Ireland is by far one my favorite places on earth! Lucky for me, my grandparents live there and we have made quite a few trips there over the years. When we go we usually stay at Oysterhaven which is a very family friendly resort near Kinsale with one of the most breathtaking views ever.
Growing up, my Mom would make classic Irish dishes year round, but the week of St. Patrick’s Day was always guaranteed to be special. Some of my favorite Irish dishes are:
Potato Leek Soup – This smooth and creamy soup is absolutely perfect for cold, dreary days. The leeks (from the onion family) are truly the secret ingredient. Thin sliced and tender the leeks add so much flavor to the soup.
Colcannon sounds exotic but it isn’t. Basically Colcannon is mashed potatoes with cabbage and sausage, plenty of butter and a bit of milk. Comfort food at its finest! This is also known as Bubble and Squeak.
Shepherd’s Pie was one of my childhood favorites. It is the ultimate one dish meal consisting of layers of ground meat (beef, lamb, or a combination), mixed vegetables, tomatoes, and a topping made of mashed potatoes and cheese. Yummy!
Irish Lamb Stew is made from amazingly simple ingredients, yet tastes so rich. I think the reason is that it cooks for 8 hours and those flavors just meld so well. Serve with Irish Soda Bread and you will feel like you are dining on the Emerald Isle.
Corned Beef & Cabbage is another simple yet delicious Irish recipe that is good any day of the year. The corned beef brisket will absolutely melt in your mouth after it spends all day cooking in the slow cooker.
For more great Irish recipes check out:
- Irish Traditional Cooking: Over 300 Recipes from Ireland’s Heritage
- The New Irish Table: 70 Contemporary Recipes
- The Irish Spirit: Recipes Inspired by the Legendary Drinks of Ireland
- The Irish Pub Cookbook
- McGuire’s Irish Pub Cookbook
Food photos from Food Network
Keep the kids busy while you cook with fun St. Patrick’s Day printable activities and coloring sheets.
[...] Celebrate It has some yummy recipes for your Traditional Irish Meals on St. Patrick’s Day. [...]
[...] looking for ideas as to what to cook for St. Patrick’s Day? Check out these traditional Irish meals and their recipes. And don’t forget to print out some St. Patrick’s Day coloring pages and activities for [...]
This recipe sounds great