28 Of The Best Recipes For St. Patrick’s Day

There is much to be said for hearty Irish cuisine and that becomes clear on St. Patrick’s Day.

From their use of green coloring to sneaking in a dram of whiskey, you may find yourself trying these dishes once and then returning to them a few weeks later.

In this guide, we will look at 25 of the best recipes for St. Patrick’s Day with a few more thrown in for good measure.

Recipes For St. Patrick’s Day

1. Potato Soup

A traditional starter should be Potato Soup and it’s so simple too. Melt butter in a saucepan and fry the diced onion with peeled, chopped potatoes then leave them to sweat.

Pour in the stock and simmer until the potatoes are tender then blitz and add cream with seasoning.  

2. Potato Leek Soup

For a variant on the traditional Potato Soup, throw in some leeks. Fry the leeks, fennel, celery, and garlic in a pot with some oil and add salt.

Cook until tender and add in mashed potatoes, stock, thyme, and a bay leaf then simmer for five minutes.

Remove the thyme and bay leaf then blitz until smooth. Stir in some lemon juice and perhaps a drizzle of olive oil. 

3. Shamrock Veggie Skewers

For a St. Patrick’s Day party, create these really easy veggie skewers.

Chop some bite-sized pieces from green peppers, cucumber, zucchini, and broccoli then thread them on skewers (you can also make shamrock shapes from the green peppers).

Ideally, serve them with a green dip.

4. Potato Scones

Yes, you can make scones out of potatoes too. Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder then rub in the cold butter.

Add the cold mashed potatoes and mix then form a well to pour in the milk until you can form balls.

Knead the dough and roll it into a quarter-inch circle to cut into triangles.

Cook the triangles in a skillet with butter over a medium heat until golden brown.

5. Champ

Champ is another easy, traditional Irish recipe. Boil the potatoes in their skins and finely chop some scallions you can cover in cold milk then bring to a boil.

Simmer the scallions and leave them to infuse off the heat while you peel and mash the potatoes then combine with the scallions and butter.

Add seasoning then serve with some butter melting in the middle.   

6. Cabbage And Corn Slaw

This is a really simple but devilishly Irish recipe. Whisk together lime juice, sour cream, cayenne paper, and salt.

Toss the mixture with shredded cabbage and sweetcorn kernels. Toss it every so often and stir in sliced green onions and cilantro. 

7. Irish Barmbrack

Not quite a cake, nor bread but traditional nonetheless. The day before, combine raisins, sultanas, sugar, and zests of orange and lemon with hot tea and leave at room temperature.

Butter a cake pan and preheat your oven to 325°F (170°C). Whisk together flour, baking powder, and mixed spice, stir in the fruit, and gradually add the eggs. 

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for around 90 minutes until golden. Leave to cool then slice and serve with some butter.  

8. Irish Soda Bread

For some, baking bread can seem quite daunting yet soda bread is reassuringly simple. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a cookie sheet.

In a bowl combine sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda then add butter and mix until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs.

Stir in caraway seeds (see also ‘4 Substitutes For Caraway Seeds‘), currants, and then buttermilk to create a dough you can knead and shape.

Place the dough ball on the cookie sheet and cut an X into the top about a quarter-inch thick.

Bake the loaf for an hour until the top is golden brown and a knife comes out clean then leave to cool. 

9. Irish Stew

Using a Dutch oven, you can create a delicious, nutritious Irish Stew. Season the beef and sear then remove to a nearby plate.

Cook the celery, onion, and carrots until soft, add seasoning, and add garlic until fragrant. 

Return the beef, add potatoes, stock, thyme, and beer, then scrape off the bottom bits.

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, season, and cover while covered until the vegetables are tender and the beef is completely cooked.   

10. Corned Beef And Cabbage

Corned beef and cabbage is a truly Irish dish that you can easily do at home.

In a large pot, cover the corned beef with onion, pale ale, bay leaves, garlic, water, and the spice packet.

Bring to a boil then cover and simmer until the beef is tender.

That should take about three hours, but half an hour before that, preheat the oven and heat a skillet pan over medium-high heat. 

Season the cabbage and cook in the pan until golden brown and place on a baking sheet.

Add the beef and roast until the beef has browned which should take about 15 minutes. Slice up the corned beef and serve with the cabbage. 

11. Topped Irish Nachos

Of course, for them to count as Irish the nachos are actually potato slices. Wash the potatoes and keep the skin on then slice into quarter-inch rounds.

Drizzle over some olive oil with thyme and rosemary then place them on a greased baking sheet and bake until turning crispy. 

Place on a skillet pan and sprinkle on cooked bacon pieces and cheddar cheese then return to the oven to cook until the cheese has melted.

Sprinkle on sliced green onions and cilantro with some sour cream and salsa.

12. Corned Beef and Cabbage Sliders

Even sliders can be prepared for St. Patrick’s Day, as long as they include corned beef and cabbage (for more St. Patrick’s Day appetizers, read here).

This is an ideal recipe for the slow cooker so put water, apple cider vinegar, and sugar in and ramp up the heat.

Add in corned beef brisket and the spice packet and surround it with diced potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion then cook on high for four hours. 

Meanwhile, mix Dijon mustard with honey mustard, brown sugar, and Guinness then set aside.

Slice the brisket into chunky quarter-inch slices and stack it into a bun to top with coleslaw and the mustard. Serve with the cooked veggies and enjoy. 

13. Dublin Coddle

This is another recipe you can use with the Dutch Oven, start by oiling the inside and layering on sliced potatoes.

Add black pepper then in a skillet bring sliced onions, chicken stock, vinegar, and more black pepper to the boil before pouring over the potatoes.

Top with crumbled, cooked bacon and chopped parsley then add browned sausages and cover. 

Cook for an hour and check it every 15 minutes or so then add a cup of beer (or Guinness).

After another hour, the sausages should be cooked and you can serve it with crusty bread.  

14. Colcannon

As far as traditional Irish recipes go, Colcannon is well up there. In a large pot, boil the potatoes then simmer until tender, drain, and return to the pot.

Melt butter in a large skillet then gradually add the leek then garlic, and cabbage until tender. Remove from the heat then add the kale and it will wilt. 

To the potatoes, add half and half, butter, and salt then mash them up. Fold in the cabbage and kale then serve with cracked black pepper, scallions, and even more butter.  

15. Parsnip and Potato Mash

Parsnip and potatoes go really well together, for St. Patrick’s Day and beyond (see also ‘28 Tasty and Festive St Patrick’s Day Deserts‘).

Place the chopped-up potatoes and parsnips into a pan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil.

Add salt and simmer until the vegetables are tender when you can drain them and put them back in the pot to steam.

In another pan, bring butter, thyme, garlic, peppercorns, milk, and bay leaves to a boil then simmer for a few minutes.

Mash the vegetables then strain the milk mixture in, combine, and season.

You can serve it with some more butter or some chopped chives.

16. Irish Colcannon Puffs

Colcannon puffs are an updated take on a traditional Irish meal. Start by bringing cubed potatoes to a boil and cooking until tender and remove them into a bowl.

Slice the kale into strips and remove the stalk then place the leaves into the potato water to tenderize.

Blitz with some cooking liquid and add to the potatoes once mashed with corn starch, plant milk, pepper, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and nutritional yeast.

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and form one-inch balls to bake for 20 minutes on parchment paper. Turn them over and bake for another 20 minutes until browned. 

17. Shepherd’s Pie

For a filling meal you will want throughout the year, try a Shepherd’s Pie. Prepare some mashed potatoes and set aside, then brown your ground lamb (hence ‘Shepherd’s’).

Set the lamb aside and sauté onion, mushrooms, celery, and garlic in the leftover lamb fat then add flour and wine.

Add tomato paste, stock, Worcestershire sauce, a bay leaf, herbs, and some frozen peas. 

Once simmered, remove the herbs, stir in the lamb, and season. Layer the filling into a large baking dish, then place the mashed potatoes on top in an even layer.

Bake for around 20 minutes until the potatoes are golden and the filling tries to escape. Serve with a herb garnish.

18. Guinness Braised Short Rib Tacos

Basically, any cooking that can involve Guinness should be featured on St. Patrick’s Day. This includes short ribs which you can prepare in a Ziploc bag with seasoning for an even coating.

Brown the short ribs in a large skillet over a medium-high heat, then move them into a slow cooker with a bay leaf and sliced onion.

In a bowl, mix brown sugar, tomato paste, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. Add it with the beer over the ribs then cook on low for between eight and ten hours.

One hour before they’re done, sauté the cabbage in a skillet over a medium heat, then add beer and let the cabbage soak it in.

To serve, shred the short ribs and place them in the tortilla, then cover with braised cabbage and sour cream (see also ‘28 Delicious Ways To Use Leftover Sour Cream‘).  

19. Guinness And Irish Cheddar Macaroni And Cheese

Yes, you can make Macaroni and Cheese and make it Irish with some Guinness and Irish Cheddar. Boil up your macaroni until al dente and keep a cup of the pasta water then drain.

In a saucepan over a medium heat, create a roux from butter and flour, then continue to whisk and add Guinness, half and half, mustard, milk, and seasoning.

Bring to a simmer and wait for it to thicken while whisking constantly.  

Add in cream cheese, and grated Irish Cheddar, then whisk until smooth.

Throw in the pasta and the rest of the cheese and whisk until melted, if it proves too thick you can whisk in some pasta water though allow the pasta to soak in some cheese.

You can also serve this with some toasted, garlic breadcrumbs and parsley.

20. Slow Cooked Corned Beef And Cabbage Stew

Slow cooker stews are ideal if you want a hearty meal to look forward to at dinner time.

Simply throw in potatoes, corned beef, celery, onion, and cabbage into the slow cooker.

In a bowl, mix beef stock, pickling spice, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, garlic powder, and seasoning then pour that over.

Give it a good mix then cook on low for eight to ten hours, or on high for five to six until the meat is tender and thoroughly cooked through.

21. Boxty

Boxty are essentially potato pancakes so whisk an egg with single cream then add grated potato with flour and seasoning.

Melt some butter in a skillet pan and fry the mixture as pancakes until golden brown. 

22. Green Oatmeal

Of course, you could throw in some spinach into your oatmeal though simply add some green food coloring and mix it through.

23. Green Pancakes

Similar to the above, for Irish green pancakes simply use your traditional pancake batter mix and throw in a few drops of green food coloring.

24. Baileys French Toast

Use Irish cream or your own (see below) to make this delicious French toast (see also ‘The 7 Greatest Breads For French Toast‘). Whisk Irish Cream, whipping cream, and powdered sugar into soft peaks then refrigerate.

In another bowl, whisk Irish Cream, whipping cream, eggs, and vanilla extract then soak some thick bread and fry until golden brown. Top the toast with the whipped cream and enjoy. 

25. Irish Cream

To create your own Irish cream, simply blend sweetened condensed milk with Irish whiskey, heavy cream, chocolate syrup, instant coffee, almond extract, and vanilla extract. 

26. Pot-O-Gold Popcorn Bites

For a tasty snack on St. Patrick’s Day, try these popcorn bites. Pop your popcorn and preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).

Combine honey, butter, and salt in a saucepan over a medium heat then boil, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Coat a baking pan with cooking spray, pour in the honey mixture then coat the popcorn.

Bake the popcorn for around 25 minutes, stir it every five minutes or so until golden brown then allow to sit for five minutes.

With greased hands, make balls out of the popcorn and leave them to cool. If you’re in the mood for some festive treats, you can pair these with some delightful St. Patrick’s Day cocktails.

27. Shamrock Cookies

If you have a shamrock cookie cutter then you can create these delicious Irish cookies. Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and line parchment paper over baking sheets.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together confectioner’s sugar with softened butter then add vanilla extract and egg.

Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder then gradually add it in until fully incorporated. 

Roll the dough out to a quarter-inch thickness and cut out the cookies to bake for around eight minutes.

Leave to cool and melt chocolate chips with shortening (see also ‘5 Substitutes For Shortening‘) then dip each cookie in and add green sprinkles. Once the chocolate has set, take a bite.

28. Irish Potato Candy

Yes, potatoes can be candy too, especially on St. Patrick’s Day. Beat butter and cream cheese together then add confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, and coconut.

You may prefer to chill the mix for an hour or so but, once ready, pinch some mix and roll it into a ball. Coat each ball in the cinnamon then leave them in the refrigerator. 

Final Thoughts

St. Patrick’s Day brings out the best in Irish cooking though it remains relatively simple to prepare.

From throwing ingredients into a slow cooker to creating a stew or simply adding green food coloring to some breakfast items.

If you were to create a dinner menu for the day then ensure it involves potatoes and cabbages, preferably together in the form of Colcannon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Do The Irish Traditional Eat On St. Patrick’s Day?

The Irish typically start off St. Patrick’s Day with some Soda Bread with butter and Potato Soup. The main meal can be Corned Beef with Cabbage or a Beef Stew served with Colcannon or Champ before ending with Irish coffee.

What Is A Typical Irish foodstuff?

The Irish have an affinity with the potato and involve the spud in many of their meals. From mashed potatoes to potato nachos though a traditional form is Colcannon which pairs mashed potatoes with cooked cabbage.