The 16 Best St. Patrick's Day Recipes, According to Our Readers

Slow Cooker Beer Bread
Photo: Jason Donnelly

Lucky us! With your ratings and reviews, BHG fans have helped us narrow down the 19 best options for St. Patrick's Day dinner. These fresh takes on traditional Irish recipes—including shepherd's pie, corned beef and cabbage, and Irish soda bread recipes—all earn top marks. We've also included some non-traditional St. Patrick's Day recipes and Irish ingredient remixes. Consider 'em all the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

01 of 16

Cheesy Beer and Bacon Soup

Cheesy Beer and Bacon Soup
Andy Lyons

Beer-cheese soup gets a fitting St. Patrick's Day dinner upgrade via—you guessed it!—potatoes. Shredded hash browns join 10 slices of bacon and two types of cheddar in this second serving-worthy soup. While the recipe tastes like it simmered all day, it can be all yours in 45 minutes.

02 of 16

Currant-Orange Irish Soda Bread

Currant-Orange Irish Soda Bread
Blaine Moats

Don't be intimidated by the concept of homemade bread. If you have one, your stand mixer can do all the kneading for you. Otherwise it's just a matter of minutes on your own! Traditionally, Irish soda bread recipes were made with just flour, buttermilk, baking soda, and salt, but our favorite sweet-tart twist adds a bit of sugar, fresh currants, and orange peel to elevate the flavor.

03 of 16

Beef, Mushroom, and Onion Tart

Beef, Mushroom, and Onion Tart
Andy Lyons

Mash-up meal alert! This open-face take on steak and Guinness pie features fresh mushrooms, red onion, and lean ground beef and comes in a format fitting for pizza night. Blue cheese crumbles add tang to the savory St. Patrick's Day dinner tart that's sure to please the entire family.

04 of 16

Panko Roasted Asparagus

Panko Roasted Asparagus
Andy Lyons

This St. Patrick's Day dinner side will surely make your supper pals swoon. The homemade aioli sauce makes this panko-topped asparagus recipe over-the-top delicious.

05 of 16

Sweet Potato Hash with Hollandaise

Sweet-and-Savory Potato Chips
Jason Donnelly

Include the Irish staple—potatoes—in a new way for your St. Patrick's Day feast with this irresistible sweet potato hash recipe. A spicy chipotle pepper hollandaise sauce complements the sweet maple syrup that blankets juicy chunks of sweet potato, onion, poached eggs, and crispy bacon. Psst...this Irish potato recipe is ideal for brunch too, so no need to wait until dinner to start celebrating the lucky day!

06 of 16

Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Reed Davis

We all know the Irish love their greens, including Brussels sprouts. With a little sherry, garlic, and fresh herbs, you can transform basic Brussels sprouts into a mouthwatering side dish that's ready in minutes. Pair them with corned beef for a twist on the classic St. Patrick's Day recipe.

07 of 16

Mustard-Herb Beef Stew

Mustard-Herb Beef Stew
Andy Lyons

You don't have to wait until St. Patrick's Day to enjoy this Irish stew recipe. (Although it sure is festive and fun to serve on March 17!) Boneless beef chuck, small cipollini onions, carrots, cremini mushrooms, and Yukon gold potatoes come together in the hearty Irish dinner.

08 of 16

Dill and Cheese Beer Bread

Dill and Cheese Beer Bread
Andy Lyons

Self-rising flour makes this yummy homemade bread a cinch to prepare. Monterey Jack cheese, dill seeds, and dill weed flavor the hearty dough. Bake, then dip in a stick-to-your-bones stew.

Test Kitchen Tip: When choosing a brew for your bread, pick a brand with similar flavors to your recipe. For heavier rye bread, use a dark ale such as Guinness. For bread with fruity notes or a recipe that calls for white flour only, try a lighter lager or pilsner.

09 of 16

Slow Cooker Beer Bread

Slow Cooker Beer Bread
Jason Donnelly

Made with oats, white, and wheat flour, this Irish brown bread recipe practically bakes itself in your slow cooker. That way you can focus on acing the meal you're going to dunk it in. Depending on the entree pairing, choose one of our flavor variations that include white cheddar-mustard, caraway-rye, or honey-thyme.

10 of 16

Braised Beef Shanks with Mushrooms and Olives

Braised Beef Shanks with Mushrooms and Olives
Andy Lyons

When cooked low and slow, beef shanks provide tender, moist meat, and a rich-bodied stew. Pair them with root vegetables, earthy mushrooms, and gnocchi to soak up every drop of the tomato-mushroom broth that flavors the St. Patrick's Day dinner.

Test Kitchen Tip: For a lower-carb option, try cauliflower gnocchi in place of the potato gnocchi.

11 of 16

Squash and Sausage Shepherd's Pie

Squash and Sausage Shepherd’s Pie
Jason Donnelly

BH&G home cook Fred raves: "We tried this last fall and everyone loved it so much it is what we will have St Patrick's Day this year!" Follow his lead and try the flavorful variation on the traditional Irish dish for St. Patrick's Day dinner. Top the pies with nutty mashed butternut squash instead of mashed potatoes, and replace the ground beef with sweet Italian sausage for a little extra punch.

12 of 16

Garlicky Steamed Mussels and Littleneck Clams with Pesto Toasts

Garlicky Steamed Mussels and Littleneck Clams with Pesto Toasts
Kritsada Panichgul

Ireland's vast coastline harbors an abundance of fresh seafood that makes for delicious, protein-packed dinners. Pair mussels and clams with fresh herbs, chopped tomato, and a buttery white wine sauce to create this catch of a St. Patrick's Day recipe. Then dig in to the shellfish and soak up the sauce with crunchy pesto-topped toasts.

13 of 16

Potato Salad with Sausage and Grainy Mustard

Potato Salad with Sausage and Grainy Mustard Dressing
Con Poulos

A top-rated recipe for years, this potato salad gets its spunk from a vinegar-mustard dressing, fresh herbs, and dry-cured sausage. (Now that's our kind of salad!) Green onions and parsley give the Irish potato recipe bright flavor and a bit o' green.

14 of 16

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned Beef and Cabbage
Jason Donnelly

Plug in your slow cooker ($60, The Home Depot) and prepare to set and forget a scrumptious holiday supper. An Americanized take on traditional Irish corned beef and cabbage, this one-pot meal requires just five ingredients and 10 minutes of prep time. Serve with a mug of cold beer for St. Patrick's Day dinner.

15 of 16

Irish Stew

Irish Stew in blue pot
Kritsada Panichgul

Looking for a classic Irish stew recipe? We got you! This one's bubbling with seasoned lamb, tender turnips, and—of course—potatoes. Round out the holiday meal with your favorite Irish soda bread recipe.

16 of 16

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings
Blaine Moats

Come March, cozy comfort food chicken isn't complete without dumplings. This Irish chicken recipe tags in sage-simmered veggies and homemade gravy for the ultimate St. Patrick's Day dinner. If those flavors didn't convince you to give this Irish recipe a try, perhaps this review from reader Bonnie will: "It smelled like heaven in my kitchen."

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