Easy Bubble and Squeak Recipe (2024)

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This is my quick and easy Bubble and Squeak- a delicious and traditional way to use up leftover mashed potato and cabbagefrom your roast dinner.
Easy Bubble and Squeak Recipe (1)

This is my ULTIMATE Monday night speedy dinner. It's also one of the best ways to get the kids to eat their green veg, well one of mine anyway - the other one managed to pick most of it out, but a few bits definitely got past the green veg defences.

You can add in more veg - such as carrots or peas if you like. Or you can serve it with something other than eggs and bacon (cheese-topped beans, or even just a good glug of leftover gravy!).
The whole point of this dish is to use up those leftovers in a comforting, hearty dinner.

What is bubble and squeak?

Most sources would define it as a breakfast dish made up of a mixture of leftover mashed potatoes and cabbage that've been fried up until browned. Sometimes with the addition of more vegetables.
It can be fried as small burger-sized patties, as one big pan in a larger patty if you like it to look neat and even. Or if you prefer, you can fry it all up and keep moving it around the pan, mixing often. This results in a messier looking bubble and squeak, but with more browned bits, as they're mixed throughout.

Is it the same as colcannon?

The base ingredients of mashed potato and cabbage are the same, but the Irish dish of Colcannon often uses kale or white cabbage instead of savoy cabbage. The mash would usually be freshly made hot mash, made with milk, cream, butter, salt and pepper. It also wouldn't be fried. Sometimes colcannon also includes spring onions/scallions too, although I see this more in American versions of colcannon.

Rumbledethumps - a Scottish dish - also uses the same base of mashed potato (with cream, butter, salt and pepper) and cabbage with the addition of sautéed onions. Sometimes the mixture is transferred to a tin and baked until browned. If it's baked, sometimes cheese is sprinkled on top too.

Bubble and squeak takes me right back to my childhood. The name supposedly comes from the sound the cabbage makes whilst cooking in the pan. I've listened hard, and I may have heard the slightest squeak occasionally!

What do we need to make it?

Easy Bubble and Squeak Recipe (2)

Steps for making it:

(see full instructions and quantities in the recipe card below):

Mix leftover mashed potato in a bowl with leftover cooked cabbage, salt and pepper.
Melt butter in a pan with a little oil and add in the bubble and squeak. Fry for 5-7 minutes, then ruffle the top of the bubble and squeak with a fork. Brush with a little melted butter and oil and place under a hot grill until golden brown.
Top with crispy bacon, poached egg and parsley before serving.

Easy Bubble and Squeak Recipe (3)

Top tips:

  • Add more veg from your roast dinner - chopped sprouts, broccoli, carrots and peas make great additions.
  • Kale is a fine substitute instead of savoy cabbage.
  • Be sure to brush with butter and a little oil before grilling to get a lovely browned crispy top
  • Sprinkle with Maldon salt before serving. Maldon salt and potatoes are a match made in heaven

Can you make it into patties instead?

Yes, you can make into 6-8 individual patties. Dust them with flour and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper (this will give a nice crispy crust on the patties), then fry in the pan with a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of vegetable oil, turning once, until golden brown on both sides and hot throughout (about 5-6 minutes). You'll probably have to work in two batches to prevent overcrowding the pan.

Easy Bubble and Squeak Recipe (4)

What can I serve it with?

Go with the bacon and eggs like me, plus a good glug of brown sauce (or ketchup if you prefer). Or how about:

  • Baked beans - served smoky with the addition of a little chipotle or smoked paprika. Some fried chorizo in there would be great too!
  • With cold slices of leftover meat from your roast dinner, perhaps with a some pickles and cheese
  • Drizzled with leftover gravy from your roast dinner

More things to make with leftover mashed potato:

  • Fish pie with cheesy mash
  • Baked Spinach and Goats Cheese Croquettes
  • Cottage pie with rich gravy
  • Baked Cheesy Potato Croquettes
  • Kale and Bacon Mashed Potatoes

Craving a roast dinner now so you can have all of those lovely leftovers?

Here's my roast beef dinner post (plus free printable guide if you sign up to my mailing list).

The video:

Watch me show you exactly how to make this delicious Bubble and Squeak on YouTube:

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Easy Bubble and Squeak Recipe (5)

Bubble and Squeak

By: Nicky Corbishley

Quick and easy Bubble and Squeak- a delicious and traditional way to use up leftover mashed potato and cabbage from your roast dinner.

4.67 from 3 votes

Rate this Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Brunch, Dinner

Cuisine British

Servings 4 people

Calories 311 kcal

Ingredients

Bubble and Squeak:

  • 700 g (3 cups) leftover mashed potato - this doesn't have to be exact
  • 200 g (3 cups) leftover choppedcooked cabbage - again this doesn't have to be exact - I like to use savoy cabbage
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp butter - salted or unsalted is fine
  • 2 tbsp veg oil

Serve with:

  • grilled crispy bacon - chopped, I used 6 rashers/strips
  • salt and pepper
  • poached eggs
  • fresh parsley - chopped
  • brown sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat the grill (broiler). Then in a bowl, mix the cabbage with the mashed potato, salt, and pepper.

    700 g (3 cups) leftover mashed potato, 200 g (3 cups) leftover choppedcooked cabbage, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper

  • Add half a tablespoon of butter and half a tablespoon of oil to each of two medium (20cm diameter) frying pans *Note 1

    2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp veg oil

  • Heat the pans over a medium-high heat until the butter is melted and bubbling.

  • Add half of the bubble and squeak mixture to each pan and squash down using a spatula to completely cover the base of the pan.

  • Fry for 5-7 minutes until the edges start to brown then ruffle the top of the bubble and squeak using a fork (the more ruffled, the more crispy bits).

  • Melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter and mix with the remaining 1 tbsp oil, then brush the top of the bubble and squeak with the mixture.

  • Place under the grill and grill for 4-5 minutes until golden brown.

  • Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped bacon, salt, and pepper. Top each with a poached egg or two and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

    grilled crispy bacon, salt and pepper, poached eggs, fresh parsley

  • Serve thebubble and squeak with brown sauce if you like.

    brown sauce

Video

✎ Notes

Note 1:

Make sure the pans are grill/oven proof.
If you prefer,you could use 1 large (30cm diameter) pan with 1 tbsp each of oil and butter).

Can you freeze it?

I find it's better not to freeze if you can help it.

As mashed potato defrosts, it can go watery and a little grainy, so the texture isn't quite as good. The water will evaporate upon reheating, but you don't get quitethe same texture.

If you did want to freeze it, then make the bubble and squeak into individual patties (without cooking/frying them) cover and freeze. Then defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Drain off any liquid that may be present after defrosting, then sprinkle the patties with a light dusting of flour and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Fry over a medium heat in a frying pan in melted butter and oil, turning once, until browned on both sides and hot throughout (about 5-6 minutes). You may find the patties won't stay together quite as well as if you were cooking them without freezing them, but they'll still taste great.

Also, I wouldn't recommend making the bubble and squeak and saving the leftovers. After all, this is a dish made from leftovers, so reheating those ingredients more than once isn't a good idea.

Can I make bubble and squeak in the oven?

This would be more like Scottish Rumbledethumps if baked in the oven, and whilst it would be browned on top, you wouldn't get the browned base. However, it will still taste delicious.
To do this, mix together the mash, cabbage, salt and pepper, transfer to a small baking dish, then brush with the melted butter and oil (or you could sprinkle with cheddar cheese instead) and bake in the oven at 200C/400F for 15-20 minutes until hot throughout and browned on top.

Nutritional Information is per serving (there are four servings in this recipe), excluding serving suggestion of bacon, eggs and brown sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 311kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 6gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 265mgPotassium: 697mgFiber: 5gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 700IUVitamin C: 59mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg

Keywords cabbage, leftovers

Tried this recipe?Mention @KitchenSanctuary or tag #KitchenSanctuary on Instagram!

This post was first published in February 2014. Updated in February 2020 with new photos, video, tips and recipe improvements.

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our

Easy Bubble and Squeak Recipe (6)

Hi I’m Nicky

I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

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Easy Bubble and Squeak Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the English dish bubble and squeak made of? ›

Bubble and squeak is a British dish made from cooked potatoes and cabbage, mixed together and fried. The food writer Howard Hillman classes it as one of the "great peasant dishes of the world".

What does bubble and squeak contain? ›

Bubble and squeak is a fried British dish made with potatoes and cabbage. It's quite similar to the Irish colcannon. Bubble and squeak, which often contains meat such as ham or bacon, is traditionally made on Monday with the leftovers from Sunday's dinner or on Boxing Day with leftovers from the Christmas feast.

Why do my bubble and squeak fall apart? ›

How Do You Keep Bubble and Squeak From Falling Apart? A good base of leftover mashed potatoes should help to keep your bubble and squeak glued together. If the mixture is a little loose and falling apart, try adding a sprinkle or two of flour.

Is bubble and squeak good for you to eat? ›

This traditional hot dish is a great way to use up leftover vegetables, but use the minimum amount of oil when frying to keep the fat content down. What makes a healthy, balanced diet?

What is bubble and squeak called in Ireland? ›

From there, the dish was introduced in England, and was embraced by the upper classes who probably preferred to call for the exotic sounding 'colcannon' rather than the bubble and squeak the servants were eating. In modern-day Ireland, colcannon is a tradition for Hallowe'en when charms are hidden inside the mash.

What does "bubble and squeak" mean in British slang? ›

bubble and squeak (countable and uncountable, plural bubble and squeaks) (British, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia) Cabbage and mashed potatoes etc. fried together. (Cockney rhyming slang) A Greek.

What is the difference between bubble and squeak and champ? ›

Champ is mashed potato with spring onions/scallions from Northern Ireland. Bubble and Squeak is left over potatoes, mashed with whichever veg and then fried from England. Colcannon is boiled and crushed potatoes with cabbage from ROI.

What goes well with bubble and squeak? ›

A great leftover recipe that can be made with any vegetable leftovers. Serve with a poached, fried or scrambled egg and crispy bacon or with poached smoked haddock fillets or grilled trout.

Why are leftovers called bubble and squeak? ›

The dish's name supposedly derives from the noises made when the ingredients are fried. Similar dishes, also based on fried vegetables, include colcannon (Ireland) and rumbledethumps (Scotland).

How long can you keep bubble and squeak? ›

How long will it keep? Leftover mashed potato and vegetables will keep in the fridge for up to three days. Once you have made the Bubble & Squeak you can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. I would then eat them the next day.

When was bubble and squeak invented? ›

This British dish was invented in the 18th century and gets its name from the audible bubbling up and squeaking sounds it makes while cooking over the fire.

Is bubble and squeak a southern thing? ›

Bubble and Squeak dates back to the 18th century in England and is probably the most famous dish for being made out of leftovers. It started out with cooked beef in its ingredients, but during Second World War rationing it became more common to just have the mashed vegetables.

Can you freeze bubbles and squeak? ›

Cooks tips

Yes, bubble and squeak can be frozen.

Does bubble and squeak contain egg? ›

Add the beaten egg to the mashed potato, then mix in the cabbage, spring onions and bacon with the pan juices. Season. Melt the rest of the butter and oil in the frying pan and swirl to cover the surface. Add the potato mixture and level the top, pressing it down lightly.

What is bubble and squeak in American English? ›

Bubble and squeak is a dish made from a mixture of cold cooked cabbage, potato, and sometimes meat. It can be grilled or fried. Serve with bubble and squeak.

What is the difference between colcannon and bubble and squeak? ›

Colcannon is mashed potatoes and chopped cabbage and usually chopped ham or bacon. Bubble and squeak is mashed leftover potatoes and chopped cabbage mixed up and fried as single round cake, and then sliced and served usually at breakfast.

What is a bubble in England? ›

You can form a support bubble with another household of any size if: you live by yourself – even if carers visit you to provide support. you are the only adult in your household who does not need continuous care as a result of a disability.

Is bubble and squeak part of an English breakfast? ›

It's mashed potato and finely sliced green cabbage (or spring greens) fried in a flattish cake. Often served as part of a full English breakfast: fried egg, bacon, sausage, chips or bubble, (baked) beans, grilled tomato, fried mushrooms and a fried slice (of bread).

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