St Patrick’s Day dinner ideas
Enjoy this popular holiday with this fabulous range of St Patrick’s Day dinner recipes. From traditional Irish dishes like colcannon to a variety of stews to tasty dessert treats, you’ll find something here for every palate.
Some 50-80 million people in the world, and over 34 million Americans alone, have Irish heritage.
And yes, I am one of those numbers.
With that in mind, perhaps it’s not much of a surprise that St Patrick’s Day is a day celebrated by many.
While a few pints of Guinness at a pub might be good for some, those of us who prefer the dry life or simply want something a little different, might be scratching their head for ideas of unique and fun ways to celebrate the 17th of March with their loved ones.
Making a culture’s traditional dishes is one such way of celebrating that also serves to provide you with a novel experience – which we all know is one of the keys for happiness.
Here’s you’ll find classic Irish dinners and Irish dessert recipes for you to craft your own St Patrick’s day dinner menu, perfect for a family date night or special evening with your partner (why not ask each other these St. Patrick’s Day would you rather questions while you eat?).
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St Patrick's Day dinner ideas
Make a hit at your St Patrick's Day potluck or party or simply enjoy a fun St Patrick's Day date night at home with these St Patrick's Day food ideas.
St Patrick's Day food: sides
Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made of a delicious combination of mashed potatoes and cabbage.
Most Irish families will have their own recipe for this classic dish. However, if you're not the lucky recipient of such a family treasure, these colcannon recipes are for you:
This super simple colcannon adds minced garlic and parmesan cheese to the traditional cabbage and potatoes.
Another twist on this classic dish features the addition of leeks and green onions.
Once prepared, drop a knob of butter in the center, wait for it to melt and then enjoy its deliciousness.
If you want to take colcannon to the next level, then make a soup out of it!
If you're not keen on soup for a side dish, this could be the perfect entree to your St Patrick's Day dinner, or a main course if you're after something vegetarian.
And if you're a fan of the Instant Pot, you're in luck, because this instant pot recipe takes a ridiculously short 18 minutes - from prep to cook to table.
Irish Soda Bread is a hearty, delicious addition to the dinner table that is quick and easy to make with only four ingredients.
St Patrick's Day food: mains
Any St Patrick's Day food needs to err on the hearty side.
These stews fit the bill to be sure.
Dublin coddle is an Irish stew made with sausage and potato.
Like all the recipes I've featured so far, it's tasty and hearty.
Legend has it that it's called Dublin coddle (as opposed to Irish coddle) because sausages were available in the big city of Dublin and not so much in the rural areas.
This Irish lamb stew is full of traditional Irish ingredients - not the least the ubiquitous potato.
A slow cooker treat, this hearty concoction would go down very well with a helping of colcannon.
Nothing says Irish like Guinness. Or beef stew.
Together, you couldn't get any more Irish ( did I mention it's full of potatoes too?).
When the delicious smells fill your kitchen from this slow cooker recipe, you'll be counting the minutes until this is ready.
Serve it in a bread bowl for extra yumminess.
St Patrick's Day desserts
So now you've made your choice of colcannon and stew for your St Patrick's Day dinner, mopped up with some hunks of soda bread, it's time for the best part.
This is where we diverge from tradition a little and just start to add green to everything to capture the spirit of St Patrick's Day rather than a classic Irish dessert.
But honestly, I don't think you'll be sorry when you see what St Patrick's Day dessert recipes I have for you.
Want some brownie goodness?
There's a whole lot of chocolate flavor packed into these brownies by way of cocoa powder, semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and bittersweet chocolate.
That chocolate flavor is intensified by a cup of Guinness beer.
To top it off some maple buttercream frosting - delicious.
Decadent and tasty, this Bailey's cheesecake is a rich accompaniment to your St Patrick's Day dinner menu.
This chocolate Guinness cake is made with a rich and tender chocolate cake laced with smooth stout with a chocolate ganache filling and a decadent Irish cream frosting.
This is a classic example of a cake that simply looks too good to eat!
I'll let you in on a secret too - buy a couple of premade cakes for this one, so you can focus your energy on that Leprechaun cream icing and mint choc bar decorations.
Perhaps the most Irish of all the desserts on offer, this moist cake with chunks of sweet apple is delicious either on its own or with a serving of ice cream.
Irish cream poke cake takes a white cake mix and adds the flavors of mint and Irish cream to make this delicious dessert.
Much like its name suggests, this dessert concoction combines mint cheesecake and brownie.
With simple ingredients, anyone could rustle up this tasty treat.
This trifle is perhaps one of the least healthiest desserts I've ever seen but it also looks so good.
This would be an absolute hit at a St Patrick's Day potluck.
If you love sweet St Patrick’s Day goodness and want more than what’s featured here, head on over to these St. Patrick’s Day desserts for 30 more recipes.
You might also like these St Patrick’s Day treats and St. Patrick’s Day cookies.
Enjoy this popular holiday with this awesome range of St Patrick’s Day dinner recipes.
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