In March of 2019 I attended the Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin. I didn’t know it at the time, but it would be the last Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin held to-date due to COVID-19.
We spent 3 days in Dublin, eating our way through the holiday and city, so in honor of our virtual 2021 Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations, I’ve rounded up some of the best recipes and drinks for the occasion. Anytime i wasn’t eating fish and chips, I was feasting on one of these meals!
Everything is gluten-free, dairy-free, and free of refined sugar. Don’t forget to use only organic ingredients to avoid pesticides, antibiotics, and added hormones!
Dinner
Dessert
Drinks
Irish Beef & Guinness Stew
Corned Beef & Braised Cabbage
Horseradish Colcannon
Shepherd’s Pie
Irish Soda Bread
Whiskey Crème Brûlée
Irish Whiskey Bread Pudding
Espresso Martini
Guinness
Jameson
Bulmer’s Original Hard Cider
Rockshare Irish Lager
Smithwick’s Irish Ale
Teeling whiskey
You’ll notice there are no breakfast or lunch options here. I don’t eat breakfast because I intermittent fast, and nothing makes me more nauseous than eating first thing in the morning or, really, before noon! I’m not the biggest fan of cooking a meal for lunch either, so I tend to eat leftovers or make something quick and easy. We’re talking easy as in 5 minute microwavable harvest bowls here or a 2-minute microwavable cup of Amy’s soup.
Prep time: 35 min | Cook time: 35 min | Serves 6-8 | Best served over horseradish colcannon and with Irish soda bread
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 lb grass-fed beef chuck/stew beef, cubed
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb yellow pearl onions, peeled or 2 medium yellow onions, chopped1
4 slices bacon (optional)
1 14.9 oz Guinness Extra Stout
1 6 oz tomato paste can
3 cups pasture-raised chicken broth2
3 carrots, peeled and diced into 1″ pieces
2 large celery stalks, diced into 1″ pieces
2 bay leaves
3 fresh thyme sprigs
4 tbsp unsalted grass-fed butter (Irish Kerrygold butter would be perfect here)
1/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (I love Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour)
1/4 cup cold water
Instructions
Pat the beef dry, add salt and pepper.3
(Optional) Heat a pan over medium-high heat, and add bacon once pan is hot. Cook for about 10 minutes, flipping half way through until bacon is to your crispiness. I prefer my bacon crispy with all fat rendered, just shy of burnt.
Meanwhile, Saute olive oil in an Instant Pot until hot or you can smell it. Add beef in batches and brown, cooking about 2 minutes per side. After each batch, place browned beef on a plate to rest and set aside. Avoid crowding the beef. I estimate 3 batches for a 6 oz Instant Pot.
Cook onions, carrots, and celery for 5-10 minutes until onions are caramelized and vegetables are softened, adding more oil as necessary.
Add garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes or until you can smell the garlic.
(Optional) Crumble the bacon and add to the Instant Pot.
Add the Guinness and chicken broth, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
Add tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, browned beef, and any juices on the browned beef plate.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set Sealing with the Meat/Stew function (high pressure and temperature for 35 minutes).The longer you let the stew simmer on get Keep Warm, the more flavorful the stew will be.4
Meanwhile, make a roux: melt the butter, then slowly sprinkle in the flour a little at a time, constantly mixing until the roux starts to bubble. Keep mixing until the roux turns a caramel brown color, about 4 minutes. Then, slowly add the water a little a time, constantly mixing until all water is incorporated. Let cool to room temperature.5
Quick release the pressure pot and skim fat off the top. Slowly mix in the roux until completely blended. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over the horseradish colcannon and with a side of soda bread to sop up the stew.
Notes
Pearl onions have a sweeter flavor that really balances the heartiness of the stew. I prefer to buy pre-peeled pearl onions, since pearl onions are a pain to peel, even with so-called “hacks” such as boiling them first (which still takes too long for me!). I also prefer the taste of the stew with pearl onions.
Chicken broth is used instead of meat broth so the Guinness flavor really shines through and isn’t overpowered.
The Beef should be dried before browning because the dryer the outside of the beef, the more of a crust will form when browning it, retaining tenderness and moisture inside.
If you actually have the time (unlike me most days), you can use the Slow Cook function or a slow cooker to cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 2 hours.
When using the Pressure Cook functions on the Instant Pot, the soups and stews end up very liquidy and thin. To counter this and thicken up the stew, add a roux at the end of cooking.
Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 10 min | Serves 6-8 | Best served with the Irish Beef & Guinness Stew or the Corned Beef & Cabbage
Ingredients
4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered1
3 cups water
1 tsp Kosher salt
5 tbsp unsalted grass-fed butter
3 lightly packed cups of chopped kale or cabbage
3 green onions
1/2 cup Elmhurst Unsweetened Milked Almonds
1 8 oz package Kite Hill vegan sour cream
1/4 cup drained, prepared horseradish
freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Add the potatoes, water, and salt to the Instant Pot.
Place the lid and set to sealing. Pressure cook at high pressure and temperature for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the the butter in a pan and cook the greens for 3-4 minutes, or until they are wilted. Add the green onions and cook 1 more minute.
Quick release and test the potatoes to make sure they are tender. A fork should cleanly slice through the potatoes like a knife.
Drain the cooking liquid, reserving a 1/2 cup.
Mash the potatoes until all lumps are gone. Add the butter and greens mixture, almond milk, sour cream, and horse radish, gently stirring to combine.
Season with salt and pepper. If potatoes are too thick, add cooking liquid 1 tbsp at a time, mixing for desired consistency. Serve with a pat of butter in the center.
Notes
I tried using mashed cauliflower the first time I made this, but the cauliflower taste didn’t mix well with the horseradish.
Prep time: 35 min | Cook time: 30 min | Serves 6-8 | Best enjoyed with Guinness
Ingredients
2 tbsp salted grass-fed butter (Kerrygold) + more for the baking dish
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 cup Elmhurst unsweetened milked almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
10 oz green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 white onion
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
2 pounds 80% grass-fed ground beef2
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 6 oz can tomato paste
3 tbsp hot water
3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp chives for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9×13-inch glass baking pan.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes, cooking until tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, steam green beans for 8 minutes or until desired firmness, then shock the green beans in ice cold water for about a minute to stop cooking. Drain the green beans and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, garlic, and carrots stirring for 7 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the beef and cook for 10 minutes, stirring and breaking up the meat until it’s cooked through.
Drain and return the potatoes to the large pot. Mash the potatoes.
Add the almond milk, coconut milk, butter, and salt and pepper to taste to the potatoes and mix until creamy and all lumps are gone.
Push the skillet ingredients to one side of the skillet, remove any standing liquid, and add the flour, tomato paste, hot water, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Stir until mixed, then combine with the beef mixture, cooking for 3-5 minutes until thickened.
Spread the meat mixture in the prepared baking dish. Add the green beans, and then top with the mashed potato mixture. Smooth the top so it completely covers the beef and green bean mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through and he potatoes are lightly browned on top.
After removing from the oven, sprinkle with the chives and serve hot.
Notes
This recipe was adapted from a Joanna Gaines recipe in her Magnolia Table book. I modified it to be dairy-free, and omitted the nutmeg in the mashed potatoes, which I found too overpowering and conflicting with the dish.
Traditional Shepherd’s Pie uses ground lamb meat, which, for taste reasons, I am not a fan of.
Irish Soda Bread1 (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar Free)
Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 40 min | Serves 6-8 | Best enjoyed with Guinness
Ingredients
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cups Elmhurst unsweetened milked almonds
1 large pasture-raised egg
4 tbsp unsalted grass-fed melted butter, divided
3 cups gluten free all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup currants (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Whisk lemon juice, almond milk, egg, and 3 tbsp melted butter in a medium bowl.
Add flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Mix on low speed to combine.
Increase speed to medium and slowly add the lemon juice mixture until a soft dough forms. Sprinkle in the currants, if using, until combined.
Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Brush the remaining 1 tbsp butter on an 8-inch cast-iron skillet.
Dust hands with flour and form the dough into a ball. Press the dough into the prepared skillet.
Use a sharp knife to score a deep “X” in the top of the dough.
Bake until lightly browned and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom, 30-40 minutes.
Remove from the pan and let cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes.
Notes
This recipe was adapted from Eating Well to be dairy-free.
Prep time: 1 hr | Cook time: 1 hr | Serves 8-10 | Best enjoyed with vanilla ice cream
Ingredients
Irish Whiskey Sauce
1 1/4 cups Elmhurst unsweetened milked almonds
1/2 split vanilla bean, seeds scraped
4 large pasture-raised egg yolks
2 1/2 tbsp coconut sugar
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
Bread Pudding
3/4 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
1/3 cup Irish whiskey (such as Jameson)
1 pound gluten-free Pullman-style brioche or challah
3/4 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup 2 tbsp coconut sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 large pasture-raised eggs
1 large pasture-raised egg yolk
2 1/2 cups Elmhurst unsweetened milked almonds
2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
2 tbsp unsalted grass-fed butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pan
Instructions
Make the Sauce2
Fill a medium bowl with ice water. In a small saucepan, heat the almond milk with the vanilla bean and seeds until it starts to simmer, then discard the vanilla bean.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and salt until the mixture is pale yellow and thickened.
Whisking the egg mixture constantly, drizzle in the hot almond milk mixture. Then, pour the mixture into a saucepan over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, approximately 7-8 minutes.
Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a medium bowl and set the bowl in the ice-water bath until cold, approximately 15 minutes.
Cover and refrigerate the sauce.
Make the Bread Pudding
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine the cranberries and whiskey and let stand for 30 minutes. Then drain, reserving the whiskey.
Meanwhile, cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and spread on a large rimmed baking sheet in an even layer.
Toast the bread for about 5 minutes, until lightly golden.
On another baking sheet, spread the almonds in an even layer and toast for 3-4 minutes, until lightly golden.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and grease a 13×9 inch glass baking dish.
In a small bowl, stir 2 tbsp of the coconut sugar with the cinnamon.
In ad large bowl, whisk the whole eggs with the egg yolk and remaining 3/4 cup of coconut sugar until well blended.
Whisk in the almond milk, coconut milk, almonds, cranberries, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt.
Add 3/4ths of the bread cubes, stirring to moisten. Let stand for 5 minutes, then pour the bread mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Scatter the remaining bread cubes on top, pressing down gently. Brush the bread cubes with the melted butter, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the top is deep golden and the custard is set.
Transfer the bread pudding to a rack to cool for 30 minutes.
Stir 1-2 tbsp of the reserved soaking whiskey into the sauce and serve with the warm bread pudding.
Notes
Adapted to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar free from Food & Wine. My other favorite bread pudding I had while in Ireland was the sticky toffee bread pudding.
The sauce without the whiskey added can be refrigerated overnight.
Irish Espresso Martini (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Irish Espresso Martinis
Serves 1
Ingredients
Ice Cubes
2 shots Irish cream liqueur (such as almond milk Bailey’s)
1 shot Vanilla vodka
1 shot espresso1
3 Whole coffee beans
Instructions
Add all ingredients except coffee beans to a shaker
Shake and strain through fine mesh strainer into a chilled martini glass
Garnish with coffee beans
Notes
Use real espresso and not instant coffee, trust me!
Hi, I’m Brynne.
I’ve spent the past decade traveling, testing beauty and hair products, experimenting in the kitchen, trying fitness routines, drafting floor plans, rigorously researching health and wellness, and am continuing to learn how to live a clean and sustainable life filled with intention and purpose. I back my opinions with research and expert opinions to give you the tools to make the best decisions for yourself. I live in the DMV, specifically Northern Virginia, with my boyfriend, Sean and our Pitbull-Sharpei mix, Bentley. Looking to find out more? Comment on my posts or email me!
