St. Patrick’s Day is a beloved cultural and religious celebration held annually on March 17th. The holiday honors Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and has become a worldwide celebration of Irish culture and heritage. In the United States, St. Patrick’s Day has evolved into a festive occasion to celebrate Irish traditions, often with parades, parties, Irish music, dancing, and of course, food and drink.
When celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, a grand feast is mandatory. The holiday offers a perfect opportunity to bring family and friends together over hearty, flavorful Irish fare and libations. From classics like corned beef and cabbage to modern twists on Irish soda bread, your food can help create a warm, spirited, and memorable celebration.
Here are 17 delicious ideas to make your St. Patrick’s Day feast unforgettable.
1. Guinness and Beef Stew
For a savory, satisfying meal, beef stew braised in Guinness Stout is a fantastic choice. The rich, slightly bitter beer adds great depth of flavor to chunks of beef chuck that become meltingly tender. Potatoes, carrots, and onions round out this hearty stew. Serve it in deep bowls with slices of Irish soda bread to soak up the delicious broth.
2. Corned Beef and Cabbage
No St. Patrick’s Day feast would be complete without this quintessential Irish-American meal – corned beef and cabbage. To cook it, choose a high-quality corned beef brisket and simmer it with potatoes, carrots, and cabbage wedges. The tender corned beef, fresh cabbage, and carrots make a perfect low-effort meal. Serve with mustard and rye bread or Irish soda bread.
3. Irish Cheddar and Stout Fondue
Fondue is a perfect dish for a festive gathering. Use aged Irish cheddar cheese blended with Guinness and Irish whiskey for an Irish spin. Serve with chunks of hearty Irish brown bread for dipping, along with apple slices, steamed potatoes, and broccoli. The rich, complex cheese, beer, and whiskey flavors blend brilliantly.
4. Colcannon
This traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes, kale, or cabbage is comfort food. For a modern twist, use purple or sweet potatoes as your base and add wilted spinach instead of cabbage. Top with crispy bacon bits and a drizzle of rich Irish butter. Colcannon makes a wonderful veggie delight or a hearty side with corned beef.
5. Irish Lamb Stew
For a more authentic taste of Ireland, serve a hearty lamb stew made with Guinness. Seasoned with herbs like rosemary and thyme, the lamb becomes fall-apart tender in the rich stew. Potatoes, onions, carrots, and peas round out this comforting one-pot dish. Serve in deep bowls with Irish brown bread.
6. Potatoes with Champ
Champ is an easy, delicious way to dress up potatoes. Simply mash boiled potatoes and fold in scallions, butter, and milk or cream. Add some cooked chopped bacon or crumbled Irish sausage for St. Patrick’s Day. Top the champ with a fried egg for a hearty meal. You can also serve champ alongside corned beef or Irish lamb stew.
7. Irish Oatmeal Stout Cake
Rich, dense Irish oatmeal stout cake is a beloved Irish dessert. For St. Patrick’s Day, bake a two-layer cake and fill it with Baileys Irish whipped cream. Frost the cake with green cream cheese frosting and decorate it with a rainbow, clovers, or “Kiss Me I’m Irish” in green frosting. Serve slices with mugs of Irish coffee for a perfect ending to your feast.
8. Shamrock Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
These festive cookies are easy to make and full of St. Patrick’s Day charm. Fold mint chocolate chips and green food coloring into a cookie dough made with Irish oats. For fun, use a shamrock-shaped cookie cutter. After baking, dip one side of each piping hot cookie into green sanding sugar to create a shamrock effect.
9. Irish Coffee Trifle
This boozy, decadent trifle puts an Irish spin on the classic dessert. Pair a whiskey-spiked coffee custard in a glass bowl with sliced Irish whiskey cake, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings. Top with mint leaves or chocolate-covered coffee beans. It’s an indulgent way to end your St. Patrick’s Day meal.
10. Irish Cream Panna Cotta
Panna cotta is an elegant, simple chilled dessert highlighting Irish cream’s flavor. Infuse heavy cream with Irish whiskey and vanilla before turning it into a silky panna cotta. Top with an Irish whiskey caramel sauce and garnish with mint. Serve chilled in small glasses or ramekins.
11. Guinness and Chocolate Cupcakes
These moist chocolate cupcakes get their unique flavor from adding Guinness stout. Frost them with a fluffy Irish cream frosting and decorate them with green sprinkles or shamrock candies. They’re perfect for dessert or an Irish-themed bake sale. For adults, use an Irish cream filling instead of frosting.
12. Irish Coffee
Nothing caps off a St. Patrick’s Day feast better than a steaming mug of Irish coffee. Combine hot coffee, Irish whiskey, brown sugar, and heavy cream in each cup and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. The sweet, spiked coffee is soothing after a big meal.
13. Irish Beef and Guinness Pie
Make pies filled with chunks of tender beef braised in Guinness stout, along with carrots, onions, and mushrooms for a hearty, comforting dish. Top the pies with a flakey puff pastry crust. Serve with mashed potatoes or colcannon. The rich filling and flaky crust make these pies a savory St. Patrick’s Day treat.
14. Dublin Coddle
Coddle is a layered casserole of sliced sausages, rashers, onions, potatoes, and parsley. Layer the ingredients in a baking dish, season with salt and pepper, and bake until the potatoes are tender. When you see crispy edges on the coddle, remove it from the oven. Serve straight from the dish for a homey, hearty meal.
15. Irish Cheddar and Ale Soup
For a rich, warming soup, sauté onions and carrots, then simmer them in chicken broth with potatoes. Purée the soup, add Irish cheddar and Irish ale like Harp or Smithwick’s. Garnish soup bowls with Irish soda bread croutons, parsley, and a swirl of cream.
Conclusion
From savory dishes like Guinness stew to sweet treats like shamrock cookies, the food you serve on St. Patrick’s Day can make your celebration memorable. Use traditional ingredients like corned beef, potatoes, and cabbage, and add creative items to the menu like stout-infused fondue or cupcakes. Complete your Irish feast with pairing suggestions like Irish beers, whiskey, and coffee. With some planning and creativity in the kitchen, you can craft a delicious, festive, and unforgettable St. Patrick’s Day meal that honors Irish culture and delights your guests.
