14 Irish Recipes You’ll Make Again and Again

What better way to show your love for the Emerald Isle than to prepare one of these hearty dishes? From traditional baked goods like soda bread to stick-to-your-ribs stews and potatoes, these are the Irish recipes you’ll keep coming back to.

February 17, 2023

By: Carlos Olaechea

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Photo By: Teri Lyn Fisher

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Photo By: LUCY SCHAEFFER

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Photo By: Lucy Schaeffer

Photo By: Teri Lyn Fisher

The New Classics

Irish cuisine has been influenced greatly by global history. The potato, a mainstay of the Irish diet, originated in Peru and was adopted by the Irish people who turned the tuber into stews, candies, and even pancakes. A longstanding and fraught relationship with neighboring Britain also means that many English foods and culinary traditions have made their way into Ireland, including desserts, whiskey and a taste for tea. During the Irish potato famine, many Irish fled to the United States where they learned dishes from other immigrants that later made their way back to Ireland, like corned beef. Modern Irish food now incorporates elements from all over the world just as chefs are now digging deep into local history to rediscover ancient dishes. Whether you're looking for something with years of tradition or an upated dish that speaks to the ingredients and techniques that make Irish cuisine what it is, a homey lamb stew is a must. This one calls for simple ingredients almost everyone can access. It has a mild flavor, making it perfect for those with delicate palates (including kids). While the herb butter is entirely optional, we highly recommend drizzling your stew with it for added richness.

Get the Recipe: Irish Stew

Full Irish Breakfast

This breakfast is a riff on the full English breakfast and features many of the same elements. Don’t get intimidated by how big this breakfast is, though. It’s typically a weekend or special occasion feast. Try sourcing Irish bacon if you can find it. It makes all the difference.

Get the Recipe: Full Irish Breakfast

Irish Soda Bread

Soda bread gets its name from the fact that it is leavened using baking soda instead of yeast. That means that this recipe will take you a fraction of the time it does to make yeasted breads since you don’t have to wait for the dough to rise. It’s also a great bread to make for first-time bakers, especially kids. Ina Garten’s recipe includes orange zest and currants.

Get the Recipe: Irish Soda Bread

Irish Coddle

Like many traditional dishes, the recipe for Irish coddle (also known as Dublin coddle) varies widely from family to family. Born in 1700s inner-city Dublin tenements, it’s a grab-what-you-have kind of stew that simmers low and slow to peak deliciousness. The building blocks of the dish (bacon, sausage, onions, potatoes and plenty of parsley and black pepper) add up to more than the sum of their parts, creating a dark, flavorful broth and an incredibly warm bowl of nourishment. Serving with slices of soda bread is a must and adding a splash of Ireland’s favorite beer, while optional, is very highly recommended!

Get the Recipe: Irish Coddle

Irish Apple Cake

When Gemma Stafford was growing up in Ireland, her mom always had a cake or crumble on hand just in case someone dropped by for a cup of tea and a chat. Like many traditional Irish desserts, her mom’s weren’t particularly complicated: What made them so good were ingredients like Irish butter, rhubarb from the garden and sour apples picked from a tree near the house. “In Ireland, everything is local,” the chef says. When Gemma started cooking and baking professionally, she became known for over-the-top treats, but she still loves a simple, classic dessert like this one from her mom. “It’s a humble cake but it yields a big reward,” she says. “A lot of Irish recipes are like that.”

Get the Recipe: Irish Apple Cake

Colcannon

This very traditional dish features potatoes and cabbage cooked together with some ham. It’s an old-school dish that can easily be made vegetarian or vegan if needed. Just make sure to get yourself some good plant-based butter. You can also change things up by using kale instead of cabbage, which is a traditional variation.

Get the Recipe: Colcannon

Irish Potato Cakes

Potatoes have been an integral part of Irish cuisine for hundreds of years, and the Irish have used them in many creative ways, including in this potato cake recipe. These are made with mashed potatoes. It’s a great way to use up leftover taters, too.

Get the Recipe: Irish Potato Cakes

The Best Corned Beef and Cabbage with Horseradish Cream

According to historians, corned beef and cabbage originated in the United States with Irish immigrants. They allegedly learned about corned beef from their European Jewish neighbors, and since it was an inexpensive cut of meat, they quickly adopted it and turned it into a favorite one-pot dish.

Get the Recipe: The Best Corned Beef and Cabbage with Horseradish Cream

Irish Guinness Brown Bread

Ina Garten does it again with another Irish-inspired bread recipe. This time she’s incorporated one of Ireland’s most iconic beers, Guinness. The dark, almost chocolatey stout gives a great depth of flavor to this bread, which is just as great with a pat of butter as it is accompanying your corned beef and cabbage.

Get the Recipe: Irish Guinness Brown Bread

Classic Irish Coffee

There’s some debate as to the exact origins of Irish coffee (some that it was created at Shannon Airport in the 1940s, others that it was invented much earlier by author Jonathan Swift) but there’s no denying that it has since become an Irish-American favorite. This version is simple, relying on just a handful of ingredients. Heavy cream and brown sugar are whisked together to make the perfect topping for a simple, whiskey-spiked cup.

Get the Recipe: Classic Irish Coffee

The Best Shepherd's Pie

The filling for this shepherd’s pie may be traditional, but the topping is what really takes this variation on a classic to a whole new level. Instead of the traditional mashed potato topping, this version of shepherd’s pie calls for a colcannon topping with cheese. You get twice as much Irish flavor in the same dish.

Get the Recipe: The Best Shepherd's Pie

Bangers and Mash with Mustard Gravy

For a chef-inspired take on a classic, try this recipe from Bobby Flay. It’s a riff on a traditional English and Irish dish of sausages and mashed potatoes. However, this recipe teaches you how to make your own Irish-style sausage patties.

Get the Recipe: Bangers and Mash with Mustard Gravy

Tipperary

The legend goes that this drink is named for “It’s a Long Road to Tipperary,” a song that was a popular anthem of Irish soldiers in World War I aching to return home to the Irish countryside. Perhaps it’s not as well-known as other classic cocktails, but the mix of Irish whiskey, herbaceous Chartreuse, sweet vermouth and just a hint of orange will have you humming after just one sip.

Get the Recipe: Tipperary

Slow-Cooker Irish Oats

You can start the day the Irish way with this easy recipe for steel-cut Irish-style oats from the Pioneer Woman. With the help of a slow cooker, breakfast will practically cook itself and you and your family can wake up to warm bowls of tender-yet-chewy oats. Complete the experience with a selection of fruit and other toppings for the table.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Irish Oats