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48 Best St. Patrick's Day Foods for 2025: From Classics to New Favorites

From green drinks to traditional dishes, celebrate March 17 with these Irish-inspired recipes.

By Rachel Baron and
sliced corned beef and grilled cabbage on a gray plate
Mike Garten

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Whether you're Irish or not, anyone can enjoy these St. Patrick's Day foods. After all, who doesn't enjoy dishes like juicy corned beef with caramelized cabbage, cozy shepherd's pie and decadent chocolate whoopie pies? Many of these dishes have origins in Ireland while others are fun green foods that get at the spirit of the holiday.

If you ask us, there's never a bad time for an Irish dessert or a St. Patrick's Day drink. But there's no denying that they just taste better on St. Patrick's Day. Gather your favorites now so you're ready on March 17.

1

Shepherd's Pie

shepherds pie with ground beef in the center
Mike Garten

This just might be the ultimate comfort food. This St. Patrick's Day classic is made with ground lamb or beef, potatoes, carrots and a bit of Guinness. It doesn't get more Irish than that!

Get the Shepherd's Pie recipe.

2

Mini Grasshopper Pies

st patricks day foods mini grasshopper pies
Mike Garten

Is there anything more appropriate for St. Patrick's Day than a green dessert? These treats are made with marshmallow creme, chocolate sandwich cookies, butter and dark chocolate.

Get the Mini Grasshopper Pies recipe.

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3

Guinness Beef Stew

guinness beef stew with ladle in dutch oven
Mike Garten

This hearty stew is the perfect St. Patrick's Day dinner. This slow-simmered dinner is made with beef chuck, a can of extra-stout beer, potatoes, carrots and parsnips. Bake a loaf of Irish soda bread to soak up every last bit.

Get the Guinness Beef Stew recipe.

RELATED: 27 Best Dutch Oven Recipes: Cozy Dinners and Decadent Desserts

4

Ham and Cheese Beer Bread

ham and cheese beer bread in a green loaf pan
Mike Garten

This dish is the definition of crowd-pleasing, on St. Patrick's Day or any other. You just can't go wrong with ham, beer and two types of cheese.

Get the Ham and Cheese Beer Bread recipe.

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5

Soda Bread

soda bread on a wire rack
Danielle Occhiogrosso Daly

This classic Irish dish is incredibly versatile. Spread some jam or butter on it for breakfast, use it for lunch sandwiches, or serve it alongside corned beef and cabbage for dinner.

Get the Soda Bread recipe.

6

Dijon and Green Peppercorn–Crusted Standing Rib Roast

a rib roast served on a white platter
Mike Garten

According to the blog Irish American Mom, the most popular St. Patrick's Day meal in Ireland is a roast. If you're looking to make something truly special for the holiday, we'd recommend this standing rib roast brushed with a savory, aromatic mustard mixture and served with a white wine and shallot pan sauce.

Get the Dijon and Green Peppercorn–Crusted Standing Rib Roast recipe.

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7

Roasted Lamb Chops with Snap Pea Salad

roasted lamb chops with a snap pea salad on the side
Mike Garten

Another common dish served on St. Patrick's Day is lamb. This year, try this dish which brings together juicy lamb chops and a light, fresh salad that's perfect for spring.

Get the Roasted Lamb Chops with Snap Pea Salad recipe.

8

Colcannon

a blue bowl of yellow colcannon on a blue table cloth
Mike Garten

A traditional Irish staple, this classic dish is made of creamy mashed potatoes and greens — in this case, kale. Yes, please!

Get the Colcannon recipe.

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9

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

chocolate whoopie pies next to a glass of dark irish beer
Mike Garten

A splash of smooth and creamy dark beer — such as Guinness — adds complexity and depth of flavor to chocolate cake batter.

Get the Chocolate Whoopie Pies recipe.

10

Green Beer

two glasses of green beer
Mike Garten

On St. Paddy's Day, beer dyed green totally counts as food. Use your favorite light beer for a prettier color (and extra-refreshing taste).

Get the Green Beer recipe.

RELATED: Best St. Patrick's Day Drinks That Will Bring You Extra Luck

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11

Shortbread Squares

several chocolate shortbread squares on a wooden table
Mike Garten

Use good Irish butter in these rich cookies to really take them over the top.

Get the Shortbread Squares recipe.

12

Homemade Irish Cream

an iced glass of homemade irish cream
Mike Garten

Made with condensed milk, heavy cream and Irish whiskey, you're only a DIY away from homemade Baileys. Yum!

Get the Homemade Irish Cream recipe.

RELATED: Classic Cocktails That You Can Whip Up Anytime

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13

Corned Beef and Cabbage

a plate of sliced corned beef with grilled cabbage
Mike Garten

This classic Irish recipe is often associated with St. Patrick's Day. But if you ask us, there's never a bad time for caramelized cabbage and slow-simmered corned beef.

Get the Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe.

14

Crispy Golden Smashed Potatoes

white plate of crispy golden smashed potatoes and fresh herbs
Mike Garten

Mashed potatoes who? Smashed potatoes are less common than their mashed cousin, but this buttery, crispy recipe will have you wondering why that is.

Get the Crispy Golden Smashed Potatoes recipe.

RELATED: 58 Easy Potato Recipes For Weeknight Dinners, Thanksgiving and More

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15

Cheddar-Beer Fondue

wooden platter of cheddar beer fondue and dipping food
Kate Mathis

This oozy, boozy spread makes a great St. Patrick's appetizer for any party. And there are tons more ways you can cook with your Irish stout, if you want to make it a theme: Try Guinness chocolate cake for dessert!

Get the Cheddar-Beer Fondue recipe.

RELATED: Best Fondue Pots

16

Potato Leek Soup

bowls of potato leek soup with a side of bread
Mike Garten

Like St. Patrick's Day itself, this potato soup flavored with garlic, fennel and leeks feels like winter with a nod to spring.

Get the Potato Leek Soup recipe.

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17

Roast Pork and Sweet Potatoes with Spicy Cabbage

white rectangular plate of roasted pork and sweet potatoes with spicy cabbage
Danielle Occhiogrosso Daly

Take a break from lamb and beef with this equally nourishing roast pork main, lightened up with a zippy cabbage side.

Get the Roast Pork and Sweet Potatoes with Spicy Cabbage recipe.

18

Lucky Charm Cookies

close up of half eaten lucky charm cookies
Erin Phraner

Mix Lucky Charms cereal into this cookie dough to make them magically delicious through and through.

Get the Lucky Charm Cookies recipe.

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19

Parsnip and Potato Mash

close up of a bowl of mashed potatoes with fresh herbs
Mike Garten

It wouldn't be St. Paddy's Day without a side of potatoes! Plus, this creamy potato mash will complement just about any main dish.

Get the Parsnip and Potato Mash recipe.

20

Boxty

st patricks day food boxty
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: FRANCESCA ZANI

Your whole crew is sure to love these Irish potato pancakes. They're crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and delicious all the way through.

Get the Boxty recipe from Delish.

Headshot of Jamie Ballard
Jamie Ballard
Contributing Writer

Jamie Ballard (she/her) is a freelance writer and editor who covers news, lifestyle, and entertainment topics, including sex and relationships, TV, movies, books, health, pets, food and drinks, pop culture, shopping, and personal finance. She regularly contributes to Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, and YouGov, among other publications. When she’s not working, you can find her running, traveling, or scrolling TikTok. Follow her on Twitter.

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