Spinach, scallion and garlic mashed potato recipe

This tasty recipe for spinach, scallion and garlic mashed potato is a great way to add flavour (and extra vitamins) to your mash

Vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free, healthy, side dish

Prep: 10 mins  |  Cook: 20  mins  |  Total time: 30 mins

Serves 2

Spinach, scallion and garlic mashed potato is my take on traditional Irish champ – a creamy potato dish of milk, butter and scallions. My granny Hughes used to make amazing champ and I would eat plateful after plateful. It really is delicious just on its own as well as a great side dish. The ultimate comfort food.

My version adds extra greens for a nutritional boost. Spinach is rich in a number of vitamins and minerals. I replace the milk and butter with olive oil. You could also make this using Irish rapeseed oil, such as Broighter Gold. The garlic boils with the potatoes until they are completely soft and mash right in with the potatoes. The garlic flavour is fairly mellow – like roasted garlic.

Ingredients

• 4 medium floury potatoes, such as maris piper (peeled and cut into even chunks)
• 4 scallions (trimmed and finely sliced)
• 2 fat garlic cloves (peeled)
• 2 big handfuls of spinach (chopped, stems removed)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Boil the potatoes and garlic cloves in salted water until very tender
2. Drain the potatoes and place the pan back on a low heat to steam off any excess water
3. Add a couple of generous glugs of olive oil, adding more for creamier texture or being more conservative if you are watching your calories
4. Add salt and pepper to taste
5. Mash vigorously, until smooth
6. Stir in the scallions and spinach with a wooden spoon
7. Let it sit on the low heat until you are ready to serve, so it’s nice and hot
8. Enjoy!

Try serving this alongside my wine roasted vegetables for a dinner that’s big on taste and loaded with veggies. I’ve also had a big plateful of this topped with a poached egg for a comforting lunch.