The last time I made colcannon (traditional Irish mashed potatoes with kale), the thought occurred to me while gathering the ingredients that they would also be perfect in a soup!

So…here we are. ♡

I’m pretty sure this isn’t a traditional soup in Ireland, so I make no claims for authenticity here. But the traditional ingredients in colcannon (potatoes, kale, garlic, bay leaves, cream) form a fantastic base for a potato soup. And when simmered with extra leeks in veggie broth, partially blended until thick and creamy, and topped with a vibrant sprinkling of chopped scallions, this simple soup was just as delicious as I had imagined. So cozy and flavorful!

I decided to take a bit of extra inspiration from the Irish and add in a big handful of shredded cheddar make it extra cheesy, but the soup is plenty flavorful without the cheese if you’d like to leave it out. You could also add in some bacon or sausage here for extra protein if you’d like. Or if you prefer cabbage instead of kale for the greens in your colcannon, chopped green or Savoy cabbage would be wonderful in this soup as well.

Let’s make some colcannon soup!

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St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and I vote we celebrate with homemade colcannon. ♡

We love making these classic Irish mashed potatoes anytime during the year that we happen to have some leftover kale and scallions in the fridge. But I recently learned that colcannon is traditionally served in Ireland on Halloween, when little trinkets are often hidden inside to predict your future for the coming year. Fortune-telling mashed potatoes…so fun!

Well whether you decide to make colcannon on Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day, or any other time of the year, these Irish mashed potatoes are always a great idea. They are traditionally made with either sautéed kale or cabbage and lots of scallions, which add a vibrant pop of green color as well as extra nutrients, flavor and texture to classic mashed potatoes. I also always love adding cream cheese to mashed potatoes for an extra pop of tang, plenty of garlic and bay leaf for seasoning, and a generous sprinkling of extra scallions on top. They’re the perfect side dish to complement a range of entrées and the perfect greens-filled comfort food as we move into spring.

Let’s make some colcannon!

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Let’s warm up with a hot mug of Irish coffee! ♡

This classic 4-ingredient cocktail is always such a fun and cozy drink to serve during the wintertime — especially if you’re making a big round of drinks for a group — and it’s very simple and straightforward to make as well. Simply brew up your favorite coffee, mix it with a shot of Irish whiskey, add in your desired amount of sweetener, and top with a generous dollop of whipped cream. (I also highly recommend adding some chocolate or nutmeg shavings on top too!)

If you happen to be sensitive to caffeine in the evenings like I am, you’re more than welcome to brew a pot of decaf to make these cocktails caffeine-free. And if you’re looking for a fun twist on the classic, it can also be fun to swap whipped cream for a scoop of melty vanilla ice cream and serve these as floats instead.

Let’s make some Irish coffee! (more…)

I mean, do we really need any convincing to make this one?! ♡

Deliciously nutty, caramelized, rich brown butter is naturally a match made in heaven when it comes to enhancing creamy mashed potatoes. But when combined with a generous amount of garlic, freshly-grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of fresh chives, these potatoes are simply divine. I’m always tempted to toss in a half dozen other extra add-ins when making mashed potatoes, but I highly recommend exercising some restraint in this case so that the flavor of the brown butter can be front and center here when it comes to flavor. Trust me, you are going to love them!

As always, I recommend making mashed potatoes with a mix of Russets and Yukon Golds, for the optimum mix of starchy and buttery textures. And while I kept things simple for this recipe with plain milk to make them nice and creamy, you’re welcome to add in some extra sour cream or cream cheese if you prefer more of a tang.

Let’s cook up a quick batch of brown butter and take our mashed potatoes to the next level, shall we?

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day! ♡

If you’re looking for a cozy Irish-inspired stew to celebrate today, this Guinness Beef Stew is always a winner. The classic trio of beef, potatoes and veggies is simmered low and slow with a richly-seasoned Guinness broth until every bite is melt-in-your-mouth tender (and your home smells amazing). And when served up with some good crusty bread or ladled over a bowl of noodles, this Guinness beef stew is the coziest comfort food through and through.

I thought I’d bump this recipe back to the top of the site today since I recently added in some updates (per your requests) with instructions for how to make this beef stew either on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot or Crock-Pot. And I’ve also added in a few fun new options for how to customize the stew to your liking.

So if you’re looking for a cozy beef stew recipe to make tonight — or any night of year year — grab a Guinness and let’s make some beef stew!

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Watch How To Make Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potato Tips

Before you get cooking, here are my top tips to guarantee light, creamy, perfectly seasoned mashed potatoes every time:

1. Use a blend of potatoes. A 50/50 mix of Russet and Yukon Gold gives the perfect balance of fluffy, starchy, creamy and naturally buttery.
2. Cut before boiling. Evenly sized pieces cook faster and more evenly than boiling whole potatoes.
3. Don’t overboil. Too much water is the enemy of mashed potatoes! So be sure to remove them as soon as a knife slips in easily to avoid waterlogged, gluey mash.
4. Pan-dry after draining. Shake the hot pot for a minute to steam off extra moisture and keep the potatoes light.
5. Warm the dairy. Warm milk and butter incorporate much more smoothly and help keep the mash creamy, not sticky. I just pop mine in the microwave briefly before adding.
6. Season in layers. Salt the water generously and taste again at the end — proper salting makes all the difference between bland and irresistible potatoes!
7. Invest in a masher. If you like more rustic, chunky mashed potatoes (my personal favorite), I recommend this OXO masher. If you like smooth mashed potatoes, I recommend this smooth OXO masher.

Mashed Potato Variations

Want to put your own spin on this classic mashed potatoes recipe? Try one of these easy variations:

• Instant Pot mashed potatoes: Want to save a burner? You can easily make these in the pressure cooker. Here’s my full tutorial.
• Garlic mashed potatoes: Double or triple the garlic for extra flavor, or roast a head of garlic while the potatoes boil and mash the sweet roasted cloves right in.
• Loaded mashed potatoes: Stir in shredded cheddar, crispy bacon, and chopped green onions. (Want a little kick? Add sliced jalapeños too.)
• Vegan mashed potatoes: Use plant-based butter, unsweetened non-dairy milk, and vegan cream cheese (or skip the cream cheese altogether).
• Mashed sweet potatoes: Swap in sweet potatoes for the Russets and Yukon Golds for a sweet twist.
• Herby mashed potatoes: Fold in fresh rosemary, thyme, dill, parsley, tarragon, or chives.
• Cheesy mashed potatoes: Mix in a generous handful of shredded Parmesan, cheddar, Gruyère, or whatever melty cheese you love.
• More favorite mashed potato seasonings: Sprinkle in Old Bay, ranch seasoning, Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, or Za’atar or Everything Bagel seasoning for a fun flavor boost.

FAQ

More Potato Recipes To Try!

Scalloped Potatoes

Smashed Potatoes

Baked Potato

Potato Soup

The BEST Mashed Potatoes!

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 229 reviews

• Author: Ali
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 10 to 12 servings 1x

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Description

This homemade mashed potatoes recipe is irresistibly rich and creamy, full of great flavor, easy to make, and always a crowd favorite. Feel free to halve the recipe if you’d like a smaller batch!

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Ingredients

• 5 pounds potatoes (I use half Yukon Gold, half Russet potatoes)
• 4 to 6 large cloves garlic, minced
• fine sea salt
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• toppings: chopped fresh chives or green onions, freshly-cracked black pepper

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Instructions

1. Cut the potatoes.  Feel free to peel your potatoes or leave the skins on.  Then cut them into evenly-sized chunks, about an inch or so thick, and transfer them to a large stockpot full of cold water.
2. Boil the potatoes.  Once all of your potatoes are cut, be sure that there is enough cold water in the pan so that the water line sits about 1 inch above the potatoes.  Stir the garlic and 1 tablespoon sea salt into the water.  Then turn the heat to high and cook until the water comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-high (or whatever temperature is needed to maintain the boil) and continue cooking for about 10-12 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle of a potato goes in easily with almost no resistance.  Carefully drain out all of the water.
3. Prepare your melted butter mixture.  Meanwhile, as the potatoes are boiling, heat the butter, milk and an additional 2 teaspoons of sea salt together either in a small saucepan or in the microwave until the butter is just melted.  (You want to avoid boiling the milk.)  Set aside until ready to use.
4. Pan-dry the potatoes.  After draining the water, immediately return the potatoes to the hot stockpot, place it back on the hot burner, and turn the heat down to low.  Using two oven mitts, carefully hold the handles on the stockpot and shake it gently on the burner for about 1 minute to help cook off some of the remaining steam within the potatoes.  Remove the stockpot entirely from the heat and set it on a flat, heatproof surface.
5. Mash the potatoes.  Using your preferred kind of potato masher (I recommend this masher in general, or this masher if you prefer extra-smooth), mash the potatoes to your desired consistency.
6. Stir everything together.  Then pour half of the melted butter mixture over the potatoes, and fold it in with a wooden spoon or spatula until potatoes have soaked up the liquid.  Repeat with the remaining butter, and then again with the cream cheese, folding in each addition in until just combined to avoid over-mixing.  (Feel free to add in more warm milk to reach your desired consistency, if needed.)
7. Taste and season.  One final time, taste the potatoes and season with extra salt if needed.
8. Serve warm.  Then serve warm, garnished with gravy or any extra toppings that you might like, and enjoy!

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Equipment

Dutch Oven

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Potato Masher

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Smooth Potato Masher

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Notes

Recipe loosely adapted from The New York Times.

Guys, this soup.

It’s only the middle of September, and I have already made it three times this past month. And when I say three times, keep in mind that I’m now married to a handsome vegetarian who won’t come anywhere near this one. Which means this huge, simmering, delicious pot of soup (plus leftovers) are exclusively for Yours Truly.

And I still can’t get enough of it!

This is probably due in part to the fact that I’m about 30 years late to the party that is cabbage soup. I’m not sure why, but our family never grew up eating it, and for years I used to only think of it only in terms of those crazy fad diets, and never really tried a good bowl until a few years ago. But the second I did — oh man, guys — it was cabbage soup love at first bite. Especially when you add some smoked kielbasa sausage to the picture, and some hearty potatoes, and lots of savory and garlicky seasonings — this feel-good, hearty, savory, delicious soup is comfort food to the max.

I wish I squeeze you all around my table and ladle you up a steaming bowl for yourself right now. But instead, I’m just going to beg you to stir up a pot for yourself. Because this soup = magic. ?

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Friends, I’m pretty sure you’re going to need to try this next recipe in our Guinness Week lineup — Guinness Pulled Pork!

I made a big batch of this yesterday to share with my good friends and neighbors, David and Suzannah, who just brought the sweetest little baby girl named Ava into the world. I asked if they wanted tacos or sliders, and they requested the latter. So I brought over this pulled pork and some salad for dinner, and we spent a wonderful evening catching up on all things life and parenthood and faith and more — made all the better by the fact that I got to spend nearly the entire time holding their tiny 12-day-old sleeping daughter in my arms.

Goodness. It really doesn’t get much better than that. :)

It was such a joy to finally meet this sweet girl. But perhaps even more, I loved getting to see my good friends for the first time as parents. I think it will always be a wild and surreal and beautiful miracle to see friends I have known for years move into this new stage of life. But with each new baby born, it amazes me how much it just fits. I already have known for years that my friends are incredible people. So it’s only natural that they would become incredible parents! It’s just so cool to see this new side of their identity unfolding and growing, and it makes me all the more grateful to be a part of their community and lives.

For what it’s worth, David and Suzannah had seconds and even thirds of these little pulled pork sliders. So I think they come pretty highly recommended (yay)! Whether you’re staying in and making sliders, tacos or even a salad, or if you’re taking a meal to some friends, this simple slow cooker pulled pork is a great meal for the sharing.

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Happy Guinness Week!

That’s right. Instead of gearing up for St. Patrick’s Day with the usual corned beef and cabbage recipes, I have decided to celebrate instead with one of my other Irish favorites — Guinness. Not the world records, the stout. :)

(Ok, I’m watching “Friends” as I type, and Chandler’s humor is rubbing off on me.)

For our first recipe, I couldn’t resist bumping this one up on the schedule after I made and loved it again today — Guinness Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Oh my heavens, people. I’ve had and made a handful of Guinness cakes over the years, but this recipe is the winner by a landslide. It is ridiculously good.

The chocolate cake is really moist and overflowing with rich chocolate flavor, with a hint o’ Guinness in the background. But it is made all the better when paired with this heavenly cream cheese frosting. I thought about going with something different for the frosting, but there’s a reason cream cheese is the classic pairing here. My friends and I all agreed that they are absolutely perfect together!

So be sure to tune in this week for more great sweet and savory Guinness recipes to come!

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