St. Patrick's Day is filled with everything green — from green beer and shamrock shakes to "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" T-shirts. We typically like to prepare a dinner of corned beef and cabbage, but did you know Irish immigrants originally bought meat from kosher butchers? So what we call corned beef is actually a Jewish tradition and very different from Irish meat dishes.
How are you to know what's authentically Irish these days? After all, you can even find "Irish nachos" in a pub, but they're mostly an American invention. In reality, there are plenty of traditional Irish dishes that you'd be lucky to try that don't all involve potatoes. Many Irish stews are famous for lamb instead of beef, and there is no shortage of fresh seafood in Ireland.
This year, make it a point to try a few of the following 25 authentic Irish foods. Once you've had enough of parades, drinking Guinness and pub-hopping, you'll find so much Irish flavor you never knew about. Switch things up this St. Paddy's Day with boxty (Irish potato pancakes), bacon and cabbage, or smoked salmon dip. Here are 25 authentic Irish foods to transform St. Patrick's Day into a holiday that truly honors the Emerald Isle.
Irish Bangers and Mash
Garlic & Zest
Bangers and mash is effectively the same version that you might find throughout Britain. It's become a pub grub favorite because it's hardy and full of flavor. This recipe includes genuine Irish pork sausages, which you should be able to find around St. Patrick's Day.
The one-skillet dish allows you to prepare both the bangers and onion gravy at the same time. They pair perfectly with a pile of creamy mashed potatoes for a meal to soak up all that beer on tap.
Find the recipe here at Garlic & Zest.
Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes)
The Daring Gourmet
Boxty is an adorable name for the Irish take on potato pancakes. They're most popular in certain counties, such as Ulster, Mayo and Sligo. Boxty comes in all shapes, sizes and thicknesses to suit your needs.
What separates it from other potato pancakes is the combination of raw grated potato and mashed potato for a unique texture. Top these potato pancakes with sour cream, scallions or cheddar cheese for extra flavor.
Get the recipe at The Daring Gourmet.
Mash-Topped Beef & Guinness Pie
Jamie Oliver
While you may think the shepherd's pie served in a pub is authentically Irish, it falls more directly under British fare. Many of the ingredients in this recipe are similar to those in a shepherd's pie (which is technically made with lamb).
A beef pie is called a cottage pie, but don't be confused by the many names. This recipe has plenty of stewing beef, Guinness for flavor, and brown sugar-touched mashed potatoes on top. You can call it anything you like, but you'll call it delicious!
Get the recipe from Jamie Oliver.
Irish Colcannon
Culinary Ginger
Though the Irish do love a good potato dish, few are as delicious as colcannon. It feels as if you're making potatoes until you mix in cooked cabbage and scallions. With the help of Irish butter and cheddar cheese, this side dish becomes the star of your St. Patrick's Day table. You can prepare it ahead of time and add bacon for a one-pot dish that doesn't need anything else.
Find the recipe here at Culinary Ginger.
Dublin Coddle
Analida's Ethnic Spoon
This vintage Irish dish will warm your stomach and your heart all at once. It's the ideal example of slow-cooked Irish meals that satisfy. Coddle comes together in a very old-school way that doesn't concern itself with too many measurements.
It typically contains leftover sausages of any kind, along with onions, potatoes, carrots and leeks. Once herbs are added, this stew is left to cook for as long as you've got patience. The deep flavor that arises from coddle is definitely worth the wait.
Soda Farls
BBC Good Food
Whereas soda bread is more well-known across Ireland and in Irish American kitchens, soda farls are the Northern Irish equivalent. This version compresses the soda bread dough into a disc that is cut into quarters.
They're also cooked in a skillet instead of the oven, like soda bread. Soda farls make any sandwich better and are the ideal base for the best toast with jam you've ever had.
Get the recipe at BBC Good Food.
Full Irish Breakfast
The Spruce Eats
An Irish breakfast is not for the meek (or those watching their cholesterol). Still, you won't be able to resist this sizable breakfast consisting of fried eggs, black and white pudding, and pork sausage. For good measure, you'll also find mushrooms, grilled tomatoes and baked beans.
Toast provides a way to construct a substantial breakfast sandwich as you go, and pots of Barry's Irish tea are pretty much required. Go for it — even if you only enjoy this mountain of Irish breakfast foods once a year!
Get the recipe at The Spruce Eats.
Irish Beef Stew
Dinner at the Zoo
A bowl full of beef stew comforts us no matter where it was invented. Beef stew in Ireland is still a staple with stewed meat, potatoes, vegetables and sometimes a touch of bacon as in French beef bourguignon.
Stews always hit the spot in late winter, when spring still seems so far off. If you want to save on effort, toss everything into a slow cooker and let the aroma of beef stew fill your home.
Get the recipe from Dinner at the Zoo.
Irish Brown Bread
King Arthur Baking
Most Americans associate Ireland solely with soda bread, but another bread is considered a top choice among authentic Irish foods. Irish brown bread is used for everything from soup to sandwiches.
It's made using wholemeal flour, which uses whole wheat that hasn't been altered. If you don't have wholemeal flour on hand, make roughly a cup to substitute in your recipe. Combine ¾ cup wheat germ, ¼ cup wheat bran, and ½ cup whole wheat flour.
Get the recipe from King Arthur Baking.
Slow-Cooked Corned Beef
Taste of Home
Though corned beef isn't the most authentic of Irish ingredients, it's become a tradition in the United States. There is no reason you can't prepare the most delicious corned beef possible using a crockpot.
In addition to the spice package that comes with corned beef, this recipe adds two sugars, coriander seeds and whole peppercorns. It's a truly slow-cooked meal that takes nine to 11 hours until the most tender and flavorful meat is ready.
Here's the recipe from Taste of Home.
Irish Fish Pie
Food & Wine
We're more used to Irish beef pies, even though seafood from Ireland is considered among the best in the world. Fish pie is a tradition that is linked to the British, and this recipe celebrates fish in many forms.
The pie is made with scallops, shrimp and cod, and it's topped with bechamel and sweet potato puree. Once the bubbling pie cools off, you'll be amazed at how much flavor is packed into each bite.
Get the recipe from Food & Wine.
Irish Potato Bread
Bunny's Warm Oven
With potatoes found in Irish stews, pies and savory pancakes, don't be surprised to find bread made with spuds. Many doughnut recipes use potatoes to add moisture and tenderness to each bite.
The same holds here; as in Irish boxty, both raw and mashed potatoes are added. This recipe adds parmesan and garlic powder for more flavor, but you can tweak your potato bread any way you like.
Irish Lamb Stew
Bowl of Delicious
Once people arrive in Ireland, they're shocked to find that traditional Irish stew is made with lamb, not beef. Irish lamb is famous because the animals graze on the greenest grass as a result of a rainy climate.
You can prepare this stew as you would a beef stew, using potatoes, vegetables and herbs. The recipe has a trick for thickening up the stew without using flour that you may use again and again.
Here's the recipe from Bowl of Delicious.
Waterford Blaas (Irish Rolls)
Savor the Flavour
The Irish are no strangers to hearty, fluffy breads for every occasion. These Irish rolls, called Waterford blaas, are the most straightforward of super versatile breads. These rolls are soft inside with a sprinkle of flour on top. They're a staple alongside breakfast, lunch and dinner, but you may enjoy them most with some Irish butter.
Find the recipe from Savor the Flavour.
Brussel Sprouts With Bacon
Irish Central
We tend to push aside Brussels sprouts in America, but to the Irish, you can't celebrate Christmas Day without them. They're abundant in winter, so there are many sprouts left over in time for St. Patrick's Day.
Of course, adding bacon to Brussels sprouts makes them much more delicious instantly. They're roasted with olive oil, salt, pepper and bacon for a vegetable dish you'll love.
Irish Stout-Braised Chicken Thighs
Garlic & Zest
The best-known authentic Irish foods often focus on beef and lamb, while leaving chicken out. Like many others, this recipe calls upon Guinness for flavor but focuses on braised chicken thighs cooked with potatoes, peas and surprisingly a pear.
Using bone-in chicken thighs often provides more depth of flavor than boneless chicken breasts. The dish is ready in less than an hour, which makes this Irish chicken recipe a favorite for easy weeknight meals.
Here's the recipe from Garlic & Zest.
Irish Bacon and Cabbage
A Spicy Perspective
While cabbage is an Irish favorite on either side of the Atlantic, this variation will satisfy any savory craving. This recipe is simple to make and manages to elevate the cabbage with thick-cut bacon, onion, chicken broth and mustard seeds. This Irish bacon and cabbage is a winner if you need a vegetable side dish that doesn't include potato.
Get the recipe from A Spicy Perspective.
Irish Baked Salmon and Cream Sauce
Recipe from 31 Daily
Irish salmon is one of the tastiest treats from the sea you can enjoy when visiting the Emerald Isle. Why not celebrate St. Patrick's Day with healthier fare that still tastes incredible? Like other salmon recipes, this one uses a foil bake for the fish.
Things get rich when you top the salmon with a creamy dill sauce made with Irish butter lemons. After you try it, you might find yourself forgetting all about corned beef.
Find the recipe here from 31 Daily.
Irish Ham and Cabbage Pie
Savor the Flavour
Few Irish savory pie dishes use ham, but it can be just as delicious as a beef or chicken pot pie. It's an alternative version of an Irish classic: bacon and cabbage. The ham and cabbage mixture turns into something else with the help of cream and butter.
Save time with the help of a store-bought puff pastry that will turn a golden brown once baked in the oven. This twist on Irish tradition is one you may wish to keep.
Find the recipe from Savor the Flavour.
Triple Mash With Horseradish Crumbs
The English Kitchen
This unique take on mashed potatoes has a bit of Britishness attached but is one that fits into Irish cooking. Parsnips and rutabaga offer a lot of depth to the potatoes, but it's the horseradish crumbs that shine. You'll crave this exciting texture change and may serve it whenever you decide you need potatoes with your supper.
Irish Ale Potato Cheddar Soup With Beer Battered Leek
How Sweet Eats
This recipe for Irish ale potato cheddar soup is one of the most distinctive odes to authentic Irish foods. It uses many pub grub favorites, including beer and cheddar cheese, to liven up an otherwise tasty potato soup. The extra treat comes with crispy beer-battered leeks, which transport you to an Irish pub and a pint of Guinness.
Here's the recipe from How Sweet Eats.
Smoked Salmon Dip
My Everyday Table
Not all authentic Irish foods are meant for a comforting family meal. This smoked salmon dip will become the star of your next St. Patrick's Day shindig. The Irish like to enjoy smoked salmon in paper-thin slices on brown bread with Irish butter.
This version turns the same beautiful flavor into a dip that guests will flock to. It calls for cream cheese, red onion, smoked salmon and dill, and it goes well with most crackers for a party appetizer you won't forget.
Get the recipe from My Everyday Table.
Irish Beer Braised Pork Loin
Sparkles of Yum
Many Irish recipes involve beer, whether Guinness or a non-stout ale. Add the blonde version of Guinness to this pork loin for a lighter touch and balsamic vinegar to balance things out. The sweetness of honey completes the sauce, which bakes into the pork until it finishes baking in the oven. It pairs well with potatoes but also rice or vegetables for a completely satisfying meal.
Irish Vegetable Soup
Simply Scratch
Not every Irish recipe has to include meat to be satisfying and delicious. A good example is this Irish vegetable soup, which is as healthy as it is mouthwatering. Puree ingredients from carrots and potatoes to broccoli and leeks for a soup that will warm you inside and out. Serve with fresh chives on top and a slice of Irish brown bread to soak up each bite.
Here's the recipe from Simply Scratch.
Irish Cheddar Soda Bread
Once Upon a Chef
While soda bread always appears on most St. Patrick's Day menus, it doesn't have to be categorized as sweet. Buttermilk biscuits are made for cheddar cheese, and so is Irish soda bread. Once you smell cheddar cheese baking into golden soda bread, you'll probably wait by the oven until it's ready to eat.
Get the recipe from Once Upon a Chef.
