Cauliflower Colcannon - Divalicious Recipes (2024)

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Gluten FreeEgg FreeLow CarbVegetarianKeto

This cauliflower colcannon recipe is a low carb version of the Irish side dish, but uses cauliflower in place of the traditional mashedpotato. As well as a side dish, colcannon is also an Irish song.

Colcannon is an Irish recipe of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage. There are a few variations with leek, garlic and bacon. I had recently made a mashed cauliflower dish that received a standing ovation from the Chief Taster so thought I’d try a colcannon dish substituting the potato with cauliflower.

Cauliflower Colcannon - Divalicious Recipes (1)

With St Patrick’s Day coming up this would definitely be a great dish to have. Although as I type that I cannot help but laugh to myself and think of the various St Patrick’s Day celebrations I used to go to in London. There was nothing low carb those nights! Fun nights in an Irish pub, with lots of beer, a live band and roasted potatoes for bar snacks. Then the inevitable dash for the last train home. We did it all again in Dubai where they have a large Irish Pub called the “Irish Village”. My liver is still recovering.

Cauliflower is a great substitute for potato. Except for French Fries. Whoever finally creates that substitute deserve a reward! However, if you search for Cauliflower Fries you will find roasted cauliflower florets being passed off as a substitute for French Fries. Now, I have a creative imagination but even that is stretching it a bit much!

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Jump to:
  • INGREDIENTS
  • HOW TO MAKE KETO CAULIFLOWER COLCANNON
  • STORAGE
  • RECIPE SUGGESTIONS
  • MORE LOW CARB SIDE DISHES
  • Keto Cauliflower Colcannon

INGREDIENTS

For this recipe, I used half a head of a medium sized cauliflower and half a head of a medium savoy cabbage as I wanted to make enough for us, not a side dish that can feed a large family. The result was a large side dish that took over our plate along with the main dish we had. It could stretch to 4 people if you had smaller portions than we did and wanted other vegetables too.

Cauliflower Colcannon - Divalicious Recipes (2)
  • Savoy cabbage - Darker green in colour than regular cabbage, the savoy cabbage has a sweet earthy taste. If you can't find savoy cabbage, napa cabbage (also called Chinese cabbage) can be substituted.

HOW TO MAKE KETO CAULIFLOWER COLCANNON

This cauliflower colcannon recipe was just delicious. I could have eaten a plate of this just by itself. The cabbage is gently fried in butter, then added to the mashed cauliflower. I added some cream to make it extra creamy. Delicious as it is, you could try this with mustard, garlic powder or Parmesan cheese. Perhaps some bacon for all you meat eaters too.

Cauliflower Colcannon - Divalicious Recipes (3)

Boil the cauliflower florets until soft

Cauliflower Colcannon - Divalicious Recipes (4)

Mash the cauliflower with butter and cream

Cauliflower Colcannon - Divalicious Recipes (5)

Saute the cabbage until tender

Cauliflower Colcannon - Divalicious Recipes (6)

Combine the mashed cauliflower and cabbage with onions and seasoning

This will make a great comfort side dish any day too. All the taste of a stodgy comfort dish with a lot less carbs! Simplicity itself and very delicious. Serve with a hearty beef dish or with a comfort food dish such as this chicken marsala recipe.

STORAGE

Keep any leftover colcannon in the fridge in a airtight container and it should last up to 3 days. Although it is much better fresh. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS

  • Add grated cheddar cheese to the cauliflower as you are mashing it and serve with more grated cheese on the top.
  • The green onions could be replaced with caramelized onions for a deeper flavor.
  • Add chopped kale to the cabbage when cooking for extra flavor and green color.
Cauliflower Colcannon - Divalicious Recipes (7)

MORE LOW CARB SIDE DISHES

Roasted celeriac with garlic & thyme

Keto Cauliflower Mash

Hasselback turnips

Cauliflower Colcannon - Divalicious Recipes (8)

Keto Cauliflower Colcannon

Angela Coleby

A delicious low-carb twist on the classic Irish dish, this keto cauliflower colcannon recipe is a healthy and flavorful way to enjoy a classic comfort food. Made with cauliflower instead of potatoes and seasoned well, it's a satisfying and nutritious meal for any occasion.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Irish, Low Carb

Servings 4 servings

Calories 178 kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ medium cauliflower
  • ½ medium savoy cabbage
  • 2 spring onions chopped
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped, to serve optional

Instructions

  • Cut the cauliflower into florets, place in a sauce and cover with water. Bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes until soft.

  • Drain then mash with a fork (or potato masher), adding half of the butter and the cream. I blended mine with a hand blender to make it very smooth.

  • Finely chop the cabbage in thin slices.

  • Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan and add the cabbage and the spring onions. Gently saute for 5 minutes until soft.

  • Add the cabbage and spring onion to the mashed cauliflower and season. Mix thoroughly.

  • Spoon into a serving dish and scatter with the chopped parsley.

Notes

Makes 4 servings

The net carbs will be the total carb count minus the fibre count. Carb count excludes sugar alcohols.

Any nutritional analysis on the website is based on an estimate, calculated by Spoonacular from the individual ingredients in each recipe. Variations may occur for various reasons, including product availability and food preparation. We make no representation or warranty of the accuracy of this information

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 178kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 4gFat: 15gFiber: 5g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.

Tried this recipe? Mention @Divalicious_Recipes or tag #divaliciousrecipes

More Side Dishes

  • Roasted Red Cabbage
  • Keto Baked Beans
  • Cabbage Fritters
  • Air Fryer Butternut Squash

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

  1. Jill

    This is a flavorful and delicious version of colcannon. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Angela Coleby

      Delighted you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  2. Janet iAdey

    Just made this to with Sunday lunch, it was a big hit! Love your recipes

    Reply

    • Angela Coleby

      Thank you Janet. A good choice for a Sunday lunch!

      Reply

  3. Katarina

    Easy, fast and delicious recipe. We love it! Thank you Angela. Katarina...slovakia

    Reply

    • Angela Coleby

      Always a pleasure x

      Reply

  4. olga

    This looks delicious.

    Reply

    • Angela Coleby

      Thank you!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. […] vegetables but green and leafy vegetables are a great side dish to a roast chicken. Try a creamy cauliflower colcannon, baked cabbage wedges or Parmesan roasted […]

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  2. […] Cauliflower Colcannon […]

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Cauliflower Colcannon - Divalicious Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep mashed cauliflower from being watery? ›

If you find that that the cauliflower you make is watery it's because you are not drying it out properly on the stove after it's boiled. The trick to the perfect cauliflower mash is to drain it really well and let that water evaporate in a pan on medium heat for 5-6 minutes before it's mashed.

How do you firm up mashed cauliflower? ›

You can add a litle softened cream cheese to the pot in the final step and stir until melted. Or you can add a keto thickener like glucomannan or xanthan gum. Be sure to whisk it in well when the mashed cauliflower is hot. You don't need more than about ¼ teaspoon per head of cauliflower.

What is colcannon made of? ›

Colcannon is an Irish dish that's made of mashed potatoes, shredded cabbage or kale, green onions and tons of butter and whole milk. Sometimes crumbled bacon is added for an extra-succulent, salty flavor.

What does colcannon taste like? ›

Colcannon is full of flavor. If you like mashed potatoes, you'll most likely love this dish. The mashed potatoes get tons of flavor from the green onions and a nice texture from the chopped kale. We all love butter and milk in our potatoes, so that is also in this colcannon recipe with salt and pepper to taste!

What does soaking cauliflower in milk do? ›

You can keep cauliflower's white color and enhance its sweetness by adding 1 cup of milk when cooking it. Add a cup of milk to the cooking water and bring it to a boil. Add the cauliflower pieces and allow the water to return to a boil; gently boil for 3 to 5 minutes.

Why do you soak cauliflower in salt water? ›

Because cauliflower is so porous, soaking it in a brine — which is just a combination of water and salt with optional seasonings — imparts tons of flavor without a lot of work.

How do you keep cauliflower from getting mushy? ›

The key to nonmushy cauliflower lies in how you cut it: Break apart the large head into smaller florets. Now take your knife, and starting at the stem end of the floret, slice about halfway down and snap apart.

How do you keep cauliflower cheese from getting watery? ›

Drain well

Make sure you drain the cauliflower really well after it's boiled up and before you add it to the dish, otherwise it will end up too watery.

What's the difference between champ and colcannon? ›

What is the difference between Colcannon and Champ? Both Irish dishes, Champ is mashed potatoes with chopped spring onions (scallions) and milk. Colcannon is Champ with the addition of cabbage and sometimes some herbs.

What is the Irish word for colcannon? ›

Colcannon (Irish: cál ceannann, meaning "white-headed cabbage") is a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes with cabbage.

What is the national dish in Ireland? ›

Irish Stew is a thick, hearty dish of mutton, potatoes, and onions and undisputedly the national dish of Ireland. Within the dish are many of the ingredients synonymous with the island, potatoes being one of the most recognized.

Do Irish people like mashed potatoes? ›

The classic white potato originates from the South Americas and made its way to Ireland via Europe! Nevertheless, we love them in all shapes, sizes and forms. Boiled, roasted, mashed, turned into Champ with milk, butter and spring onions, or fried into Boxty.

What is a boxty in Belfast? ›

Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake made with leftover mashed potato and grated raw potato. An old Irish rhyme goes: "Boxty on the griddle, boxty on the pan; if you can't make boxty, you'll never get a man." Our family has been making this delicious recipe for years!

What is the traditional Irish side dish often consumed on St Patrick's Day? ›

Colcannon. Colcannon is a classic Irish side dish made with silky cooked cabbage and buttery mashed potatoes. It happens to be closely aligned with St. Patrick's Day celebrations in North America, but it's primarily eaten at Halloween in Ireland.

How do you reduce water in cauliflower? ›

The trick with cauliflower is: Don't cook it till is too soft. just 4 or 5 minutes but taste to be sure. then drain into a colander, (sieve with big holes) and leave to drain for a few minutes, asking every minute. tap dry with a little kitchen paper or a clean tea towel.

How do you keep cauliflower from getting soggy? ›

"Be sure to give each floret a bit of room so that the they have space for airflow. I'd also recommend baking them on a silicone baking mat," says Blay. The edges will get much crispier than they would if you baked them on parchment paper.

Why is my cauliflower cheese always watery? ›

She said: "Cauliflower cheese can go watery if the cauliflower is overcooked. Overcooked cauliflower releases water, which will seep into the rest of the dish. So even if your sauce was thick when it went in the oven, if it's in there too long, the water from the cauliflower will cause it to go watery."

How do you drain water from cauliflower? ›

Re:Draining Cauliflower

Make sure to drain it well in a strainer, tossing it several times at 1 or 2 minute intervals. You can also place a couple of paper towels in with the drained cauliflower and toss them around to help absorb some of the moisture.

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