18 Irish Recipes for St. Patrick's Day

No matter the nature of your St. Patrick's Day traditions, great food is an absolute must. From classic (and not-so-classic) soda breads to stout-battered onion rings and corned beef galore, these 18 Irish-inflected dishes and cocktails will keep you well-fed all day long.

Breads

Real Irish Soda Bread

In the olden days, soda bread was baked over hot coals in a skillet, where the bread developed a thick, lovely crust. Now we bake the bread in our oven, but doing so in a Dutch Oven produces the same crusty loaf that we love so much.

Irish Brown Bread

If you want a big slice of nubbly, oaty bread that just begs to be spread with a layer of thick jam or a melting pat of butter, try this Irish brown bread. Coarse wheat flour lends a vaguely sweet, honey flavor and a hint of toasted oats.

Irish Morning Bread

This dough is made from whole wheat flour, oats, and a heavy dose of raisins, all which give it a particularly lumpy appearance. Yet those same ingredients are what give this bread character. The raisins add pops of chewy sweetness and the mixture of oats and brown flour create a dense but moist crumb with a strong wheat flavor. Topped with sugar, it has a crackly sweet crust, indulgent and wholesome at the same time.

Soda Bread With Dried Cranberries

For all you raisin-haters out there, this is the soda bread for you. Cranberries give this bread all the fruitiness it needs, along with that signature cranberry tartness.

Spotted Dog Soda Bread

In a time when Ireland was more agrarian, this "Spotted Dog" was a snack typically transported to the fields wrapped in a tea towel and served whiskey-filled with hot sweetened tea. The name either refers to the spotting of raisins on its surface, or it's a derivative of spotted dick, a steamed pudding dotted with currants. No matter where the name comes from, this is an old-fashioned recipe that stands the test of time.

Side Dishes

Stout-Battered Onion Rings

A lot of beer-battered onion rings don't end up tasting like beer. The stout-based batter on these onion rings makes them much more flavorful. Throw in a little spice, some tangy mustard, a touch of honey for sweetness, and the package is complete.

Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes

The secret to the crispiest roast potatoes is increased surface area. Toss your par-boiled potatoes around with a metal spoon until they're smashed enough to create plenty of nooks and crannies. Then, when you roast the potatoes in a super-hot oven, all the extra surface area results in the crispiest potatoes imaginable.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Frying these potatoes in duck fat creates an extra-thick and crispy crust. They're crunchier than the best chips from the chipper and packed with great roasted flavor.

Ultra-Fluffy Mashed Potatoes

The key to super-fluffy mashed potatoes is to remove as much starch from the spuds as possible. We accomplish this by peeling and dicing them before rinsing them in water and boiling them just until cooked. Using a ricer or food mill prevents excess damage to the starch granules, helping the potatoes remain nice and light.

Main Dishes

Corned Beef Brisket, Potatoes, Cabbage, and Carrots

We tested this recipe with over 37 pounds of beef to bring you the perfect recipe for corned beef. It's salty, moist, and beautifully pink, accompanied by tender vegetables that cook in the same liquid as the corned beef.

Stout Beef Stew

This Guinness stew begs you to tuck in for a warm, soul-satisfying meal. Carrots, potatoes, loads of sweet cipollini onions, and tender chunks of beef make for a dish that is equal parts simple and delicious. The only accompaniment you'll need is a crusty loaf of bread and glass of bold red wine...or a pint of Guinness.

Classic, Savory Shepherd's Pie (With Beef and/or Lamb)

This classic shepherd's pie features a layer of juicy ground meat, carrots, and peas, blanketed in fluffy mashed potatoes. Nontraditional ingredients like red wine, tomato paste, and Parmesan add depth to every element of the dish.

Champ With Sausages

Champ is a simple but delicious dish that combines creamy mashed potatoes with a good helping of milk and butter. To finish, the dish is studded with scallions and parlsey and served with sausages.

Corned Beef Hash

Got some corned beef leftover from the festive meal? Hash-ify it with diced potatoes, poblano chile, a sizable helping of ketchup or chile sauce, and runny-yolked eggs that nestle right into the pan.

Bangers and Mash With Onion Gravy

This classic pub dish will keep you full all day or at least until you're ready for another meal. Bangers—British sausages—are served with buttery mashed potatoes and a rich, sweet onion gravy.

Cocktails

Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (Fernet-Spiked Irish Coffee With Lemon Cream)

This riff on a classic Irish coffee features the minty-bitter flavor of Fernet-Branca, plus a generous dollop of lemon whipped cream to top it off.

Just-Do-Ya (Hazelnut-Spiked Irish Coffee With Chocolate Whipped Cream)

This take on an Irish coffee is warm, comforting, and packed with hazelnut flavor. For the alcohol, we use Frangelico, a hazelnut-infused liqueur. The whipped cream gets cut with Dutch cocoa powder, which heightens the drink's already-nutty flavor.

The Bitter Irishman

Light, floral whiskey meets fresh lemon juice and bitter amaro in this perfectly balanced cocktail. Simple syrup offsets the bitterness, and a Luxardo cherry garnish adds a bright, sweet finish.