16 Classic Irish Recipes That Are Delicious All Year Long

Acclaimed for its beer, music, and breathtaking views, Ireland is known for many wonderful things — and its food is no different. Celebrated for its hearty and wholesome nature, Irish cuisine is deeply rooted in the country's culture and history. Simple ingredients — often sourced locally — are used to create dishes that are comforting, filling, and delicious. 

From bangers and mash to corned beef and cabbage, here are 16 classic Irish recipes perfect for any time of the year and best paired with a cold pint of Guinness.

When people think of classic Irish recipes, soda bread is often one of the first dishes that comes to mind. This traditional soda bread boasts a rustic charm with its dense crumb and slight tanginess from the baking soda and buttermilk. Often enhanced with raisins for a touch of sweetness, it serves as a great side for soups and stews — especially when enjoyed fresh out of the oven and slathered with butter. 

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, and raisins (if desired); bake until golden brown.

Recipe: Natasha's Kitchen

This hearty stew that combines lamb or mutton with earthy root vegetables is another nod to the simple and comforting flavors of Irish cuisine. Historically made in the winter months as a way to keep warm using cheap ingredients, it can be modified with different vegetables and cuts of meat to cater to different tastes and preferences. 

For this classic Irish dinner recipe, start by browning the meat in a Dutch oven, add in your veggies and stock and pop it in the oven for about one hour, or until meat and potatoes are fork tender. You can also cook this on a stovetop, but using the oven ensures a more even cooking to prevent the meat from becoming tough. 

Recipe: The Spruce Eats

If you've wondered what it means to "make your coffee Irish," then this one is for you. This boozy beverage traditionally combines freshly brewed coffee with Irish whiskey and sugar, and is topped with whipped heavy cream. Smooth and delicious, it is perfect for sipping on chilly evenings, as an after-dinner treat, or to get through a rough work day. You can also substitute the Irish whiskey for Bailey's or Kahlúa.

Recipe: The Spruce Eats

Looking for an inexpensive whiskey for your Irish coffee? Check out our roundup of the best cheap whiskeys, which includes classics like Jameson as well as some unexpected gems.

A dish rooted in Irish-American tradition, corned beef and cabbage is especially popular on St. Patrick's Day. Made using salt-cured beef brisket, the meat acts as a perfect balance to highlight the milder taste of the cabbage. 

To prepare it, cook your corned beef in aromatic spices until almost tender. Add your vegetables and cabbage at the end to help it retain a slight crunch and soak up all the flavors of the broth.

Recipe: Well Plated

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Irish brown bread is a nutty, dense loaf made from wholewheat flour, which provides a healthier alternative to processed white flour and is ideal for pairing with soups or slathering with Irish butter. 

To make it, mix wholewheat flour with salt, oats, baking soda, brown sugar, molasses, honey, dark beer, and buttermilk; then bake at 350 degrees until risen and firm — about 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool and serve with some butter spooned on top. 

Recipe: The Travel Bite

Epitomizing the essence of Irish cuisine, shepherd's pie immediately comes to mind as the ultimate comfort food. Infused with savory ground meat and vegetables blanketed by a layer of creamy mashed potatoes, it's a dish that warms the body and soul. 

For this Irish Shepherd's pie recipe, cook the meat with seasonings, vegetables, and gravy, top with mashed potatoes and bake until meat is bubbling and potatoes are fork tender. 

Recipe: The Wholesome Dish

These savory pancakes made from grated mashed potatoes and flour are crunchy, filling, and dangerously addictive. Fried until golden brown, they make for a perfect breakfast or side dish. They're also easy to whip up. 

Combine the potatoes with flour, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk, and fry the mixture in a pan for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions and grated cheese. 

Recipe: Daring Gourmet

This ultra rich dish combines tender chunks of beef with the deep flavors of Guinness. Perfect for colder nights, this stew is thick, comforting, and undeniably Irish. 

In a large pot, brown your beef, then sauté onions and garlic before adding tomato paste, flour, and Guinness to deglaze. Add your vegetables and seasonings, top with beef broth, and simmer on low heat until meat is tender and broth has thickened (about 2 hours). 

Recipe: Daring Gourmet

Colcannon is a creamy blend of mashed potatoes, cabbage, onion, and butter, and it's the perfect dish to whip up for when it starts to get chilly. While typically associated with St. Patrick's Day and Halloween, no one said you can't enjoy it year round. 

Boil potatoes and mash them with the cooked cabbage and onion, then stir in butter and milk to give it a velvety and thick consistency. To give it more substance, add diced bacon bits. 

Recipe: All Recipes

This hefty Irish stew consisting of sausages, bacon, potatoes, and onions is the quintessential example of the country's love for simple, hearty meals. Originating from Dublin, the stew was historically associated with the working class and was typically enjoyed on Thursday evenings to use up leftover meat as Catholics weren't supposed to eat meat on Fridays. The dish also provided a way to use up leftovers from the week to minimize waste. 

Luckily, it's also pretty easy to recreate. Start by browning your meats until slightly charred then combine with your vegetables of choice in a Dutch oven with beer, seasonings, and chicken broth; bake at 300 degrees until flavors meld (about 2 hours). 

Recipe: Wholefully

Related: 21 Hearty Casserole and Stew Recipes That Reheat Well

Steeped in tradition, potato farls are a breakfast staple that trace its origins to the kitchens of Northern Ireland. Made from leftover mashed potatoes and flour, potato farls have a crunchy exterior and soft interior that make them a great pairing with jams, cured meats, or as part of a breakfast spread. 

To make them, divide a dough of mashed potatoes, flour, and salt into even portions; roll flat; and fry until golden brown. 

Recipe: Veggie Desserts

In search of more Irish potato recipes? Check out our roundup of the best ways to cook potatoes. 

This creamy and nourishing soup brimming with fish, mussels, crab, and shrimp, encapsulates the fresh flavors of the Atlantic by highlighting Ireland's bountiful coastline. To recreate it at home, start by browning bacon in a pan and then add your vegetables, stock, milk, and seafood; cook until flavors meld and potatoes are tender (about 25 minutes). Garnish with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of black pepper. 

Recipe: Sumptuous Spoonfuls

Related: Seafood Savings: 6 Ways To Add Fish to Your Diet Without Busting Your Budget

Known as the ultimate comfort (and hangover) meal, banger and mash pairs sausages (bangers) with creamy mashed potatoes drenched in a thick onion gravy. Very popular in England and Ireland, this dish offers a satisfying blend of textures and flavors that can be commonly found across pubs and restaurants in Europe. To make at home, pan-fry bangers until golden brown; lay on top of mashed potatoes and slather in gravy. Serve with a side of steamed peas for an added dose of nutrients. 

Recipe: All Recipes

Often associated with Halloween traditions in Ireland, this fruitcake — also known as báirín breac — is not only rich in flavors but also in folklore; various trinkets were historically baked inside to foretell one's future. If you'd like to give it a try this Halloween, begin by soaking dried fruits overnight in a strong tea. Combine with dry and wet ingredients, and bake for roughly one hour, or until golden brown. Let cool and serve with butter slathered on top. 

Recipe: All Recipes

Here is another Irish breakfast staple that is chock full of protein. The dish refers to sausages made from pork meat, fat, and combined with blood (black) or without (white). In this recipe, the sausages are baked for about an hour before being sliced and pan-fried in bacon fat or butter until crispy on the outside. Pair with fried eggs, beans, sausage, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, and toast for a full Irish breakfast.

Recipe: Epicurious

This treat combines the tartness of rhubarb with a buttery, crumbly topping. Great as a snack or dessert, it's also easy to make and calls for minimal ingredients. Layer chopped rhubarb in a dish and combine with flour, sugar, vanilla extract, orange zest, and butter. Bake until the top is golden and crunchy (about 45 minutes). Let cool and serve with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Recipe: Food Network