Traditional Irish Champ Recipe (2024)

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Traditional Irish Champ Recipe. With only five ingredients, this authentic Irish potato recipe is both easy and tasty. You can easily feed a crowd with this traditional Irish dish. Perfect for St. Patricks Day!

Want to go to Ireland? Check out Planning a Trip to Ireland!

Traditional Irish Champ Recipe (1)

May you live as long as you want, never want as long as you live.

– Irish Blessing
Traditional Irish Champ Recipe (2)

Irish recipes have a special place in my heart.

I have always been intrigued by the origin of food, cultivating methods and cuisine. Oh! The people behind these methods, traditions and techniques too. Don’t forget about the people.

If you ever get a chance to visit an old kitchen, even if it’s only 50 years old, in its original condition, take a deep breath through your nose. The smells you sense and the stains you see tell a vivid story. Families were fed, children were raised and holiday feasts were prepared in these kitchens, both extravagant and modest.

Learn more about what you will find in an Irish Pantry.

Can you imagine!? I can. It always brings a smile to my face. If you visit thrift stores and make a dash to the kitchen section or have an estate sales alert app on your phone, then you are MY PEOPLE my friend. Let’s have lunch.

Today is Champ Day.

I haven’t gone on a Rocky Netflix binge or watched the ice skating olympic trials. Not that kind of champ, although I would totally do either of those.

Today is looking back, celebrating Irish cuisine in all of its rawness and remembering day.

The Irish, they are tough, for good reason.

Irish cuisine took a beating through its history. The English Conquest stripped Ireland of its cuisine by diverting their agricultural goods to England to feed its conquering armies. At times, the only food the Irish could afford to eat were potatoes, the reason why todays menu of Irish cuisine almost always includes potatoes. It is also one of three reasons why a third of the Irish population perished during the Great Hunger, or as we know it on this side of the pond, the Irish Potato Famine.

The other two reasons as I understand it include a monoculture potato crop and a potato blight. This means there wasn’t enough genetic diversity in the potato to fight off a potato blight.

Hopefully we can learn and not repeat the mistakes of the past. That’s the purpose of studying history isn’t it?

What is Irish Champ?

Irish Champ is a simple Irish food made of potatoes, milk, green onions, butter and cheese. This is similar to Colcannon which uses cabbage instead of scallions.

If you can make mashed potatoes from scratch, you can make Champ. One of the things I love about recipes like this is that you can scale up or down without really using a recipe. Just cook as many potatoes as you have mouths to feed, add some dairy and onions and everybody is happy.

Another thing I really like about this recipe, it’s made of potatoes! Some people are crazy over noodles or pasta, for me it’s potatoes and cheese. This dish has both.

How do you make Irish Champ?

You make this just like you would mashed potatoes. Peel and chop the potatoes, boil in water until tender, mash with remaining ingredients and serve. Traditionally this dish was served with cheese so I add this in the end. A good sharp, assertive cheese is perfect.

More Irish Recipes

Try these recipes the next time you want to try some traditional Irish food, definitely save this for St. Patricks Day.

  • Colcannon – A traditional mashed potato recipe made with cabbage or kale.
  • Boxty – A potato pancake similar to a latke.
  • Irish Stew – Lamb and potato stew, hearty and tasty.
  • Irish Soda Bread – A dense, easy bread that bakes quickly without the need for rise times.
  • Champ – Another amazing mashed potato recipe with green onions, buttermilk, butter and cheese.

Do you have any favorite potato or Irish recipes? Please share, do tell!

Bon appetite or Dea Mhaith!

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What people are saying about this recipe

“Made this for a work potluck. Went quickly (first time I had nothing left at a potluck!) I had even made extra. People were thanking me for bringing it.”

-Julianne

“Will definitely make this ! Looks wonderful!!

-Kristy

Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and comment below! Take a picture and tag us @FusionCraftiness #FusionCraftiness on Instagram for a chance to be featured in our Insta Stories:)

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Traditional Irish Champ Recipe

Yield: 5

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Traditional Irish Champ Recipe. With only five ingredients, this authentic Irish potato recipe is both easy and tasty. You can easily feed a crowd with this traditional Irish dish. Perfect for St. Patricks Day!

Ingredients

  • 3 lb starchy potatoes, peeled and
  • 4 Tbs butter plus a little more for garnish
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 6 green onions (scallions), chopped, plus a little more for garnish
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 4 oz shredded sharp cheese like Dunmore, Asiago, aged Cheddar, Comte etc.

Instructions

  1. Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender.
  2. Drain potatoes and return to same pot off heat.
  3. Add next 5 ingredient and mash until desired consistency.
  4. Serve in bowls, make a shallow well and place a pat of butter, sprinkle with additional green onions ad cheese.
  5. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:

Yield: 5Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 581Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 823mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 6gSugar: 6gProtein: 23g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

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Traditional Irish Champ Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between Colcannon and champ? ›

Colcannon is made with cabbage or kale while champ is made by flavoring milk with green onions, then mixing them into mashed potatoes. To finish the dish off, it's mixed with melted butter.

What does champ mean in Ireland? ›

Champ (brúitín in Irish) is an Irish dish of mashed potatoes with scallions, butter and milk. Champ. Alternative names. Poundies.

What is champ mash made of? ›

Irish champ is similar to colcannon but is made by blending green onions or scallions with creamy mashed potatoes. It's great on its own, served steaming hot with extra butter on top, but it's also a perfect side dish for good quality sausages.

Is colcannon the same as bubble and squeak? ›

Simply put, Champ and Colcannon are essentially boiled potatoes with the addition of Cabbage, in the case of Colcannon, and Onions in the case of Champ. Bubble and squeak is left over potatoes, cabbage and any veg you have left over. Fried in butter or lard. don't use vegi oil if you want a proper bubble and squeak.

Why is colcannon important to Ireland? ›

We love the traditions of Ireland, especially when it comes to the food! Colcannon is a hearty dish that has been eaten on Halloween night for years. Traditionally, a ring was hidden in the dish, and whoever was to find it would be likely to marry in the upcoming year!

What is Mickey slang for in Ireland? ›

Mickey/Mick—In Ireland, the term “Mickey” or “Mick” can be used to refer to a person's private parts, particularly in a light-hearted or joking manner. However, it's important to note that this usage can be seen as vulgar or offensive in some situations.

What does champ mean slur? ›

Not knowing that “champ”, in prison slang, is a grotesque sexual slur that means anything but “champion”. The gritty, breathtaking scene is part of an engrossing sub-plot that bring home the brutality of life behind bars in the third and final season of the star-studded homegrown show, which launches today on Foxtel.

What is champ called in English? ›

Champ is shorthand for champion — in other words, a winner or a victor. You might describe your favorite football team as a bunch of champs after they win the World Series. Another way to use the word champ is as a verb meaning "chomp," especially the way a horse bites nervously or eagerly at its bit.

What makes a champ? ›

A champion has the courage to risk failure, knowing that setbacks are lessons to learn from. A champion uses an event to gain greater self-knowledge as well as feedback on physical improvement. A champion trains their thought processes as well as their body to produce a total approach to performance.

What does it take to be a champ? ›

All champions have enormous courage to go after their goals. They are not afraid of failure. They take calculated risks. Have compassion for every member of your team and treat everyone with respect.

Who is the easiest lol champ to play? ›

If you're just learning League of Legends, Champions like Annie and Lux are much easier to use. Annie is often called one of the easiest Champions in League of Legends. Her kit is set up to let her play pretty safely and keep enemies off of her.

What is the origin of the Irish champ? ›

Champ became popular in Ireland as a simple yet nutritious food that people could afford during the times of famine and political upheavals. The basic idea behind the champ was a simple and delicious dish that could be easily made using the ingredients that are available in all seasons.

What's the difference between mash and champ? ›

Both Irish dishes, Champ is mashed potatoes with chopped spring onions (scallions) and milk. Colcannon is Champ with the addition of cabbage and sometimes some herbs.

What are Irish potatoes called? ›

Solanum tuberosum (Irish Potato, Irish Potatoes, Pomme de Terre, Potato, Potatoes, White Potato, White Potatoes) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.

Why do they call it colcannon? ›

The word colcannon is derived from the Gaelic term cal ceannann, which means "white-headed cabbage" — the vegetable most commonly mixed with potatoes in this dish. It's often served alongside Irish meats, and is made by combining potatoes and greens (usually cabbage, but kale and other leafy greens are sometimes used).

What is Irish colcannon made of? ›

Colcannon is an Irish dish that's made of mashed potatoes, shredded cabbage or kale, green onions and tons of butter and whole milk. Sometimes crumbled bacon is added for an extra-succulent, salty flavor.

What does champ consist of? ›

Champ is a traditional, popular Irish side dish. It's simply made with potatoes mashed with butter and milk infused with scallions (spring onion). The results are tasty, mildly onion-flavored mashed potatoes, ready in 20 minutes with just 4 ingredients.

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