I have always been proud of my Irish heritage, particularly when it comes to the delicious traditional recipes my family whip ups throughout the year.
Of course, all of the scrumptious dishes below would be perfect additions to your St. Patrick's Day celebrations, but there's no reason you can't enjoy the savory recipes on any occasion. I have a feeling you'll feel the same way when you take a look at the mouth-watering ingredients!
The list wouldn't be complete without at least one recipe that included a healthy helping of Guinness! The iconic Irish stout has been a fixture in the country's culture since all the way back to 1759.
Whether or not your own ancestors came from the Emerald Isle, you'll definitely have a smile on your face as you chow down on these classic meals.
Let us know in the comments if we missed any traditional Irish recipes your family has passed down.
And don't forget to SHARE the yummy dishes with your friends!
Thumbnail source: Wikimedia Commons / H.C. White Co.
1. Soda Bread
Chef Donal Skehan recommends adding in fresh garlic, spinach, or other extra ingredients to give this classic recipe a kick.
Ingredients:
1 cup whole grain flour
1 1/3 cups white flour
12 oz. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 large egg
1 tsp. honey
A pinch of salt
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 °F. Grease and flour a loaf tin. In a large mixing bowl, blend the flours, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and honey. Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture, then mix together to form a dough.
Place in the loaf tin and sprinkle flour on top, then bake for 35 minutes.
2. Boxty
The name for these potato pancakes reportedly come from the Irish term, "bac-stai," meaning potatoes on the hob ("bac") being cooked over an open fire ("stai").
Ingredients:
1 lb. peeled potatoes
1 large finely chopped onion
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsps. flour
2 to 4 Tbsps. unsalted butter
Instructions:
Line a large bowl with muslin or cheese cloth and grate the potatoes into the bowl on the large side of the grater. Squeeze the cloth to get rid of the starchy liquid, then return to the bowl and add onion, eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Once everything is combined, add the flour and stir well.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and drop in the potato batter, one tablespoonful at a time. Flatten the batter with a spatula and allow to cook until crispy golden on both sides.
3. Steak And Guinness Pie
As chef Jamie Oliver says, “There's nothing like a comforting steak and Guinness pie to warm your cockles when it's cold outside.”
Ingredients:
3 red onions
3 cloves garlic
2 carrots
2 sticks celery
4 field mushrooms
Sprigs of fresh rosemary
Olive oil
2 lbs. cubed brisket or stewing beef
14 oz. Guinness
2 Tbsps. plain flour
1 cup cheddar cheese
6 oz. puff pastry
1 large egg
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, then peel and chop your onions, garlic, carrots, celery, slice the mushrooms, and finely chop the rosemary sprigs. Fry the onions in olive oil for about 10 minutes, then add garlic, carrots, celery and mushrooms. Mix fully before adding in the beef, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
After stirring for a few minutes, pour in the Guinness and add the flour, then just enough water to cover and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours or until the liquid has significantly reduced. Add half the cheese and mix, then transfer the filling to a pie dish and add the rest of the cheese on top.
Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface and cover the pie filling and add holes for ventilation. Beat the egg and brush it across the crust, then bake for about 45 minutes.
4. Colcannon
Known as a "traditional winter vegetable casserole," this recipe sounds to me like a scrumptious take on mashed potatoes.
Ingredients:
1 lb. sliced potato
2 medium parsnips
2 medium leeks
1 cup milk
1 lb. kale or cabbage
1/2 tsp. mace
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsps. butter
1 bunch chopped parsley
Instructions:
Boil the chopped potatoes and parsnips until tender. While they cook, chop the leeks and simmer in a skillet with the milk. Chop the kale or cabbage and cook in a separate skillet. Drain the potatoes and parsnips and beat together well with your spices, then add the leeks and milk. Once that's mixed together, add the kale or cabbage and butter and stir until completely blended.
5. Brown Bread
Like the traditional soda bread, this whole wheat version doesn't rely on yeast.
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup natural bran
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsps. baking soda
2 cups sour milk
1/4 cup oil
Instructions:
Mix the dry ingredients together well, then make a hole in the center of the bowl. Pour in the milk and oil and stir until a batter forms, then place in a bread pan and bake at 350 °F for 1 hour.
6. Cabbage And Beef Casserole
Cabbage was clearly a staple ingredient for families of Ireland back in the day!
Ingredients:
1 head cabbage
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsps. uncooked rice
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 can tomato sauce
3/4 cup water
Instructions:
Brown the beef in a greased skillet, then add the onion, pepper, salt, and rice. Slice the cabbage into strips and add to the bottom of a casserole dish, then cover with the beef mixture. Mix the tomato soup and water, and mix in the tomato sauce. Pour over the beef. Cover and bake at 350 °F for 1 1/2 hours.
7. Bangers And Mash With Onion Gravy
This twist on the common dish from the United Kingdom gives it a uniquely Irish flair.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. pork sausage
1 Tbsp. sunflower oil
2 lbs. yukon gold potatoes
1/3 cup milk
4 Tbsps. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 sliced red onions
1 1/2 tsps. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 cup full-bodied red wine
1 cup beef stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 400 °F. Place your sausage in a roasting pan and coat with oil. Line them in a single layer and bake for 30 minutes, turning over halfway through.
While those cook, cube and boil your potatoes until tender. Drain. Mash with milk and half of the butter.
For the gravy, melt the remaining butter and olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat and sauté onions for 20 minutes, or until soft. Add the flour and stir for a few minutes. Add the vinegar and cook until it evaporates. Pour in the red wine and beef stock. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
Serve with sausage over the mashed potatoes and top with the gravy.
8. Cheddar Potato Rolls
This recipe from chef Donal sounds like something that would go perfect with pretty much any meal.
Ingredients:
3.5 oz. potatoes
1 1/2 Tbsps. dry yeast
2 Tbsps. sugar
3 cups white flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsps. butter
5 oz. warmed milk
Milk for glazing
3.5 oz. grated cheddar cheese
Instructions:
Cube and boil the potatoes in water and save about 2 Tbsps. of the liquid once they're tender. Mash the potatoes, then sift the flour and salt together in a separate bowl. Mix in the butter, then add the sugar, yeast and the mashed potatoes, and blend well. Activate the yeast in a separate bowl with the warm milk, then add to the mixture and knead into a dough.
Roll the dough out into a long loaf, then form about 10 to 12 balls and set aside until they've risen to double in size. Place them in a buttered casserole dish, brush with milk, and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 425 °F for about 15 to 20 minutes.
9. Family Stew
Donal explains how this classic recipe was passed down through his father's nanny back in the day.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsps. canola oil
2 lbs. lamb shoulder
2 chopped onions
3 sliced celery stalks
1 bay leaf
4 large peeled carrots
4 cups beef or lamb stock
2 pounds peeled and chopped potatoes
Butter
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions:
Slice the lamb shoulder into cubes and brown with oil on high heat. Remove from the pan and set aside, then lower the heat to medium-high and sauté onion, celery, and carrot for a few minutes, until the onions are soft.
Preheat oven to 325 °F, then place the lamb, bay leaf, and stock in an oven-safe pot and add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add potatoes, a dollop of butter, and the sautéed veggies. Cover and heat in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours.
10. Dubliner Cheese Tart
If you like cheese, mushrooms, and onions, you're totally in for a treat with this pastry!
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. butter
1 small chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
3 slices bacon
8 sliced button mushrooms
10 halved cherry tomatoes
6 oz. Dubliner cheese
1 cup skim milk
3 eggs
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. whole grain mustard
Puff pastry
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 400 °F. Roll out your puff pastry and line a 9-inch pie pan. Cover with aluminum foil and add pie weights. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 375 °F.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook onions until soft, then add add the garlic, bacon, and mushrooms. Cook until browned. Add the mixture to your pastry crust and add halved tomatoes, sprinkling the cheese on top.
Mix the milk, eggs, herbs, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl, then pour over the pastry. Bake for about 30 minutes.
Did we miss any classic Irish recipes your family enjoys? Let us know below and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
