Bubble and Squeak
- SERVES
- 5
- COOK TIME
- 30 Min
The potatoes bubble in the pan and the cabbage squeaks while cooking, so of course, this classic go-along with roots all over the United Kingdom has earned its unusual name. Bubble and Squeak is a great side dish for corned beef for St. Patrick's Day or any day.
What You'll Need
- 5 potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1/2 pound bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 head cabbage, coarsely shredded
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
What to Do
- Place potatoes in a soup pot and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender; drain in a colander and allow potatoes to sit in the colander.
- In the same soup pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp; drain all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.
- Return potatoes to the pot. Add the cabbage, water, and salt, and cook over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.
Note
We suggest topping off this meal with a proper English trifle!
If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to check out our collection of 17 Easy Cabbage Recipes.
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djaysires 8365842
Jan 22, 2018
This is very good, and a great way to use leftovers. I have actually made it with canned potatoes, and once with a stray package of frozen hash brown cubes I found in the freezer.(only because I didn't have any other potatoes on hand) Just have to tweak a bit, but still tasted fantastic! Thanks for posting this Mr. Food!
noah11 7976731
Aug 15, 2017
Recipe states 5 potatoes. Is that small, medium or large potatoes? Also recipe states 1 head of cabbage. Is that a small head, medium head or large head? Perhaps it doesn't matter. Thanks.
Member 2112985
Feb 01, 2015
Love this, but I did add a few things. After crisping the bacon, I added a large white onion sliced thin, 5 cloves of chopped garlic, 3 ribs of chopped celery. Then added cabbage, and cooked potatoes. Cooked gently till cabbage was tender. The smell was intoxicating. So delicious served with baked ham and spicy mustard.
lizwilson1939 4031 516
Mar 02, 2014
I have made this dish for 54 years now Myhusband used to call it my ''old Irish dinner.''When money's tight it goes a long way, and feeds alot of hungry teens, who are now cooking it for their teens, by the way
katzmews 1011639
Jan 30, 2014
I love Bubble and Squeak and think I will try the British version first. Really glad to find both of these recipes.
brtxldy76 8560892
Oct 03, 2013
Your version looks good but the English way of cooking it is different On Sundays if you have mashed or plain boiled potatoes and cabbage as side dishes for dinner the potatoes and cabbage are used the following day for lunch or dinner with some kind of meat Bacon can be used as the cooking agent for the mix So crispy bacon crumbled save the drippings Losely mix together the potatoes and cabbage crisp the bacon and save for later pour off about half of the drippings and save Gently put the mixed cabbage and potatoes in the hot drippings carefully stir them around and get them hot they will bubble and squeak when hot fit them to the pan brown the underside of the pancake turn over and brown the other side If needed add some bacon drippings as the pancake may burn You can at this point add some…Read More of the crumbled bacon When completely hot place on a platter cut into slices and enjoy with the rest of the bacon YUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMM
heelermom
Mar 07, 2014
Very similar to what I grew up with. Left over mashed potatoes, with left over steamed cabbage, except that bacon was a luxury in our house. My English Grandma would melt butter in a cast iron frying pan, then add the potatoes and cabbage until it was nice and hot and the potatoes were slightly browned. She also did a similar recipe with potatoes and left over mashed turnip. I can;;t remember what she called that dish. Both were awesome
padeane1 7009234
Apr 14, 2020
Agree I still make it over here It's called Poncemipe a Welsh dish, here's the recipe link http//thewelshyankie.blogspot.com/2013/01/ponchm == ipe.html
doneply 1908784
May 11, 2013
This is great but I like GREAT NORTHERN BEANS and Cornbread to go along with it. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
noah11 7976731
Mar 12, 2013
I made this several months ago. I really like this recipe not only for its taste but for its ease of putting together. I will definitely make it again.
marthakelly2 33268 81
Mar 04, 2013
I love this recipe, just kicked it up a notch with a little red pepper flakes and a bit of onion...delicious with country pork chops
ladyoflight46 8714 884
Oct 04, 2013
I've been making this for years and I, too, add onion and sometimes sliced smoked sausage or hot links. One of our favorites.
mrapien 1628415
Oct 27, 2012
My mom made this when I was young,now I make it and my daughters makes it. We love this dish.
lcollins 4993649
Oct 08, 2012
We love this dish, I used a bit more water and about 3/4 pound of bacon and a small chopped onion, delicious.
1 Brit
Mar 20, 2012
This is not like any bubble & squeek we ever had growing up. It was made from leftover mashed potatos and boiled cabbage mashed together. seperated into pattys, Lightly fried in butter until crispy on the outside.
The Whistling Woma n
Sep 25, 2012
That sounds good. A few years ago one of the restaurants in Colonial Williamsburg had Bubble & Squeek on the menu. We tried it, but think it may have been served in "patties" similar to what you described.
dearcat
Oct 17, 2012
Hi Brit. I thought something was wrong with the above recipe. My friend, Beatrice, used to make Bubble and Squeak. She came from Shropshire. When I saw the recipe, I was going to talk to ma friend in Manchester and ask her what was wrong. I do love it. as ever, dearcat
1ladyburd49 557847 6
Mar 17, 2012
I cut this recipe down a lot as there were only two of us. I also used new red potatoes unpeeled and cut in chunks which made it very pretty. I also added sliced onion when I added the cabbage which was really good. We had pork roast with it as we do not care for corned beef. We both thought it to be a very tasty meal. I would definitely make it again.
bamdog2004 7791641
Mar 17, 2012
This suggest a proper English trifle for dessert but there are not true English trifle recipes on here Here is the true English trifle recipe inch sponge cake cut in cubes cup seedless raspberry jam ounces fresh raspberries fluid ounces heavy cream egg yolks tablespoons white sugar fluid ounces heavy cream ounces sliced almonds Directions Spread a little jam on each piece of cake and place in the bottom of a large glass bowl Sprinkle raspberries over cake Heat fl oz cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat While the cream is heating beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale yellow and smooth Strain yolk mixture into a clean bowl Pour hot cream into egg yolks and stir vigorously Return mixture to pan over low heat and cook stirring until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon Remove from heat and allow to cool While…Read More custard is cooling whip fl oz cream until soft peaks form Place almonds on a baking sheet and toast in a degree oven or toaster oven stirring frequently until golden to minutes Spread cooled custard over cake in bowl Top with whipped cream and toasted almonds Chill hours before serving
1 Brit
Mar 20, 2012
not bad bam, but you forgot the Jelly, jello to no-brits:0) Cake in the bottom, pour Jelly of choice over cake peices, (spice it up with a little brandy) let set, Pour custard over set jelly, add whipped cream and top with sprinkles, yum!!
Red Headed Strange r
Mar 14, 2013
I'm never happy serving trifles because they look like a shipwreck once I try to scoop out the servings, no matter how careful I am. Any suggestions or is this just the way it's going to serve?
bobjackie 4528284
Mar 15, 2012
Just made this for supper and I must admit the is indeed one of the best recipes I have made lately. I added polish sausage and the taste was out of this world. This is definitely a keeper.
wrshoppe 0363061
Mar 15, 2012
I watched Mr. Food prepare this meal on TV. The comment made as of why the work squeak is in the name was not correct. Squeak comes from the bacon made from pig. Pig is known as Squeak, therefore the name Squeak. BTY, sounds like a great dish.
bamdog2004 7791641
Mar 17, 2012
Sorry wrshoppe you are wrong about the squeak part. Here is the true meaning of the word squeak. The first reference to the meal is from a rather surprising source - Thomas Bridges' 'A burlesque translation of Homer', 1770: "We therefore cooked him up a dish Of lean bull-beef, with cabbage fry'd, ... Bubble, they call this dish, and squeak." The Homer in that work would be more at home in the Simpsons as in the Iliad, so perhaps it isn't all that surprising. Francis Grose was a collaborator in that work. He goes on to give a definition of 'bubble and squeak' in his 'Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue', 1785, which indicated how the dish got its name: "Bubble and Squeak, beef and cabbage fried together. It is so called from its bubbling up and squeaking whilst over the fire."
Bo b
Jul 19, 2012
I thought maybe the name came about from the noises emmanatiing from those partaking of the dish.
miketech 9047650
Mar 14, 2012
I'm sorry i did not mention that we tend to make large volumes to enjoy for a week or more and to freeze for later. That is the reason my comment was for 3 gallons.
miketech 9047650
Mar 14, 2012
We make this in a 3 gallon stock pot with a large head of cabbage, several pounds of peeled cut up potatoes, a chopped up onion and a pound of Polish Sausage that is cut in 1/4 inch slices. Spray bottom of pot with vegetable spray. First cook the chopped cabbage and onion in enough water to cover. Cook until tender. Then add the potatoes and allow to cook until tender (adding more water to almost fill pot). Add the Polish Sausage in last ten minutes (so it won't get tough) and then salt and pepper to taste. This makes a good thick soup that goes well with crumbled cornbread.
SUZAG
Mar 14, 2012
I am so glad to see this, when ever I would tell people the name of my dish, they wouldn't believe that was the real name...LOL Mine is made more like Corned Beef Hash with potatoes,carrots, cabbage, onion and corned beef, usually all left over from cooking the corned beef in a dutch oven with the other veggies. It's what I make with the leftovers. Yum, I like it better than the first meal of corned beef!
Jeanpjames 4372949
Aug 30, 2012
In Yorkshire, England, we use any or all leftover veggies, ( potatoes, swede called routabago here, and cabbage ) put some butter in a large frying pan, mix all the veg together and fry till caramelized, eat with leftover cold meat from any roast joint, especially nice with pork and apple sauce!! Oooohhhh sooooo good! And bubble and squeek is what your tummy does after eating it!!! But so worth it.
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