Dairy-Free Kale Colcannon
This dairy-free kale colcannon is also gluten-free and vegan and made with just a few ingredients you may already have in your pantry and refrigerator! This is a great recipe for using up leftover potatoes and leafy greens and tastes great with any protein. If you’re looking for a way to celebrate this St. Patrick’s Day, this dairy-free kale colcannon is a must-have on your table!
St. Patrick’s Day is upon us and as a good Irish girl, I feel it is my duty to share a few St. Patrick’s Day recipes. After a quick look on my blog, I realized I had almost none. The horror! Yeah, that needs to change!
My grandfather was born in Ireland and moved to the US when he was just about 20 years old. So I’m very proud of my Irish heritage and it is one of my favorite places to visit. My family is from Westport in County Mayo.
Out of all of the towns I’ve visited in Ireland, it’s the best – though I may be biased. The two times I’ve been there I’ve been lucky enough to visit with a few of my grandpa’s siblings and even watch my great Uncle Frank sing in a pub. He still sings in pubs on Friday nights at 10pm which is impressive because I’m typically in bed by that time!
If you haven’t tried colcannon before you’re in for a treat! It combines too of my favorite things – leafy greens and potatoes! While cabbage is probably more typical in this recipe, I love using kale instead because I tend to have it in my refrigerator.
I make a ton of green smoothies for breakfast and kale is my #1 leafy green for those! Colcannon is essentially a fancy mashed potato with leafy greens in it. Kale, cabbage, leeks are all common ingredients.
This kale colcannon is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. While it is vegan, I enjoy serving it with a side of corned beef which makes the meal not so vegan anymore. If you’ve tried colcannon with cabbage before, give this kale version a try!
The kale provides some great texture and a gorgeous green color to an otherwise bland looking bowl of mashed potatoes. Most recipes I’ve seen steam the cabbage or kale, but instead we’re quickly sauteeing the garlic and kale in a skillet. If you’re a kale lover, you’ll definitely love this dairy-free kale colcannon!
Some Dairy-Free Kale Colcannon Tips and Tricks
I’ve learned a few tips and tricks after making this dairy-free kale colcannon that might help you along the way!
- Colcannon in general is a great way to use up leftover greens. If you don’t have kale, don’t fret! Use cabbage or another leafy green.
- Yes, this is dairy-free. I used Earth Balance buttery spread in this recipe and unsweetened almond milk to make it dairy-free. However, if you don’t need to be dairy-free then use regular cow’s milk butter and milk. No biggie. Still delicious!
- Let’s talk a bit about almond milk. Please don’t use sweetened or vanilla flavored almond milk in this recipe. It will not be good. Unsweetened unflavored almond milk is the way to go! If you prefer another non-dairy milk use that instead! Soy and cashew milk are good alternatives!
- I get this question a lot – “Can I use olive oil instead of butter in this recipe?” Yes…ish. So yes, technically you can. I would not use the whole 1/4 cup, but maybe 2 tablespoons. BUT it will not taste buttery and buttery mashed potatoes are what we’re going for here. So yes, but at your own risk friends.
- Kale is delicious but a few notes to make sure it is indeed delicious. First, cut out the woody stem in the kale because it’s rather tough. You know that big stem in the middle holding everything together? That’s the one I’m talking about. Run your knife along that stem from top to bottom to cut it out. Second, make sure you cut up the kale into small strips. We’re going to cook them down a bit but no one wants a super long hunk of kale in their bite of mashed potatoes. We need a good kale to potato ratio in every bite.
Dairy-Free Kale Colcannon
Dairy-free kale colcannon is a quick and easy side to make this St. Patrick’s Day, but delicious all year round too! Kale and green onions take a basic mashed potato to the next level. While it’s also gluten-free and vegan, the whole family will love this recipe no matter if they have dietary restrictions or not.
Dairy-Free Kale Colcannon
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 lbs russet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-2 inch cubes)
- 4 tbsp dairy-free butter (such as Earth Balance, divided)
- 2 cups kale (cut into small strips)
- 2-3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup green onions (chopped)
- 1/2 cup almond milk (unsweetened, unflavored)
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water. Add some salt. Bring to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, add the potatoes. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Drain the water and set aside.
- While the potatoes are cooking, add two tablespoons of dairy-free butter to a skillet over medium heat. Melt completely.
- Add the kale to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, until kale is soft and wilted.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute, stirring to ensure garlic does not burn. Remove pan from heat.
- Once the potatoes are cooked through, mash with a potato masher or wooden spoon. Stir in the cooked kale, garlic and chopped green onions.
- Add the unsweetened almond milk, the remaining two tablespoons of dairy-free butter and salt and mix until potatoes are creamy. Taste and adjust add more salt, almond milk or dairy-free butter as needed.
Notes
- Colcannon in general is a great way to use up leftover greens. If you don't have kale, don't fret! Use cabbage or another leafy green.
- I used Earth Balance buttery spread in this recipe and unsweetened almond milk to make it dairy-free. However, if you don't need to be dairy-free then use regular cow's milk butter and milk.
- Please don't use sweetened or vanilla flavored almond milk in this recipe. It will not be good. Unsweetened unflavored almond milk is the way to go! If you prefer another non-dairy milk use that instead! Soy and cashew milk are good alternatives!
- Kale is delicious but a few notes to make sure it is indeed delicious. First, cut out the woody stem in the kale because it's rather tough. You know that big stem in the middle holding everything together? That's the one I'm talking about. Run your knife along that stem from top to bottom to cut it out. Second, make sure you cut up the kale into small strips. We're going to cook them down a bit but no one wants a super long hunk of kale in their bite of mashed potatoes. We need a good kale to potato ratio in every bite.
Nutrition
This looks delicious. 🙂