Nigella Brown Butter Colcannon is made with Kerr’s Pink potatoes, kale, milk, spring onions, and unsalted butter. This recipe creates a velvety mash swirled with earthy greens and nutty brown butter. It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to prepare and serves 4–6.
Nigella Brown Butter Colcannon Ingredients
- 1–1.25kg Kerr’s Pink, Golden Wonder or Rooster potatoes, preferably uniform in size
- 200g kale (weight after stripping from stems)
- 250ml full-fat milk
- 4 spring onions
- 150g unsalted butter
How To Make Nigella Brown Butter Colcannon
- Boil the Potatoes: Scrub and boil whole potatoes in salted water until fork-tender (40–60 minutes depending on size).
- Prepare the Kale: Strip stems, tear kale into small pieces, and boil in salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry.
- Keep Warm: Return kale to warm pan, cover. Slice spring onions and set aside.
- Dry and Mash Potatoes: Remove potatoes carefully, return to the dry pot to steam off moisture. Warm milk and mash potatoes with milk in the pan.
- Combine Greens: Fold kale into the mash and season well. Cover to keep warm.
- Make Brown Butter: Melt butter, cook until golden brown with speckles and nutty aroma (about 7 minutes). Add spring onions and let sizzle.
- Finish the Colcannon: Stir two-thirds of brown butter into mash. Transfer to a bowl, swirl top, and pour remaining butter with onions over.

Recipe Tips
- Use Floury Potatoes: Kerr’s Pink or Rooster give the fluffiest mash.
- No Stick Blender: Mash by hand to avoid gluey texture.
- Keep It Warm: Cover kale and mash to maintain temperature.
- Brown Butter Timing: Don’t rush—wait for deep golden color and nutty scent.
What To Serve With Colcannon
This rich mash pairs beautifully with roast meats, sausages, or baked fish. It’s also comforting as a vegetarian main with a fried egg or mushroom gravy.
How To Store Colcannon
Refrigerate: Store in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
Freeze: Not recommended due to texture changes.
Brown Butter Colcannon Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 410
- Total Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Sugar: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Sodium: 160mg
FAQs
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, make earlier in the day and reheat gently.
Can I use other greens instead of kale?
Yes—try savoy cabbage or spinach.
How do I know when butter is browned properly?
Look for golden color, brown specks, and a nutty aroma.
Can I peel the potatoes?
Yes, but leaving skins on adds texture and flavor.
Can I skip the spring onions?
You can omit, but they add a great depth to the butter topping.

Nigella Brown Butter Colcannon
Description
Creamy mashed potatoes blended with tender kale and topped with sizzling nutty brown butter and spring onions—comfort food at its finest.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Boil whole potatoes in salted water until tender (40–60 mins).
- Boil kale for 5 mins, drain, squeeze dry, and keep warm.
- Dry potatoes in pan, mash with warmed milk.
- Fold in kale and season. Cover to keep hot.
- Brown butter in pan until golden and nutty, add spring onions.
- Stir most brown butter into mash, swirl in serving bowl.
- Pour remaining butter with onions over top and serve.
Notes
- Avoid stick blenders—mash by hand.
- Use high-fat milk for creamier mash.
- Make earlier and gently reheat to serve.
- Brown butter can burn quickly—watch closely.