Mustard Champ - An Easy and Flavorful Irish Side Dish

Mustard champ is a simple and flavorful Irish potato side dish that is made from mashed potatoes, spring onions, Irish butter and milk or cream.

If you’re craving some home-cooking with a kick, this traditional Irish side dish will compliment any meal on St. Patrick’s Day or any day of year. This mash can even be used as the topping for fish pie, shepherd's pie or cottage pie. Learn how to make it here.

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What's In Mustard Champ?

Champ is an Irish mashed potato dish featuring spring onions. Mashed potatoes mixed with butter and half and half are the ultimate side dish, but layer on a hint of mustard, and this champ recipe takes on a whole new level of deliciousness.

This champ has universal appeal and is perfect as a side to pretty much any meal. Who wouldn't love creamy mashed potatoes with their meal?

This quick and easy side dish is extremely flavorful, cheap, and simple to make. Plus, it can be served as a side for almost anything.

Serve this champ recipe with Flavor Loaded Guinness Marinated Steaks, Budget Friendly Salmon Fish Cakes, this Apricot Glazed Corned Beef or these Whiskey Pork Chops.

Easily made in advance, this mustard mash comes together quickly and easily. If you need to feed a crowd, then simply go ahead and double or even triple the quantities for this recipe. You just need a mighty big pot to cook your spuds.

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between colcannon and champ?

Both are Irish potato side dishes. However, champ is mashed potatoes with chopped spring onions (green onions or scallions) and creamy milk. Colcannon is mashed potatoes mixed with chopped cooked kale or cabbage and sometimes chopped herbs and onions.

What You'll Need to Make Irish Mustard Champ

Potatoes - Russet potatoes are the best option, washed and unpeeled, but any starchy potato should work well. In Ireland I use Rooster or Maris Piper potatoes for this recipe. King Edward spuds also work great.

Half and half - Half and half makes these potatoes nice and creamy; for a lightened-up version, use half whole milk. You can also use half heavy whipping cream and half milk.

Butter - Salted or unsalted butter work fine in this mustard champ recipe. When you use salted butter, you can adjust the final amount of salt you add at the end.

Wholegrain mustard - Wholegrain mustard gives this mustard champ its distinctive flavor, so don't make any substitutions here. The mustard seeds add some extra texture to this dish.

Green onions - Green onions or scallions complement the flavors of this champ nicely. Wash and slice them thinly. You can also use chives if you don't have any green onions.

Salt and pepper - Add salt and pepper to taste.

I don't ue any garlic in my champ. I find the flavor is too strong and not distinctively Irish.

Parsley for garnish is a nice touch for serving this mashed potato recipe.

Equipment for Making Champ

Here's the kitchen equipment and tools you'll need to make this comforting champ over the stove.

2 Medium Saucepans

Sharp Knife to peel the cooked potatoes

Potato masher

Directions for Recipe

I like to boil the potatoes in their skins since this retains some of their starchiness and makes a flourier champ.

It will take about 20 minutes until they're fork tender.

Drain the spuds, and place them in a colander to allow them to cool enough to handle them.

Peel the potatoes by skewering them with a fork and removing the outer peel with a sharp knife. Return the peeled potatoes to the saucepan.

Next heat up the liquids that will be used to make the mash. Add the half-and-half, butter, mustard, and spring onions to another saucepan.

Bring to a simmering point over medium to low heat. Do this slowly, and do not allow the milk to boil.

Mash the potatoes in the other saucepan. Next, it's time to add the heated creamy mustard mixture to the potatoes. Reserve two tablespoons so that you don't make the potatoes too wet initially. Mix into the potatoes. Add the additional half-and-half only if necessary.

The mashed potato should not be too wet. The exact amount required depends on the potatoes' starchiness - season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve these potatoes warm.

Storing Mustard Mash

If you make a big batch of this mash you can store it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Keep it an airtight container. Reheat it in the microwave before serving.

Mashed potatoes can be frozen but their texture tends to change slightly. If you wish to freeze these potatoes, I recommend freezing the cooked mashed potatoes, before adding the milk and mustard mixture.

Place the cooled mashed potatoes in an airtight, freezer proof container or freezer bag. Remove any excess air. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost fully before reheating.

Microwave the defrosted mashed potatoes for a few minutes so that they are warmed through. Prepare the cream or half-and-half mustard mixture as outlined above. Mix through the reheated potatoes and serve.

Recipe Card

Here's the printable recipe card if you'd like to save this champ recipe in your kitchen files.

Video Instructions for Making Irish Mustard Champ

Here's a short video about how to make mustard champ...

Alternate Potato Recipes

If you love this recipe for Mustard Champ, you may enjoy these recipes as well:

• Floury Mashed Potatoes Irish Style
• Onion and Potato Soup
• Potato and Chive Salad
• Irish Potato Cakes
• Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Irish Style

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