10 Tasty St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

Last updated on February 5, 2024

It’s one of the tastiest times of the year! St. Patrick’s Day food is second only to Thanksgiving when it comes to comfort dishes, so give your friends, family, or party guests a feast to remember. We’ve compiled various tasty St. Patrick’s Day recipes from you — from old favorites to some twists on the classics.

St. Patrick’s Day Appetizers

Whether you’re throwing a St. Patrick’s Day party or wanna celebrate at home with authentic Irish food, these easy bread and dip recipes are a great way to kick off the festivities.

1. Irish Soda Bread

This heavy Irish bread is a great addition to Irish stews and other savory dishes. You can even use thick slices for French toast if you have leftovers!

Ingredients

• 4 cups flour
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup softened butter
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 1¼ cups buttermilk
• 1 egg

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease a baking sheet.
3. Mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add ½ cup butter, 1 cup buttermilk, and egg to dry ingredients and mix until combined.
5. Flour work surface.
6. Turn out the dough and knead briefly.
7. Shape the dough into a round shape and place it on the prepared sheet.
8. Whisk together ¼ cup melted butter with ¼ cup buttermilk.
9. Brush loaf with buttermilk mixture.
10. Cut an “X” into the top of the loaf.
11. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
12. Brush with buttermilk mixture every 15 minutes or so while baking.

2. Irish Blue Cheese Fondue

Fondue is always in season! This rich and creamy Irish recipe pairs perfectly with vegetables or cut-up chunks of your Irish Soda Bread.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces Cashel blue cheese, crumbled
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• ¾ cup Irish lager, preferably Kells brand
• ½ cup half-and-half
• Coarse salt
• Sliced apples for serving
• Bread cubes for serving
• Steamed broccoli for serving
• Red and yellow peppers for serving

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, toss blue cheese, flour, cayenne, and dry mustard together; set aside.
2. Place lager and half-and-half in a fondue pot over medium-high heat; stir to combine. Bring liquid to a simmer and slowly stir in the cheese mixture; continue stirring until the cheese is completely melted. Season with salt. Serve immediately with apples, bread, broccoli, and peppers.

3. Reuben Dip

Do you love Reubens but don’t feel like making a bunch of sandwiches for your guests? This dip is the perfect solution. Use your Irish soda bread, rye bread, or crackers for a festive crowd-pleasing appetizer.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup onion, diced small
• ¼ cup shallots, diced fine
• ¼ teaspoon crushed celery seed
• ¼ teaspoon crushed caraway seed
• ¼ pound sliced deli corned beef, cut into small pieces
• ¼ pound sliced deli black pastrami or extremely lean red pastrami cut into small pieces
• ½ cup cream (half and half or light cream)
• 8-ounce package of cream cheese
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon dill relish
• 1 tablespoon sweet pepper relish
• 1 cup well-drained and squeezed sauerkraut
• 2 cups shredded Gruyere Swiss cheese, divided
• ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 12 slices of marble rye or pumpernickel bread
• 6 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium skillet over medium heat, sauté onion, shallot, crushed celery seed, and crushed caraway seed in olive oil for five minutes. Add two tablespoons of water and cook to evaporate water. Add chopped corned beef, pastrami, and cream and cook until almost all of the cream has evaporated, maybe two to three minutes.
3. Remove to a medium bowl, add cream cheese, and stir to melt and mix the cream cheese in.
4. Add mayonnaise, ketchup, both relishes and well-drained sauerkraut. Stir to combine and remove from heat.
5. Reserve ½ cup of the shredded Swiss, and mix the remainder into the mix and stir.
6. Pour the mixture into a low, flat casserole dish.
7. Mix the remaining Swiss with the cheddar and top the dish.
8. Slice the marble slices into three or four strips each and lay them out on a sheet pan (36 to 48 strips). Brush both sides with melted butter.
9. Place bread strips and dip into the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Remove bread, turn each piece, and bake bread and dip for an additional 15 minutes.

🍺 Must add alcohol! You can’t have a St. Paddy’s event without some drinks. Hire a bartender to expertly pour Irish whiskey drinks, stout beers, and vibrant green cocktails.

St. Patrick’s Day Main Dishes

Let the St. Patrick’s Day feast continue with some hearty entrees! From breakfast to lunch to dinner, these main dishes are the perfect way to celebrate this honored holiday the Irish way.

4. Corned Beef Hash and Eggs

Begin your St. Patrick’s Day with a rich Irish breakfast! Pair it with some homemade Irish cream to add an extra kick.

Ingredients

• 1 package (32 ounces) frozen cubed hash browns
• 1 ½ cups chopped onion
• ½ cup canola oil
• 4 to 5 cups chopped cooked corned beef
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 8 large eggs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Instructions

1. In a large ovenproof skillet, cook hash browns and onion in oil until potatoes are browned and onion is tender. Remove from the heat; stir in corned beef and salt.
2. Make eight wells in the hash browns. Break one egg into each well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes or until eggs reach the desired doneness. Garnish with parsley. Yield: 8 servings.

5. Shepherd’s Pie

This king of comfort foods is a must-have for any St. Patrick’s Day recipes list. Warm beef, soft mashed potatoes, colorful vegetables — a recipe for amazing. Throw some cheese on top, and you can’t lose.

Ingredients

Potato layer:

• 3 large russet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Meat layer:

• 2 pounds ground beef (can sub lamb or turkey)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon each, salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth
• ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1½ cups frozen peas and carrots
• ½ cup frozen corn
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

For the potato layer:

1. Peel potatoes and chop them into small pieces. Place chopped potatoes in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender. (About 15 – 20 minutes)
2. Drain water from the pot. Mash the potatoes. Add butter, milk, and garlic powder. Continue to mash until no lumps remain. Cover potatoes and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray.

For the meat layer:

1. In a large 12-inch skillet, over medium-high heat, add ground beef, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook and crumble meat until browned. Drain grease.
2. Sprinkle flour evenly over the meat mixture. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire sauce and oregano. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in frozen peas, carrots, and corn. Cook another 5 to 10 minutes or until heated through.
3. Pour the meat mixture into the prepared pan. Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the top. Top potatoes with cheddar cheese.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes until casserole is hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

6. Salmon Tartlets

Salmon is one of the main staples of the Irish diet. While salmon recipes may not be what you often find when searching for St. Patrick’s Day food, we wanted to add a bit of authenticity to our list.

Ingredients

Dough:

• 1 cup flour
• 5½ tbsp butter cut into pieces
• 2-3 tbsp cold water
• Pinch of salt

Filling:

• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tsp horseradish
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp. capers
• 3 egg yolks
• 8 oz smoked salmon
• 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Grease the tartlet pans with butter.
3. To make the dough: Place flour, salt, and butter in a food processor. Add just enough cold water to bring the mixture together to form a ball.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a cylinder and divide into 6 equal pieces.
5. Roll out each circle and fit over the tart pan.
6. Cut out 6 pieces of parchment paper to fit over the dough and fill with pie weights.
7. Chill for 30 minutes.
8. Blind bake the shells in the oven for about 10 minutes.
9. Remove pie weights.
10. To make the filling: In a bowl, combine the sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice, capers, and salmon. Add in the egg yolks and the dill.
11. Divide the mixture into the baked tart shells.
12. Bake in the oven for about 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

7. Colcannon

Everyone knows about corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day, but we’re going with Colcannon instead. This traditional Irish potato dish also has cabbage, so it’s not too far from the old standby.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds potatoes, scrubbed
• 2 sticks butter
• 1¼ cups hot milk
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 head cabbage, cored and finely shredded
• 1 (1-pound) piece of ham or bacon cooked the day before
• 4 scallions, finely chopped
• Chopped parsley leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Steam the potatoes in their skins for 30 minutes. Peel them using a knife and fork. Chop with a knife before mashing. Mash thoroughly to remove all the lumps. Add 1 stick of butter in pieces. Gradually add hot milk, stirring all the time. Season with a few grinds of black pepper.
2. Boil the cabbage in unsalted water until it turns a darker color. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to tenderize it. Cover with a lid for 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly before returning it to the pan. Chop into small pieces.
3. Put the ham in a large saucepan and cover it with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes until tender. Drain. Remove any fat and chop it into small pieces.
4. Add cabbage, scallions, and ham to mashed potatoes, stirring them in gently.
5. Serve in individual soup plates. Make an indentation on the top by swirling a wooden spoon. Put 1 tablespoon of butter into each indentation. Sprinkle with parsley.

👨‍🍳 Bring in an expert! If you lack the time or culinary skills to pull off a traditional Irish feast for your special event, hire a caterer to create the perfect St. Patrick’s Day menu.

St. Patrick’s Day Desserts

St. Patty’s Day is all about rich foods and alcoholic beverages — some of these tasty desserts have both! Who knew beer and whiskey could make something so delicious?

8. Bittersweet Chocolate Irish Whiskey Cake

No dessert table is complete without chocolate. And when it comes to finding the perfect St. Patrick’s Day recipe, you have to add some Irish whiskey to the mix.

Ingredients

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey
• 6 ounces bittersweet (70% cocoa) chocolate (such as Scharffen Berger or Lindt), chopped
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 6 tablespoons hot water
• ⅓ cup blanched almonds (about 2 ounces), lightly toasted
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 7 tablespoons vanilla sugar, divided
• 3 large eggs, separated
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Instructions

1. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour 8-inch-diameter springform pan.
2. Boil ½ cup whiskey in a small saucepan until reduced to ¼ cup, about 2 minutes. Combine bittersweet chocolate, espresso powder mixture, and ¼ cup of boiled whiskey in a small metal bowl. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water; stir until mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Finely grind almonds with 2 tablespoons flour in a processor.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat ½ cup butter and 6 tablespoons vanilla sugar in a medium bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks 1 at a time, then sea salt. Fold in the chocolate mixture, then ground the almond mixture. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold whites into batter alternately with the remaining 4 tablespoons flour in 3 additions. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
4. Bake the cake until the tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool in pan on rack for 30 minutes. Remove the pan sides and cool the cake completely.
5. Combine semisweet chocolate and the remaining 2 tablespoons of whiskey in a small metal bowl. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Add the remaining ¼ cup butter to the chocolate mixture, 1 small piece at a time, whisking until each piece is melted before adding next. Place the bowl over a larger bowl of ice water. Using an electric mixer, beat icing until thickened to a spreadable consistency, about 1 minute. Spread icing over the top and sides of the cake. DO AHEAD – Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover with cake dome and let stand at room temperature.

9. Irish Apple Cake with Custard Sauce

One of the most popular treats in Ireland, this dense cake can be served warm or cold. It’s quite addicting with its crunchy, sugary top. You may want to eat this for breakfast, too.

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 3 cup flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cloves, ground
• ¼ tsp nutmeg, ground
• 6 oz butter (cold is fine)
• ¾ cup sugar
• 4 large Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup Milk
• 2 tbsp sugar (for sprinkling on top of the cake)

For the custard:

• 6 large egg yolks
• 6 tbsp sugar
• 1½ cup whole milk
• 1½ tsp vanilla

Instructions

For the cake:

1. Grease and flour an 8″ or 9″ round springform pan. Using an 8″ pan will give you a taller cake.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cloves, and nutmeg into a large mixing bowl. Make sure the bowl is very large to allow room for the apples to be folded in.
4. Cut the butter into the flour using your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
5. Add the ¾ cup of sugar to the flour mixture and mix in.
6. Peel the apples and slice them into uniform pieces. This cake works best and gets that ‘chunky apple look’ if the slices are about ¼” wide and then cut into 3 pieces.
7. Toss the apples into the flour mixture and combine them thoroughly.
8. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and milk together. Add the apples and flour and mix in with a large spatula until just combined. The batter will be thick and dough-like.
9. Transfer the dough to the prepared cake pan and flatten the top surface using the back of your spatula.
10. Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the cake.
11. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Test the center for doneness. The top of the cake should be golden brown. Serve slices with custard sauce.

For the custard sauce:

*Note that this sauce is not a thick, pudding-like sauce. It should have a pour-able, just-thickened consistency when done.

1. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until pale yellow, 2-3 minutes. Place the milk in a medium saucepan and bring just to a boil. Slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg/sugar mixture. Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and stir over medium heat until custard thickens, about 4 minutes. The custard should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Mix in the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl or serving saucer.
2. Serve warm or cold over apple cake.

10. Guinness Chocolate Pudding

Incorporating a smooth dark stout like Guinness into a dessert sounds like a dream St. Patrick’s Day recipe. Top off your Irish feast with this delight!

Ingredients

• 4 large egg yolks
• ½ cup sugar, plus 3 tbsp
• 1½ cups Guinness Stout
• 1¾ cups heavy cream
• 4 ounces of high-quality bittersweet (70 to 72% cacao) chocolate, finely chopped

Instructions

1. In a large, nonreactive mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and ½ cup of sugar.
2. Open a can of Guinness and slowly pour into a 4-cup measuring cup, pouring down the side of the cup to reduce foaming.
3. Pour ½ cup of Guinness into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add 1¼ cups cream and whisk to combine. Set over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until bubbles just begin to form at the edges. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and whisk until smooth.
4. Slowly pour in the hot chocolate mixture into eggs, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Return the mixture to the saucepan and set over moderately low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens.
5. Divide pudding among glasses, leaving at least 1 inch of space at the top of each. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and set.
6. Meanwhile, pour 1 cup of Guinness into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 20 minutes.
7. Pour syrup into a small bowl and let cool. Beat remaining cream and 3 tbsp sugar until soft peaks form. Add 1 tsp (or more to your liking) of the Guinness syrup and beat until combined.
8. Divide cream among 4-6 glasses of pudding and serve.

📌 Want more ideas for St. Patrick’s Day recipes? Check out our Pinterest board!

While choosing a menu is arguably the most important part of any St. Patrick’s Day celebration, don’t forget the rest of your party needs. Create some easy St. Patrick’s Day decorations to fill your space with vibrant green and gold colors. And for bigger events, book some awesome Irish entertainment on GigSalad! 🍀