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Vegetarian, European

Colcannon with poached egg

Colcannon with poached egg is an Irish mashed potato dish with cabbage and scallions, topped with a poached egg that runs when cut. It serves 4, takes 40 minutes, stays easy, and costs €1.90 per serving. The key is mashing by hand rather than blending, and sliding the egg into barely simmering, lightly vinegared water.

Tonight, we're heading to Ireland with colcannon, a mash with cabbage and scallions, topped with a poached egg that runs when you cut into it.

Colcannon with poached egg
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.90
Calories per person
530 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Colcannon is a mash with character, creamy from warm milk and butter, but textured by wilted cabbage and the light crunch of scallions. Nutmeg lifts the whole dish without ever taking over. The poached egg adds its own touch, spilling into the mash the moment you break it, turning every bite into something richer.

It's a weeknight dish that needs few ingredients but a bit of attention when poaching the egg. Kids generally like cabbage mash as long as it stays creamy, and the mound with its well of melted butter always makes an impression at the table. On a fall or winter evening, it's exactly the kind of plate you want to come home to.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 1.2 kg
  • Curly kale cabbage 400 g
  • Scallions 6

Dairy

  • Milk 20 cl
  • Butter 80 g
  • Eggs 4

Pantry

  • White vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Lactose, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel and cut the potatoes, then cook them in salted water. 20 min

    A pinch of coarse salt in the water brings out the potatoes' flavor from the start of cooking.

  2. Thinly slice the cabbage and scallions, then cook them in a pan with a knob of butter until soft. 10 min

    Save a bit of the green scallion tops for the final plating.

  3. Mash the potatoes with the warm milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper, then fold in the cabbage and scallions.

    Stir with a wooden spoon, a blender would make the mash elastic.

  4. Poach the eggs one at a time in barely simmering, vinegared water for three minutes. 9 min

    Create a small whirlpool with a spoon before sliding in the egg, the white wraps around the yolk.

  5. Mound the mash into a dome, make a well in the center, let a knob of butter melt inside, and place the poached egg on top.

    Rest the poached eggs on paper towel before plating, so they don't flood the mash.

Our tips to get it right

  • Drain the potatoes well after cooking and let them dry for a minute over low heat in the pot, this keeps the mash from turning watery.
  • Warm the milk before adding it, mash made with cold milk turns dull and loses its creaminess.
  • Crack each egg into a small bowl before sliding it into the water, so you can catch a broken yolk before it ruins the pot.

The variations

  • Swap the curly kale cabbage for kale or spinach, the result stays soft but the flavor shifts slightly.
  • For an egg-free version, just serve the mash with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh chopped herbs on top.
  • For kids in a hurry, skip poaching and use a classic fried egg on top of the mash instead, quicker to pull off.

What to serve it with

  • Sliced Irish soda bread
  • Smoked ham or crispy bacon
  • Black tea or non alcoholic cider

Storage

Colcannon keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, without the poached egg, which is best eaten the same day. Reheat the mash gently in a pot with a splash of milk to bring back its creaminess. The poached egg doesn't freeze, but the mash alone freezes well for up to a month.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the mash ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the colcannon a few hours ahead and reheat it gently with a splash of milk. The poached egg should always be made last minute to keep its runny yolk.

How do you keep a poached egg from falling apart in the water?

Use a very fresh egg, the white stays tighter around the yolk. Vinegar in the simmering water also helps the white set faster.

Can you use a different cabbage instead of curly kale cabbage?

Yes, kale works really well and holds up during cooking. Finely shredded white cabbage also works, with a slightly milder flavor.

Why mash by hand instead of using a blender?

A blender releases too much starch from the potatoes, making the mash elastic and almost sticky. A wooden spoon or a potato masher keeps a lighter texture, closer to traditional colcannon.

How long does it take to make a colcannon with a poached egg?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a colcannon with a poached egg?

About 530 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a colcannon with a poached egg cost?

About €1.90 per serving, or €7.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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