Traditional Irish Food for St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner. What better way to spend the holiday than by enjoying traditional Irish cuisine? Ireland is known for hearty dishes highlighting the country’s cultural heritage.

Start your day with a traditional Irish breakfast. While this classic meal varies by location, a typical dish can include fried eggs, sausage, bacon, black and white pudding, fried tomato and toast. Mushrooms, potatoes and baked beans are common side dishes. Irish cuisine can’t be discussed without mention of the potato. The vegetable holds historical and cultural significance with the infamous Great Famine in the mid-1800s, where failed potato crops led to mass starvation and disease. Today, the potato is an important ingredient in many Irish dishes including colcannon, boxty and shepherd’s pie.

Colcannon and Irish stew are among the best-known traditional dishes. Colcannon consists of whole or chopped potatoes, cabbage, butter and onions. Irish stew preparation varies greatly with typical ingredients including a combination of potatoes, cabbage and other vegetables paired with meat or seafood, all simmered in a sauce.

Wash down these traditional dishes with Irish beer or whiskey. While Guinness might be the most recognizable, don’t overlook beers from breweries like Murphy’s, Smithwick’s and Porterhouse Brewing Company. If liquor is more your speed, opt for Irish whiskey. Popular brands include Jameson, Bushmills and Kilbeggan.