Scottish Rumbledethumps with creamy mashed potato, cabbage and onion under a golden melted cheddar topping in a baking dish.
Scotland

Scottish Rumbledethumps (Potato Bake)

Buttery Scottish mashed potatoes baked with cabbage and cheese.

Servings 6
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Difficulty Easy
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 lb russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 9 oz Savoy cabbage, about 5-6 cups thinly sliced
  • 2 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for the cooking water
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 250 g Savoy cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
  • 2 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 70 g unsalted butter, divided
  • 100 g mature cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for the cooking water
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Butter a medium baking dish lightly and set it aside.
  2. Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold salted water and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until completely tender.
  3. While the potatoes cook, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned.
  4. Add the sliced cabbage and another tablespoon of butter. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring regularly, until the cabbage wilts and becomes tender.
  5. Drain the potatoes well, return them to the hot pot and let them sit for a minute so excess moisture can evaporate. Nobody invited watery mashed potatoes.
  6. Add the remaining butter, salt and black pepper. Mash until creamy, leaving a little texture rather than beating the potatoes completely smooth.
  7. Fold in the cooked cabbage and onions until evenly distributed. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  8. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer without packing it down too firmly.
  9. Scatter the cheddar evenly over the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and developed a few golden-brown spots.
  10. Let the Rumbledethumps rest for 5 minutes, then spoon it straight from the baking dish and serve hot.

Cultural Context

Rumbledethumps is familiar in the Scottish Borders, where potatoes and cabbage make sturdy, economical cooking built for cold weather and hungry tables. Versions vary: some include onions, some don’t, and modern recipes commonly add a layer of cheddar before baking. It belongs to the same practical family as Irish colcannon and English bubble and squeak, but it keeps its own gloriously Scottish name. Historically, dishes like this also made good use of cooked potatoes and vegetable leftovers from another meal.

Fun Fact

The most popular explanation for “Rumbledethumps” is wonderfully literal: the name echoes the rumbling and thumping made while potatoes and cabbage were vigorously mixed in a pot. Proven beyond doubt? No. Much more entertaining than calling it “potato and cabbage casserole”? Absolutely!

Cook’s Tip

Savoy cabbage gives Rumbledethumps a tender texture and mild flavor, but green cabbage or kale works well too. Skip the onions if you prefer the simpler potato-and-cabbage version or swap them for sliced leeks.

Mature cheddar brings the sharpest flavor; use a good sharp cheddar if Scottish cheese isn’t available. Leftover mashed potatoes make this especially convenient, although you may need less butter.

For a richer mash, stir in a small splash of warm milk. To make it vegetarian, serve it with a meat-free main; the dish itself contains no meat.

Trivia

Rumbledethumps had a brief brush with British political fame in 2009 when then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown contributed his version to a charity cookbook and called it a favorite. Potatoes, cabbage and cheese suddenly had a news cycle. Not bad work for leftovers.

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