The potatoes cook until tender while the bacon crisps in a separate pan. The kale and scallions sauté in the rendered bacon fat until wilted and bright green; a step that the Dutch version skips entirely, since boerenkool cooks the greens directly with the potatoes until both are soft. Mashing the potatoes with milk and butter before folding in the kale keeps the greens distinct rather than disappearing into the mash, which gives this version more texture than its Dutch counterpart.

Bacon and scallions go back in at the end, reserved portions scattered over the top along with a little extra butter if you like. Two servings, one pot for the potatoes and one pan for everything else; a side dish substantial enough to make the case for being dinner on its own with very little else added.

_{This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.}

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

Key ingredients to make Colcannon with Kale

You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.

Potatoes
Kale – or another green cabbage
Bacon (optional)
Scallion (optional)

How to Make Colcannon with Kale

Step 1 – Cook the potatoes until done. This will take about 20 minutes.
Step 2 – At the same time, cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy.
Step 3 – Transfer the baked bacon with a slotted spoon onto a plate and sauté the chopped kale and scallions (reserve some for garnish) in the bacon grease . Sauté until wilted and bright green.
Step 4 – Drain the potatoes, mash them, add some milk and butter if needed and add the kale and scallion. Mix until blended. Add more milk or butter if you like it smoother.
Step 5 – Mix in the bacon (reserve some for garnish) and season with salt and pepper.
Step 6 – Transfer the colcannon to a serving bowl and top with green onions and bacon. You can add some additional butter on top, if you prefer.

How to Make Dutch Boerenkool Stamppot

Without going into detail, let me explain how the Dutch would make Boerenkool (kale) stamppot. They would chop the kale and cook it together with the potatoes until both are fully cooked. Then drain and mash the potatoes and kale, mix in milk and butter to make it a smooth mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a kielbasa (warm).

There are many varieties of boerenkool and colcannon: addition of scallion, cheese, bacon, mustard and I’m sure there are more. The two major differences between the Irish colcannon and the Dutch boerenkool are:

The ratio potatoes:kale in boerenkool is 2:1 – which is more veggies than in traditional colcannon.
Kale in boerenkool is finely chopped and fully cooked, whereas the kale in colcannon is sautéed in butter or oil.

Print Recipe

No reviews