Whether you’re hosting a festive get-together or simply want to bring a little luck to the dinner table, these healthy St. Patrick’s Day dinners make it easy to celebrate deliciously. Inspired by Irish classics and the vibrant green hues of the season, this mix of cozy side dishes and veggie-forward mains has something for everyone. You’ll love options like our Cider-Glazed Salmon and Buttery Irish Cabbage for a satisfying holiday meal.
01 of 20
Cider-Glazed Salmon
Credit: Abbey Littlejohn
This simple salmon recipe is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, as Ireland is home to phenomenal salmon and apple cider, but it also makes for an easy everyday dish. Serve the salmon over mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes or rice for a flavorful dinner.
02 of 20
Buttery Irish Cabbage
Credit: Photographer: Morgan Hunt Ward, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong, Food Stylist: Ruth Skipworth.
This Buttery Irish Cabbage comes together quickly for a simple, satisfying side that highlights the cabbage’s natural sweetness. A touch of garlic infuses the buttery sauce with rich flavor, making this dish as comforting as it is easy. Serve it with roasted meats or add it to your St. Patrick’s Day table for a traditional touch.
03 of 20
Baked Corned Beef & Cabbage
Credit: Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Corned beef is brisket that has been pickled in spices for days, but it is often high in sodium. To help control the salt level, we use pickling spice—a blend featuring mustard seed, coriander and black pepper—to achieve a similar flavor. A medley of cabbage, potatoes and carrots rounds out the dish for a hearty, cozy meal.
04 of 20
Irish Beef Stew
If you’re looking for a healthy beef stew recipe that delivers on comfort, look no further. This one-pot Irish beef stew is packed with veggies and rich meaty flavor. Make this Irish beef stew recipe with Guinness—a dark, malty Irish stout—to keep it authentic. Serve with a side of Irish soda bread to sop up the leftovers.
05 of 20
Green Risotto
Serve this pretty, pesto-flavored risotto alongside roasted chicken or pork roast or serve with a big salad for a light dinner. We add a splash of wine along with each addition of broth to give the dish a more pronounced wine flavor. If you’d prefer the wine to be more subtle, add the entire cup at the end of Step 3 and cook, stirring, until the liquid is gone, then begin adding the broth. You can substitute more broth in place of the wine.
06 of 20
Irish Pork Roast with Roasted Root Vegetables
In this easy one-pan dinner, boneless pork loin roast is cooked over a bed of carrots and parsnips for an all-in-one dish that makes an impressive centerpiece for a holiday meal or Sunday dinner. Choose free-range heritage pork if you can—its flavor really shines with no more seasoning than a bit of thyme and a little sea salt. If you’d like, dress up the meal with a traditional Irish apple condiment—ploughman’s chutney or Bramley applesauce, which you can find in specialty stores and online.
07 of 20
Swamp Soup
Credit: Photographer: Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer.
This swamp soup, named for its vibrant green color, is made from a combination of spinach and parsley blended into a silky base, with fiber-rich white beans, shredded chicken and brown rice stirred in for a satisfying texture. A sprinkle of fried garlic and crushed red pepper adds savory crunch and gentle heat to each spoonful.
08 of 20
Oven-Fried Fish & Chips
Fish and chips are traditionally sold wrapped in paper to soak up excess grease. To cut the calories in half and reduce the fat, we coat the delicate fish in a crispy cornflake crust and then bake it along with sliced potatoes. Serve with coleslaw and malt vinegar or lemon wedges.
09 of 20
Whole-Wheat Irish Soda Bread
Soda breads are hearty Irish staples—wholemeal flour with large flakes of bran and wheat germ, or white flour or a mixture leavened with baking soda and moistened with buttermilk. The acid in the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda, which is an alkali, creating bubbles of carbon dioxide that rise the bread. Soda breads have the heft of a yeast bread but are made in minutes, and the dough can be shaped into scones or a round loaf, depending on the occasion. Originally, it would have been baked in a bastible (pot oven) over an open fire.
10 of 20
Corned Beet Reuben Sandwich
Tossing beets with coriander, mustard seeds, cinnamon and allspice gives them savory corned-beef flavor. With this vegetarian Reuben sandwich, you won’t miss the meat.
11 of 20
Super Green Pasta
Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Pack in your veggies with this quick and easy green pasta. Plenty of kale and spinach transform into a vibrant green sauce once cooked and blended with basil, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese for a pesto-like flavor. Enjoy this easy vegetarian pasta as is, or add grilled chicken or white beans for a boost of protein.
12 of 20
Slow-Cooker Stout & Chicken Stew
Chicken thighs can take plenty of cooking without getting tough or drying out, which makes them perfect for the slow cooker. Here we braise them in Guinness along with hearty vegetables, with just the right amount of bacon for added savoriness.
13 of 20
Get Your Greens Quiche
Credit: photographer: Jen Causey, food stylist: Julian Hensarling, prop stylist: Josh Hoggle
This loaded vegetable quiche packs in the greens and skips the crust, making it easy to pull together while keeping all the savory flavors of a traditional quiche. We love earthy and tender-crisp collard greens in this quiche, but you can easily swap them out for another sturdy green like kale or Swiss chard.
14 of 20
Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pies
These mini vegetarian shepherd’s pies feature lentils, carrot and corn, crowned with a velvety mashed potato topping. The recipe can also be made in a broiler-safe casserole dish. Serve with a spinach salad with oranges, walnuts and red-wine vinaigrette.
15 of 20
Green Goddess Sandwich
Credit: Victor Protasio
This green goddess sandwich is fresh and satisfying. The dressing packs a flavorful punch with capers and lemon juice. The cucumber and sprouts add nice crunch, and the seasoned avocado brings in the creaminess.
16 of 20
Colcannon
Colcannon is a classic Irish side dish that couples mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale. We use low-fat milk instead of the more traditional cream-and-butter combination for a lighter, but no less delicious, profile. Serve this healthy side with lamb, salmon or roast chicken any time of year–there’s no need to save it just for St. Patrick’s Day.
17 of 20
Spinach & Feta Quiche
Credit: Rachel Marek
This quiche skips the crust and delivers spinach, dill and feta cheese in every bite. Enjoy this easy quiche for brunch or make it for dinner and serve with a green salad on the side.
18 of 20
Creamed Spinach Casserole
This creamy spinach casserole recipe is a more sophisticated cousin to creamed spinach. It’s perfect for weekend entertaining or as a holiday side dish.
19 of 20
Green Curry Soup
This aromatic green curry soup is packed with spinach, mushrooms, green beans and broccoli stems (save the florets for another night). Green curry paste gives this soup a delicately spicy broth. The vegetables are cooked just enough to be tender, but retain their freshness and distinct textures.
20 of 20
Spinach & Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Credit: Justin Walker
We combine feta, a salty, tangy cheese, with baby spinach for a bonus serving of greens built into a stuffed chicken breast. Try using mozzarella or provolone cheese for a more mild, kid-friendly dish. If you have leftover spinach, use it for a simple side salad. If you don’t want to bother stuffing the chicken cutlets, turn these ingredients into a simple salad with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
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