33 Easy Irish-Inspired Recipes to Try at Home
Your St. Patrick’s Day menu has the same usual suspects every year: corned beef, red potatoes and boiled cabbage. While we’re always down for that classic combo, there are plenty of easy, Irish-inspired recipes to try in its place. Whisk your taste buds away with 33 festive ideas that are just right for March 17.
1. Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Time Commitment: 6 hours, 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, crowd-pleaser
OK, if you're going to stick with the classic, make this hands-off version that practically cooks itself. It's served with a decadent horseradish sauce for dipping.
2. Corned Beef Hash
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein
These potatoes are crispy, comforting and coated in thyme, oregano and basil. The leftovers are destined for Sunday brunch.
3. Kale Colcannon
- Time Commitment:
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Behold: one of the most old-school Irish dishes of all time. This take on mashed spuds with greens calls for tangy sour cream and cream cheese.
4. Irish Boxty
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
Think potato latkes, but made with mashed potatoes instead of shredded and fried in butter. You likely have all the ingredients you need in your kitchen right now.
5. Simple Irish Stew
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: one pot, crowd-pleaser
This recipe honors the O.G. by using lamb shoulder instead of beef. Even better, by the end, you'll only have your Dutch oven to clean.
6. Whiskey Mocha Chocolate Mousse
- Time Commitment: 3 hours, 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser
BRB, drooling. Don’t skip the Baileys whipped cream—it's laced with loose-leaf Earl Grey tea.
7. Roasted Cabbage Steaks
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, sheet pan recipe
So much more elegant than a mushy mound of boiled cabbage, no? The caraway seeds on top are such a nice touch.
8. Dublin Coddle
- Time Commitment: 2 hours, 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients
This dish of pork sausage, potatoes, onion and back bacon was a traditional Thursday night meal for Irish Catholics back in the day.
9. Shepherd’s Pie Casserole
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein
The definition of crowd-pleasing comfort food. No one says “no” to mashed potatoes (especially when they’re made with goat cheese).
10. Jameson Whiskey Blue Cheese Burger with Guinness Cheese Sauce and Crispy Onions
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: high protein, special occasion–worthy
The sticky whiskey glaze is equal parts zingy and sweet, while the cheese sauce is hearty and sharp. Good luck not devouring all the crispy onions before finishing the burgers.
11. Corned Beef Grilled Cheese
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <500 calories, beginner-friendly
Aka the best way to repurpose St. Patrick's Day leftovers. Serve the sammy Reuben-style with a side of Thousand Island dressing.
12. Irish Soda Bread
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Just like Grandma used to make (or somebody’s grandma, anyway). Each slice is dense, soft, packed with raisins and begging to be slathered in butter.
13. Irish Apple Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Apples were a crucial part of Samhain, the Gaelic holiday that inspired Halloween. And once you try this cake, apples will become just as pivotal to dessert at your place.
14. St. Patrick’s Day Pot of Gold Pasta
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
This eight-ingredient dish stars yellow tomato sauce and pearl mozz. Even picky eaters will ask for a second helping.
15. Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, crowd-pleaser
This soul-soother is best paired with a bottle of pale ale. (A second one, that is, since it's already the first ingredient in the broth.)
16. Irish Soda Bread Scones
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Studded with dried fruit, walnuts and caraway seeds, but that's not all: These 40-minute scones also contain currants, which are plumped with a few tablespoons of whiskey.
17. Irish Nachos
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: <500 calories, <10 ingredients
Who needs tortilla chips when you've got crispy, thin-sliced potatoes? Pile the bacon, sour cream and cheddar cheese on to your heart's content.
18. Baileys Chocolate Truffles
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Bring on the sprinkles, lads and lassies. These dangerously poppable treats are only five indulgent ingredients away.
19. Fish Chowder
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, one pot
This Irish staple boasts chunks of white fish and pairs best with buttery soda bread. (Oh, and it'll only take you 35 minutes from start to finish.)
20. Corned Beef Tacos with Beer-Battered Fries
- Time Commitment: 8 hours, 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Yup, this is now our happy place. Make the filling ahead and finish each handheld with lime-yogurt crema and sharp Irish cheddar.
21. Dublin-Style Irish Coffee
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <15 minutes, <10 ingredients
Want to make it like the pros? Pour the whiskey and sugar into the coffee and stir to dissolve. Then, pour the cream over the back of a spoon so it floats.
22. Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, one pan
This stick-to-your-ribs main is just as popular in Ireland as it is in England. Make it from scratch once and you'll never use packet gravy mix again.
23. Beef and Guinness Pie
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy
All aboard the Comfort Food Express. This hearty stew is nestled under a blanket of store-bought puff pastry for maximum indulgence.
24. Baileys Chocolate Mousse
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion–worthy
This dinner party-ready dessert only takes about 30 minutes and seven ingredients to prepare, plus it's a breeze to make ahead.
25. Green Cabbage Gratin
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser
You only *think* cabbage is boring, likely because you've never tried it doused in white wine, heavy cream and a thyme-kissed trio of cheeses. (Did we mention the breadcrumbs?)
26. Instant Pot Irish Cheddar-Bacon Mac and Cheese
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: Instant Pot recipe, <30 minutes
Thanks to the pressure cooker, this creamy mac is only 20 minutes away. In addition to butter, cheese and bacon, it also contains shredded Brussels sprouts, because balance.
27. Shortbread Cookies
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Sure, the Scots invented them. But shortbread was a lot different pre-Irish butter. Dunk ’em in coffee, tea or hot cocoa to make them even tastier.
28. Irish Beef and Guinness Stew
- Time Commitment: 3 hours, 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
Unlike its lamb-laden predecessor, Irish stew made with cubed beef is actually called brown stew. Whichever you decide to cook, it'll be sure to satisfy.
29. Irish Potatoes, Turkey Sausage and Cabbage Supper
- Time Commitment: 6 hours, 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, make ahead
Bust out the slow cooker for this hearty peasant meal. You can freeze the leftovers for up to three months (if there are any, that is).
30. Fried Cabbage with Noodles and Bacon
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <15 minutes, one pan
Way more exciting than the plain boiled kind, this cabbage side boasts angel hair pasta, salty bacon and Parmesan cheese. Need we say more?
31. Baileys Coffee Cupcakes
- Time Commitment: 3 hours
- Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
Espresso powder and black coffee give these sprinkle-topped cuties the jolt they need. (The Irish cream helps, too.)
32. Irish Potato Candy
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
We'd be remiss to not suggest this Philadelphia confection for St. Patrick’s Day. These potato-free candies are made with cream cheese and shredded coconut, then rolled in cinnamon.
33. Guinness Chocolate Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
This stout cake is super moist, thanks to sour cream and stout beer in the batter. The generous layer of vanilla-cream cheese frosting is just a bonus.
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