By SHELAGH BRALEY STARR
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Colcannon: It’s a simple hot mash of potatoes, cabbage and/or kale, enriched with creamy fresh butter. This ultimate comfort food is a staple of home kitchens and graces many autumn celebrations. Champ, its close cousin, keeps the potatoes but replaces the cabbage with generous handfuls of chopped spring scallions. Where champ is all about the sweet sharpness of onions against creamy spuds, colcannon folds in leafy greens for a heartier, field-to-bowl character.
Colcannon soup is a gentle, deeply soothing way to bring one of Ireland’s most beloved dishes to the Easter table. Transformed into a velvety soup, colcannon’s humble ingredients gain a new elegance while retaining their rustic heart. Famous Irish chef Clodagh McKenna made this dish famous.
For many, both colcannon and champ carry the taste of memory: Irish kitchens where potatoes and cabbage once stretched to feed large families, and nothing was ever wasted. Friday suppers when the week’s work was done, Halloween nights hiding charms in the mash, or the first spring onions and greens chopped into steaming potatoes. Colcannon has traditionally been more associated with Halloween and harvest, while champ is often the weeknight comfort food—quick, economical, and adaptable. Turning colcannon into a soup is also a practical nod to the busy host. Most of the work can be done in advance, the ingredients are budget-friendly, and the finished bowl can easily be made vegetarian. On a day when the oven is already crowded with roasts and sides, a large pot of colcannon soup quietly bubbling on the back burner offers both comfort and convenience.
Easter in Ireland has increasingly become a moment to blend the old and the new—classic roasts served beside fresher, lighter dishes that reflect a more modern palate. Colcannon soup suits that shift perfectly. Its base of onions, potatoes, and leafy greens feels reassuringly traditional, yet the smooth texture and optional finishing touches, like crisp bacon, a swirl of cream, or a scattering of chives, give it restaurant polish. Where champ may feel like the more familiar companion to lamb or ham, this soup is a chance to experience the “greener” side of the potato pot, welcoming cabbage or kale to the feast.
This is also a dish that travels well across the diaspora. Readers in Boston, Sydney, or Toronto will find the ingredients easy to source and the method forgiving. Green cabbage stands in happily for savoy or kale, leeks can replace onions, and a good vegetable stock makes the soup suitable for mixed tables. What does not change is the essence: Colcannon soup invites guests to slow down, warm their hands and, for a moment, taste a piece of Ireland that is bigger than any one county, parish, or town. On a day centered on renewal and gathering, there are few better ways to open the meal.
Colcannon Soup (Serves 6)
Ingredients
4 tbsp butter
4 oz streaky bacon or pancetta, diced (optional; omit for vegetarian)
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 scallions (spring onions), thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb (450 g) floury potatoes, peeled and diced (e.g., Russet)
4 cups (1 litre) chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups (about 150–200 g) finely shredded green cabbage or kale
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, plus more as needed
½ cup (120 ml) cream (optional, for a richer soup)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Small knob of butter to finish
Chopped fresh chives or parsley, to garnish
Method
Build the base:
In a large heavy pot, melt 2 tbsp of the butter over medium heat. If using bacon, add it and cook until crisp and golden, 5–7 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
Sauté aromatics:
Add the onion and the white parts of the scallions to the pot with the remaining 2 tbsp butter if needed. Cook gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent but not browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Cook the potatoes:
Add the diced potatoes, a generous pinch of salt, and the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender.
Add the greens:
Stir in the shredded cabbage or kale and simmer uncovered for 5–7 minutes, until just cooked but still bright.
Blend and garnish:
Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth, or leave it slightly textured if you prefer a rustic feel. Stir in the milk and cream (if using), and simmer gently for 3–5 minutes. Adjust the consistency with a little extra milk or stock if it is too thick. Season to taste with salt and plenty of black pepper, then finish with a small knob of butter.
Serve:
Ladle into warm bowls. Top each serving with a sprinkle of the reserved bacon, the green parts of the scallions, and a scattering of chopped chives or parsley. Serve with brown soda bread for a truly Irish beginning to Easter dinner.
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