St. Patrick’s Day is the fourth biggest drinking day of the year in America, and over half of Americans celebrate the holiday. Not only is it a big day for drinking but also eating. Corned beef and cabbage is an American St. Patty’s Day favorite, along with other staples like Irish soda bread and beef stew.
If you’re looking for some new ideas to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, we’ve got you covered. Below are some popular recipes that will make your holiday hearty, satisfying and memorable.
We can’t talk about a St. Patrick’s Day menu without mentioning corned beef and cabbage. The meal is fairly simple to make, and it uses basic ingredients like small red potatoes, carrots, cabbage and corned beef brisket. Even though the recipe is easy, you’ll want to leave yourself plenty of time, as the beef has to cook for several hours, or about 45 minutes per pound.
Irish stew makes a perfect St. Patrick’s Day meal because it’s a one pot meal, and it tastes great on a cold day. The official start to spring isn’t until March 20, so the forecast can still call for snow! You can cook Irish stew on the stovetop and oven, or toss the ingredients in your slow cooker. Either way, the stew will need to simmer to make the meat, potatoes and carrots tender.
Irish soda bread is made with basic ingredients like buttermilk, eggs, white sugar and white flour. The buttermilk and baking soda take the place of yeast. You can even add raisins to the bread to give it extra flavor and sweetness. The end result might look thick and dense, but inside, it’s moist and delicious! Serve the bread with tea for a full experience.
Shepherd’s pie is traditionally made with ground lamb, but you can also make it with lean proteins like chicken or turkey. It has all the comfort of a chicken pot pie but without the flour crust. Instead, it’s topped with a creamy layer of mashed potatoes. This recipe takes things a step further by having you sprinkle the mashed potatoes with cheese and parsley. Hot, bubbly and delicious!
Colcannon potatoes are Irish mashed potatoes with greens (kale or spinach, typically) and scallions, butter and cream. Some people even make colcannon soup and colcannon cakes - they use the same base of potatoes, greens, butter and cream. Because of the flavor profile of colcannon, we recommend serving it with lamb chops, corned beef, sausage or even grilled chicken.
To top off your meal, enjoy a green beverage. It’s easy! For a pint of green beer, add a few drops of green food coloring. For the kids, make a tasty mocktail by combining lemon lime kool-aid, pineapple juice, sprite and simple syrup. And, if your plans happen to fall through, La Rosa Chicken and Grill will be open serving our best comfort foods - grilled or crispy chicken and plenty of homemade sides, including the Irish favorite mashed potatoes!