Colcannon Soup Recipe

This creamy Colcannon Soup is made with floury potatoes, leeks, shredded cabbage, fresh thyme, and single cream. The result is a hearty and comforting soup with a thick, satisfying texture, creating a perfect one-bowl meal. It’s ideal for a chilly autumn evening, like Bonfire Night, and makes a generous meal for 4 people.

Colcannon Soup Ingredients

For the Soup:

• 25g butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 leek, diced
• 500g floury potatoes, diced (peeling optional)
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ pointed cabbage or 200g kale, shredded
• 1 large thyme sprig
• 1 bay leaf
• 800ml vegetable or chicken stock
• 100ml single cream
• A few chives, finely snipped, to serve
• Salt and black pepper

For the Garnish (Optional):

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 100g black or white pudding or sausage meat, crumbled
• 1 tsp mustard powder or mustard
• 2 tsp cider or sherry vinegar
• Dash of Tabasco or similar hot sauce
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce

How To Make Colcannon Soup

1. Sauté the vegetables: Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion, leek, and potatoes. Stir to coat everything in butter and sauté for 5-7 minutes until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
2. Add greens and simmer: Add the chopped garlic and shredded cabbage or kale to the pot. Stir until the leaves have wilted slightly. Add the thyme sprig, bay leaf, and stock. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook the soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, with the lid partially on, for 10–15 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
4. Blend and finish: Remove and discard the thyme sprig and bay leaf. Pour in the single cream and let it simmer for one more minute. Use a stick blender to give the soup a few quick pulses. The goal is to thicken the soup while keeping plenty of chunky texture.
5. Prepare the garnish and serve: If making the garnish, heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the crumbled pudding or sausage meat and fry until browned. Stir in the mustard, vinegar, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, and cook for another 2 minutes. Serve the soup piping hot, topped with snipped chives and the savory garnish.

Recipe Tips

• Use Floury Potatoes: For the best texture, use a floury (starchy) potato variety like Maris Piper, King Edward, or Russets. They break down as they cook, naturally thickening the soup and giving it a creamy consistency.
• Don’t Over-Blend: The charm of this soup is its rustic, chunky texture. A few quick pulses with an immersion blender are all you need. This breaks down some of the potatoes to thicken the base while leaving wholesome pieces of vegetables intact.
• Develop Flavor First: Sautéing the onion, leek, and potatoes in butter at the start is a crucial step. It coaxes out their natural sweetness and builds a deep layer of flavor that you wouldn’t get from simply boiling the ingredients.
• Balance with Garnish: The optional garnish does more than just add substance. The vinegar and mustard provide a sharp, acidic kick that cuts through the richness of the creamy soup, creating a perfectly balanced flavor in every spoonful.

What To Serve Colcannon Soup

While this soup is a hearty meal on its own, especially with the garnish, it’s traditionally served with a side of crusty bread for dipping. Irish soda bread with a generous amount of butter is the perfect choice. For a lighter pairing, a simple green salad with a sharp lemon vinaigrette would offer a fresh contrast to the soup’s comforting richness.

How To Store Colcannon Soup Leftovers

• Refrigerate: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The soup will thicken as it cools; you may need to add a splash of stock or water when reheating on the stovetop.
• Freeze: Potato-based soups with cream can sometimes become slightly grainy when frozen. For the best results, you can freeze the soup before adding the cream. Let it cool completely, freeze for up to 3 months, and then add the cream during reheating.

Colcannon Soup Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 310 kcal
• Total Fat: 14g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Cholesterol: 40mg
• Sodium: 450mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 39g
• Dietary Fiber: 7g
• Sugars: 8g
• Protein: 7g

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are floury potatoes? Floury potatoes are high-starch varieties like Russet, Idaho, King Edward, or Maris Piper. When cooked, their cells swell and separate, making them light, fluffy, and perfect for mashing or for naturally thickening soups like this one.
• Can I make this soup vegan? Yes, this soup is easy to adapt. Use olive oil or vegan butter instead of dairy butter, substitute the single cream with a full-fat oat cream or cashew cream, and ensure you use vegetable stock.
• What is black or white pudding? It is a traditional type of sausage popular in Ireland and the UK. Black pudding is made with pork fat, oats, and blood, which gives it a dark color. White pudding is similar but does not contain blood. Both are savory and delicious.
• Can I use a regular blender? Yes. If you don’t have a stick blender, carefully ladle about half of the soup (without the herbs) into your blender. Place the lid on but leave a corner open or remove the center cap, and cover it with a folded tea towel. This allows steam to escape safely. Blend in short bursts and return it to the pot.

Try More Recipes:

• Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe
• Eggs With Merguez Sausages Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Smoked Fish & Eggs

Colcannon Soup Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Courses:Hairy Bikers Soups & Starters

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 25 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time: 40 minutesCooking Temp:100 CServings:6 servingsEstimated Cost:25 $Calories:310 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

A hearty and comforting Colcannon Soup, inspired by the classic Irish dish. This creamy soup is loaded with potatoes, leeks, and cabbage or kale, then partially blended to create a thick, rustic texture. It’s a perfect one-bowl meal for a cold day.

Ingredients

For the Soup:

• 25g butter
  
• 1 onion, diced
  
• 1 leek, diced
  
• 500g floury potatoes, diced
  
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  
• 200g cabbage or kale, shredded
  
• 1 large thyme sprig
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 800ml vegetable or chicken stock
  
• 100ml single cream
  
• Chives, snipped, to serve

For the Garnish (Optional):

• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• 100g black or white pudding or sausage meat, crumbled
  
• 1 tsp mustard
  
• 2 tsp cider or sherry vinegar
  
• Dash of hot sauce & Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Sauté the onion, leek, and potatoes in butter until soft. Add garlic and cabbage and cook for another minute until wilted.
   
2. Add thyme, bay leaf, and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
   
3. Remove the herbs. Stir in the cream and use a stick blender to briefly pulse the soup, leaving it chunky.
   
4. If using, prepare the garnish by frying the pudding or sausage meat until browned. Stir in the mustard, vinegar, and sauces.
   
5. Serve the soup hot, topped with fresh chives and the optional garnish.