Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (2024)

Deck yourself out in green and celebrate with our absolute favorite St. Patrick's Day recipes for brunch and dinner. That might mean corned beef and cabbage, the standout dish stateside, or a lamb or beef stew—the entrées those in the Emerald Isle are most likely to eat on March 17.

Perhaps you'd prefer bangers and mash or a Guinness pie packed with beef? Create your St. Patrick's Day menu from our selection of appetizers and main courses. Whatever you do, be sure to bake a loaf of soda bread for the table—and end the meal on a sweet note with one of our dessert recipes just right for the holiday.

All About Traditional Irish Soda Bread—and the Best Way to Enjoy It

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Corned-Beef Egg Cups

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (1)

For the cutest, most delicious start to St. Patrick's Day, make these five-ingredient egg cups that start with sandwich bread. They only take 10 minutes to put together and bake for just 20.

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02of 25

Martha's Quick-Brined Corned Beef and Vegetables

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (2)

This is Martha's go-to corned beef recipe. She developed the recipe so the meat cures in about a third of the time that most other recipes take.

Quick-Brined Corned Beef and Vegetables

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Martha's Soda Bread With Rye and Currants

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (3)

Adding rye flour to soda bread is Martha's way to give this St. Patrick's Day favorite a flavorful twist.

Martha's Soda Bread with Rye and Currants

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End-of-the-Rainbow Cookies

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (4)

These slice-and-bake rainbow cookies are beloved by leprechauns and anyone with a sweet tooth and a sense of fun. Mini peanut butter cups form the pots of gold.

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Roasted Cabbage Wedges

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (5)

A vegetable side with wide appeal, these cabbage wedges have a crispy exterior and a tender interior. They're easy to make, all you need is the cabbage, olive oil, and salt, plus either caraway or fennel seeds.

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Sticky Toffee Pudding With Toffee Sauce

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (6)

A rich, moist date cake is teamed with caramel sauce in this irresistible sticky toffee pudding. It's the perfect sweet ending for a St. Patrick's Day dinner.

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Irish Beef and Stout Stew

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (7)

This comforting stew is made festive by a pop of green peas and a generous glug of stout. Make a double batch and freeze for a rainy spring day.

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Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (8)

Quicker, easier, and (dare we say) more delicious than the original, this Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage just might become your go-to recipe.

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Irish Soda Scones

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (9)

We've translated the flavors of Irish soda bread into irresistible drop scones chock-full of dried currants and caraway seeds. The best part? They're quick and easy enough to bake on a weekday morning.

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Maple Irish Coffee

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (10)

Whiskey-spiked coffee is a must for St. Patrick's Day. We like this version that's sweetened with maple syrup.

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Bangers and Mash

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (11)

Why not serve this classic comfort food from across the pond on St. Patrick's Day? An umami-packed onion gravy rounds out the flavors of the juicy sausages and cheesy mashed potatoes.

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Irish Brown Soda Bread

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (12)

We've tried quite a few soda bread recipes over the years. This version, made with sour cream and topped with rolled oats, ranks among the best.

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Irish Cream

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (13)

A truly decadent way to end your St. Patrick's Day meal, this cream liqueur takes just five minutes to make, but will be the topic of conversation for weeks to come. It layers an Irish whiskey base with delicious flavorings, including cocoa powder, espresso powder, and vanilla.

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Guinness Pie

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (14)

Dark stout deepens the flavor of the rich beef-and-vegetable stew filling in this special savory pie. It's topped with a flaky, golden Irish cheddar crust.

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Colcannon Shepherd's Pie

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (15)

Two Irish favorites come together in this hybrid comfort food. The mashed potato-and-cabbage dish known as colcannon tops a traditional shepherd's pie filling of ground lamb and plenty of peas and carrots.

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Green Crudités with Green Goddess Dip

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (16)

Add some green crunch to the table with a selection of lightly blanched asparagus, cauliflower, and snap peas, as well as raw produce such as celery and sliced cucumbers. The green goddess dip features creamy avocado, buttermilk, and finely chopped herbs.

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Treacle Brown Bread

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (17)

Molasses, hard cider, and wholemeal flour set this bakery-worthy yeast bread apart. Slather slices with good Irish butter and sprinkle with sea salt to really make it shine.

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Potato, Broccoli, and Cheddar Soup

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (18)

A cozy bowl of soup is just the thing for lunch or dinner on St. Patrick's Day. Potatoes give this soup a smooth, creamy feel. There's also broccoli in the soup and roasted broccoli as a garnish.

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Chocolate-Stout Cupcakes

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (19)

Who needs four-leaf clovers when you have these treats? Chocolate cupcakes mixed with Guinness and topped with four-leaf clovers (heart-shaped almond candies, plus a sliver of sugared lime zest) fulfill their sweet promise: Take a bite, and you'll feel supremely fortunate.

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Traditional Irish Bacon, Cabbage, and Parsley Sauce

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (20)

No, it's not the crispy, pan-fried strips you're used to, but one bite of this porky dinner will have you hooked.

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Homemade Corned Beef With Vegetables

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (21)

A corned beef supper makes a glorious Irish feast. This one calls on turnips, potatoes, and carrots to round out the meal.

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Colcannon

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (22)

This traditional side marries mashed potatoes with fall-apart-tender cabbage and leeks. Prepare to battle it out for the broiled, buttery crust.

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Irish Beef Hand Pies

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (23)

Beef, be it corned, stewed, or roasted, is an Irish menu mainstay. These hand pies give it a playful, portable, and altogether delicious twist.

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Cheddar-Topped Shepherd's Pie

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (24)

You don't need your own flock to appreciate this traditional pub favorite. Even better: Both the filling and the topping can be made ahead. Use ground lamb to make it a true shepherd's pie; using beef turns it into a cottage pie.

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Sugar Cookies with Clovers

Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (25)

For a St. Patrick's Day-themed treat, sprinkle a little luck on your sugar cookies.

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Our St. Patrick's Day Recipes Will Help You Build the Perfect Menu for March 17 (2024)

FAQs

What is a good menu for St. Patrick's Day? ›

St Patrick's Day recipes
  • Guinness chocolate puddings. A star rating of 3.9 out of 5. ...
  • Rustic oat & treacle soda bread. A star rating of 4.4 out of 5. ...
  • Slow cooker lamb stew. ...
  • Irish whiskey old fashioned. ...
  • Guinness, treacle & ginger pudding. ...
  • Stout-braised steak with stacked chips. ...
  • Soda farls. ...
  • Irish coddled pork with cider.

What are you supposed to eat on St. Patty's Day? ›

St. Patrick's Day Foods
  • Colcannon. Colcannon, or Irish mashed potatoes, is a traditional Irish dish that has been consumed in the country for generations. ...
  • Irish Soda Bread. ...
  • Fried Cabbage. ...
  • Corned Beef and Cabbage. ...
  • Shepherd's Pie. ...
  • Irish Stew. ...
  • Irish Apple Tart. ...
  • Barmbrack.

Why is St. Patrick's Day celebrated on March 17th? ›

So a little historical background is in order. March 17 refers to the anniversary of Saint Patrick 's death in the year 461. Still considered Ireland's patron saint to this day, Saint Patrick was born in the 4th century in Great Britain. The son of a deacon, he was kidnapped at the age of 16.

What did St. Patrick do? ›

St. Patrick was a 5th-century missionary to Ireland and later served as bishop there. He is credited with bringing Christianity to parts of Ireland and was probably partly responsible for the Christianization of the Picts and Anglo-Saxons.

When was St. Patrick born? ›

Patrick was born around 385 in Scotland, probably Kilpatrick. His parents were Calpurnius and Conchessa, who were Romans living in Britain in charge of the colonies. As a boy of fourteen or so, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep.

What do Irish eat on St Patricks? ›

Patrick's Day, the most popular meal is corned beef and cabbage—often accompanied by a green beer or two. The boiled dinner and its liquid accompaniment dominate the menu of Irish bars and restaurants up and down the country on March 17, and many home cooks serve the dish, too.

Who was St. Patrick for kids? ›

Born in Roman Britain, St. Patrick was kidnapped and enslaved in Ireland as a teenager. He was made to work as a shepherd for six years. After escaping and returning to his family, he vowed to return, and when he did, he devoted his life to establishing the Catholic church in Ireland.

Where is St. Patrick buried? ›

Down Cathedral is a Church of Ireland cathedral. It stands on the site of a Benedictine Monastery, built in 1183. Saint Patrick's remains are buried on the site. Magnificent stain glass windows, box pews and beautiful organ case enhances this interesting building.

Is March 17 the day St. Patrick died? ›

On March 17, 461 A.D., Saint Patrick, Christian missionary, bishop and apostle of Ireland, dies at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland. Today he is honored with the annual holiday of St. Patrick's Day.

What is a typical St. Patrick's Day drink? ›

Sip on green beer, Irish coffee, Baileys and more — cheers! Nothing says St. Patrick's Day like a pint of Guinness or a frosty glass of green beer. While there's nothing wrong with keeping things simple, it's also fun to get creative with your drink menu.

What do you serve with corned beef and cabbage? ›

Tips: Serve with a dish of grainy mustard. Serve with boiled new potatoes. Shred the corned beef with two forks if you prefer that consistency! Make a leftover corned beef sandwich with a slice of brisket and a wedge of cabbage on rye.

Why is it called corned beef? ›

Corned beef, or salt beef in some Commonwealth countries, is salt-cured brisket of beef. The term comes from the treatment of the meat with large-grained rock salt, also called "corns" of salt. Sometimes, sugar and spices are added to corned beef recipes. Corned beef is featured as an ingredient in many cuisines.

Where was corned beef substituted for Irish bacon? ›

“In the late nineteenth century, as German and Jewish prototypical delis started to show up in the Lower East Side, corned beef was relatively cheap at the local Jewish butcher shops, and tasted similar, so Irish immigrants made a substitution that stuck,” says Stack, and combined it with other inexpensive staples like ...

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