that are 8-10 oz each should take between 50-70 minutes to bake, depending on size. You will know they are ready when the flesh is easily pierced with a fork without resistance.

How to make twice-baked potatoes

Twice-baked potatoes are a comforting and easy-to-make side dish. This easy twice-baked colcannon stuffed potatoes recipe involves baking the potatoes until tender, scooping out the insides, mixing with classic colcannon filling, topping with Irish cheddar cheese, and returning the mixture to the potato shells for a second bake to melt the cheese and crisp the skins.

1. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice each in half lengthwise. I find that a serrated knife (like a steak knife) works best for this.
2. Using a metal spoon, gently scoop out the soft potato flesh, leaving a thin layer of potato flesh behind to protect the skins from tearing. Transfer the flesh to a large mixing bowl and reserve each hollowed-out potato skin to the side on your reserved parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the potatoes until they reach your desired level of smoothness. I prefer to leave some small lumps in mine, but you can mash to whatever consistency you prefer.
4. Add the sour cream, buttermilk, chives, salt, and pepper to the mashed potatoes. Mix until combined. If you find that you need a bit more liquid you can add a small splash of buttermilk if you'd like to. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust if needed.
5. Add the remaining filling ingredients to the bowl and using a spoon or spatula fold the ingredients together until well combined.
6. Using a spoon, scoop out the filling and fill each reserved potato skin with filling. If you find that your potatoes are rolling to the side, you can gently press the filling down until the potato bottom flattens slightly and widens to stabilize.
7. Top each stuffed potato with shredded cheese.
8. Bake at 400 degrees F / 205 C for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the potato skins turn lightly golden and crisp.
   • If you baked your potatoes a day in advance and are finishing assembling the filling cold the following day I suggest lowering the oven heat to 375 degrees F / 190 C and baking for an additional 10-minutes to ensure that the centers of the stuffed potatoes are properly warmed.

What to serve Twice-Baked Potatoes with

Twice-baked potatoes can be served as a side dish with a variety of main courses, such as grilled or roasted meats, seafood, or vegetarian dishes. They also pair well with salads or steamed vegetables for a lighter meal option. They make a wonderful St. Patrick's Day recipe for festive get-togethers!

Some recipes that pair well with these Irish twice-baked potatoes:

• Salmon with Whisky Cream Sauce
• Crispy Oven-Fried Fish with Lemon Herb Tartar Sauce
• For dessert, I highly suggest a slice of this Sourdough Discard Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Twice-Baked Potatoes: A Time-Saving Side Dish for Entertaining

Twice-baked potatoes are a fantastic side dish to serve when entertaining or for holiday meals, especially if you're looking to streamline your cooking process and save time and effort in the kitchen. The potatoes can be baked in advance and stored in the fridge until the following day. When you're ready to serve, simply whip up the filling, stuff the potatoes, and bake until golden and crispy. This makes it an easy and tasty way to impress your guests without spending all day in the kitchen.

Freezing Twice-Baked Potatoes for Future Meals

You can also prep these twice-baked potatoes and freeze them to finish on a future day. Simply prep the potatoes until they are stuffed and topped with cheese, allow to cool completely, then package into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. When you're ready to serve, simply take them out of the freezer and bake them at 350 degrees F / 175 C for 30-40 minutes, or until they're heated through and the skins are crispy. This makes them a versatile option for meal prep, as you can have them ready to go for future dinners or special occasions.

What tools do I need to make Twice-Baked Colcannon Potatoes?

• A cutting board
• A chef's knife
• A serrated knife (nice to have but not essential)
• A kitchen scale (or measuring cups for less precise measurements)
• Measuring spoons
• A cheese grater
• A large baking sheet line with parchment paper
• A second baking sheet lined with aluminum foil
• A large skillet
• A large mixing bowl
• A metal fork or potato masher
• A metal spoon
• A wooden spoon or silicone spatula
• A paper towel-lined plate (you can omit this if you do not intend to use bacon)
• Kitchen scissors (nice to have to trim the chives but not essential)

Are you looking to upgrade your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.

Looking for more Irish recipes for St. Patrick's Day?

Love these Twice-Baked Colcannon Potatoes? Here are some more of my favorite Irish-inspired recipes that are wonderful for St. Patrick's Day or any other day of the year:

• Steel Cut Oats with Whiskey Butter
• Corned Beef Hash
• Cottage Pie with Horseradish Cauliflower Mash

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