Vegan Colcannon with Kale, Cabbage and Garlicky Olive Oil Mash
Vegan colcannon made with fluffy Yukon Gold mash, garlic-infused olive oil and warm soy milk, then folded with golden sautéed cabbage, kale and scallions.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Serves
- 6
Vegan Colcannon with Kale, Cabbage and Garlicky Olive Oil Mash is a vegan side recipe made with Yukon Gold potatoes, salt, extra-virgin olive oil. It takes 45 minutes of hands-on time, serves 6, and each serving has 262 calories, 6 g of protein and 6 g of fiber.
This colcannon skips butter. Instead, the potatoes are mashed with olive oil that has been gently infused with garlic, which brings richness and flavor that runs all through the mash. Sautéing the cabbage until its edges turn golden before you steam the kale gives the greens a sweet, slightly toasty flavor. Warm, unsweetened soy milk keeps the mash creamy without turning it gluey.
Ingredients
Mash
- 2½ lb1.13 kgYukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 tbsp18 gsalt, for the cooking water, Most of this salt is drained off with the water
- 3 tbsp41 gextra-virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves15 ggarlic, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup182 gunsweetened soy milk, warmed, Add another 2–4 tbsp if the mash seems stiff
- 1 tsp6 gfine salt, for seasoning
- ½ tsp1.2 gfreshly ground black pepper
Greens
- 1 tbsp14 golive oil
- 3 cups267 ggreen cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 pinch0.4 gsalt
- 4 cups84 gkale, stems removed, leaves finely chopped, About 1 small bunch; curly or lacinato both work
- 2 tbsp30 gwater
- 5 75 ggreen onions, thinly sliced, whites and greens kept separate
To serve
- 1 tbsp14 gextra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling (optional)
- 2 tbsp7.6 gfresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Kit: large pot, large skillet with lid, small saucepan, potato masher, colander
Tips
- Yukon Gold potatoes mash up creamy and rich. Russets make a fluffier, drier mash and may need extra soy milk.
- Warm the soy milk before adding it. Cold milk cools the potatoes and makes them gummy.
- Mash by hand rather than with a blender or food processor, which turns potatoes gluey.
- Leftovers make great potato cakes: shape into patties and pan-fry in olive oil until crisp and golden, 3–4 minutes per side.
Swap ideas
- Use savoy cabbage instead of green cabbage
- The crinkly leaves cook a little faster and give a softer, more delicate texture.
- Use oat milk instead of soy milk
- Tastes slightly sweeter and is just as creamy. Make sure it's unsweetened.
- Use 1 small leek, sliced and rinsed, instead of the green onion whites
- Gives a milder, sweeter onion flavor and is common in traditional Irish versions.
- Stir 1–2 tbsp nutritional yeast into the mash
- Adds a savory, slightly cheesy depth that stands in for butter's richness.
The numbers
Nutrition per serving
262kcal per serving
Everything else · 6 servings per recipe
- Saturated fat
- 1.4 g 7%
- Sugars
- 4.5 g
- Sodium
- 1620 mg 70%
- Potassium
- 1012 mg 22%
- Calcium
- 129 mg 10%
- Iron
- 2.4 mg 13%
- Vitamin C
- 70 mg 77%
- Vitamin B12
- 0.26 µg 11%
% Daily Value on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient; optional ingredients are excluded. Estimates vary with brands and portions.
Sources: Potatoes, flesh and skin, raw, Salt, table, Oil, olive, salad or cooking, Garlic, raw, Soymilk, original and vanilla, with added calcium, vitamins A and D, Spices, pepper, black, Cabbage, raw, Kale, raw, Beverages, water, tap, drinking, Onions, spring or scallions (includes tops and bulb), raw
Method
Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover them with cold water by about 1 inch, and stir in 1 tbsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to a steady simmer. Cook until a knife slides into the largest chunk with no resistance, 15–18 minutes.
While the potatoes cook, warm 3 tbsp olive oil and the sliced garlic in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook gently until the garlic is soft, fragrant and just pale gold, 4–5 minutes. Take it off the heat before the garlic browns, because browned garlic tastes bitter. Set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring now and then, until the cabbage wilts and some edges turn golden, 5–6 minutes.
Add the kale, the white parts of the green onions and 2 tbsp water. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring once, until the kale is bright green and tender, 3–4 minutes. Uncover and let any remaining liquid cook off, about 1 minute. Then take the pan off the heat.
Drain the potatoes well and return them to the empty pot. Set the pot over low heat for 1–2 minutes and shake it now and then so the steam drives off excess moisture. This keeps the mash from turning watery.
Take the pot off the heat. Add the garlic oil (garlic included) and mash until mostly smooth. Pour in the warm soy milk a little at a time, mashing until the potatoes are creamy and soft. Season with 1 tsp salt and the pepper, then taste and adjust.
Fold the cabbage, kale and green onion greens into the mash until they are evenly spread through it. Spoon into a warm bowl, make a small well in the top and, if you like, fill it with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot.
Storage: Let cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm on the stove over low heat or in the microwave with a splash of soy milk, stirring until hot all the way through. You can freeze it for up to 2 months, but the texture gets a bit looser after thawing.
Questions
- How much protein is in vegan colcannon with kale, cabbage and garlicky olive oil mash?
- Each of the 6 servings has 6 g of protein, 6 g of fiber and 262 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
- Is vegan colcannon with kale, cabbage and garlicky olive oil mash vegan?
- Yes. It contains no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products.
- How long does vegan colcannon with kale, cabbage and garlicky olive oil mash take to make?
- 15 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking, so 45 minutes of hands-on time.
- Can you make vegan colcannon with kale, cabbage and garlicky olive oil mash ahead?
- Let cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm on the stove over low heat or in the microwave with a splash of soy milk, stirring until hot all the way through. You can freeze it for up to 2 months, but the texture gets a bit looser after thawing.
- What can I substitute in vegan colcannon with kale, cabbage and garlicky olive oil mash?
- Use savoy cabbage instead of green cabbage — the crinkly leaves cook a little faster and give a softer, more delicate texture.. Use oat milk instead of soy milk — tastes slightly sweeter and is just as creamy. make sure it's unsweetened.. Use 1 small leek, sliced and rinsed, instead of the green onion whites — gives a milder, sweeter onion flavor and is common in traditional irish versions.. Stir 1–2 tbsp nutritional yeast into the mash — adds a savory, slightly cheesy depth that stands in for butter's richness..
- Does vegan colcannon with kale, cabbage and garlicky olive oil mash contain gluten or nuts?
- None of the ingredients are a source of gluten, tree nuts or peanuts. That is a statement about the ingredient list, not a guarantee about the brands you buy — always read the labels if you're cooking for an allergy.
Nutrition is calculated from USDA data for every ingredient — how we work it out.
Published October 3, 2026 ·Irish