Bubble and squeak might sound like an unusual name for a meal, but this traditional British dish is so easy, comforting and delicious, you’ll soon forgive the name. Plus it’s the perfect recipe to use up leftover vegetables.
British cooking has its fair share of strange-sounding names for foods: spotted dick, toad in the hole, and Yorkshire pudding (which is savory) among them. If you haven’t come across bubble and squeak before now, then it’s another to add to the list. And another that you need to try!
Why is bubble and squeak called bubble and squeak?
The origins of the name are unclear, and the ingredients of this dish can vary a lot as well.
Some believe the name “bubble and squeak” comes from the bubbling up and noise as the vegetables are cooking over the fire.
What is bubble and squeak?
What is clear is that this dish is fried leftover vegetables.
It is a typical way of using the leftovers after a traditional Sunday roast dinner or Christmas dinner. Since both of these meals would pretty much always include potatoes, that’s the one ingredient that is always consistent in bubble and squeak.
Mashed potato acts as the ‘glue’ for the other ingredients, which can be cooked cabbage, Brussels sprouts, or sometimes carrots and/or peas. Many versions add some meat as well, whether that’s leftover roast or some bacon cooked in the pan before you add the rest of the ingredients.
Bubble and squeak: a unique recipe to make with leftovers
There are, of course, many ways to use leftover vegetables, so you may be wondering what makes this dish special. The answer is that in bubble and squeak, the vegetables are always fried.
Then, you need to leave things alone in the skillet to cook long enough to get the bottom a bit browned and crispy. (Kind of like a hash, but with mashed potatoes that hold the other vegetables together, making it more like a thick, vegetable pancake.)
Often, it is made as one large cake in a small to medium skillet, but you can also make smaller patties.
If you cook it all as one, you typically stir things as you go to warm it all through before then pressing it down to crisp up on the bottom. If in patties, you leave them so they don’t fall apart then flip them once browned.
What is the difference between colcannon and bubble and squeak?
In case you are thinking this dish looks a bit familiar, just not with this name, that’s quite possible.
This dish is very typical in England but is similar to other dishes that are popular in Ireland and Scotland.
Probably the best known is colcannon from Ireland, which is a popular side to corned beef for a St Patrick’s Day meal, particularly in the United States. Colcannon is still relatively popular in Ireland, particularly as a way to use up leftover mashed potatoes.
Colcannon is made with mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale, as well as typically leeks.
Unlike bubble and squeak, colcannon is much creamier in texture, more like mashed potatoes with vegetables mixed in than the vegetable pancake of bubble and squeak.
Similar recipes to use leftover vegetables and potatoes
There is also a Scottish dish that is similar to bubble and squeak called rumbledethumps.
Like colcannon, this dish is made with mashed potatoes and usually cabbage or kale and onion. Swede can also be added, which is a common vegetable in Scotland (although less popular now).
Rumbledethumps is generally made as a casserole so that the top crisps up.
Another popular ways to use leftover potatoes are to make potato pancakesor potato farl as they are known in Scotland. (In Switzerland, Potato pancakes are called rosti.) These make a great component to a traditional fried breakfast (alongside bacon, sausages, fried tomato, and egg).
When would you typically eat bubble and squeak?
This dish can be served as a hearty breakfast, often topped with an egg.
Alternatively, it can be a main meal in itself or served as a side to some leftover roast meat.
Since a roast dinner (often involving roast beef or lamb alongside roasted or mashed potatoes and other vegetables) is common on Sundays in England, this dish is a classic Monday meal.
Bubble and squeak for Boxing Day
It’s also something many associate with Boxing Day to use up leftovers from Christmas dinner. (Boxing day is celebrated in the UK and other countries with British influence on the day after Christmas.)
In the UK, a traditional Christmas meal is very similar to an American Thanksgiving meal. You typically serve turkey with potatoes (most commonly roasted), one or more types of stuffing, and Brussels sprouts.
Bubble and squeak is a tasty, hearty dish that’s a great way to use up leftovers. It’s also so versatile in when you can serve it and what exactly goes in it.
So give it a try, and adapt it often!
Yield: 2 servings (1 - 8 inch skillet)
Bubble and squeak is a traditional British dish that is a comforting and delicious recipe to make with leftover vegetables.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Ingredients
- ½ small-medium onion, diced
- 2-3 slices of smoked bacon, cut into slices
- 8-10 cooked Brussels sprouts* (approx 1 cup), shredded or cooked cabbage
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 8 oz mashed potato** (approx 1 cup)
- Eggs to fry (optional)
Instructions
- Finely dice the onion. Cut the bacon into thin slices. And slice/shred the Brussels sprouts.
- Warm the butter in a small (8 inch) nonstick skillet over a medium-high heat and add the onion and bacon. Cook for a few minutes until the onion softens and the bacon starts to brown.
- Add the shredded Brussels sprouts and cook for a few minutes until they start to brown.
- Mix in the mashed potatoes so they are evenly distributed then flatten the mixture in the skillet. Leave the mixture to cook a few minutes (around 5) so that the bottom browns slightly.
- Place a plate over the skillet and flip it over so the vegetable cake falls onto the plate. Add a little bit more butter, if needed, to the skillet, then slide the mixture back into the skillet with what was the top on the bottom. Cook another few minutes until browned on the other side.
- Turn the bubble and squeak onto a plate. If you want to serve it with a fried egg, you can just fry it in the same skillet.
Notes
*If you don't have ready-cooked Brussels sprouts, you can cook them quickly in the microwave. Just trim the base, remove the outer leaves, cut them in half and put all pieces in a microwavable container with a little water. They should cook in around 2 minutes on high power.
**You can use ready mashed, boiled, baked or roasted potatoes for this. Just trim off any overly crispy parts and the skin, then mash them up to use in this dish.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1/2 of recipe
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 531
If you liked this recipe, here are some similar dishes you may enjoy!
- Cottage Pie
- Homity Pie (British Cheesy Potato Leek Pie)
- Corned Beef Hash
- Swiss Potato Rosti With Eggs
- British Fish Pie
- Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes)
- Hachis Parmentier (French Beef and Potato Casserole) and Merlot Pairing #MerlotMe
- Sweet Potato Hash Breakfast Skillet
Caroline
Caroline lived and traveled various places before settling in Cambridge, MA. She still fits in some travel with her family, but often settles for traveling through food instead. She shares her recipes at CarolinesCooking.com, where there’s plenty of international inspiration using seasonal ingredients, as well as creative recipes for all to enjoy. Caroline is originally from Scotland, where she grew up hiking and skiing, both things she still loves to do when her two young boys give her a chance. You can follow along with her cooking adventures on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.
