7 Traditional Irish Recipes and The History Behind Their Food – Five Star Home Foods Blog (2024)

  • Posted onMarch 14, 2018

7 Traditional Irish Recipes and The History Behind Their Food – Five Star Home Foods Blog (1)

Saint Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious celebration held on March 17th to celebrate the life of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. While Americans typically celebrate this day by making corned beef and cabbage and turning their beers green, neither of these things are actually something they do in Ireland!Contrary to popular belief, corned beef and cabbage is not from Ireland and the Irish would snarl at the thought of putting food dye in your beer. Instead, make one of these traditional Irish recipes and drink a pint of Guinness if that’s your thing.

7 Traditional Irish Recipes and The History Behind Their Food – Five Star Home Foods Blog (2)1. Bangers and Mash with Stout Onion Gravy
Stout and onion gravy tops this masterpiece off to give it a rich and flavorful finish that will draw you back for 2nds… and let’s be realistic, 3rds and maybe even 4ths! This sausage and mashed potato recipe is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, but we find it a little hard to imagine anyone resisting the urge and only making this once a year.
Did you know: The word “bangers” originated during the First World War because there was little meat in sausages at the time, mostly just scraps and water. Because of this, they sizzled a lot when they were being fried and made little explosions or “bangs” to give it the name “bangers and mash.”

Get the recipe from Self Proclaimed Foodie.

7 Traditional Irish Recipes and The History Behind Their Food – Five Star Home Foods Blog (3)2. Irish Potato Soup
A traditional Irish Potato Soup that will warm you up on these cold March days! It’s a simple recipe that will end up being a staple in your house every winter.Did you know: Even though potatoes are synonymous with Ireland, they didn’t actually originate there. In fact – the Spanish conquistadors discovered them in the Andes Mountains and they didn’t make their way over to Europe until the 1500s.

Get the recipe from Grits and Pinecones.

7 Traditional Irish Recipes and The History Behind Their Food – Five Star Home Foods Blog (4)3. Dublin Coddle
The Dublin Coddle is a slow-cooking classic Irish dish made with potatoes, onions, rashers (bacon) and bangers (sausages) with some beer and chicken broth thrown in. To be an authentic Irish Coddle, everything would need to be boiled together, but this recipe calls for browned sausage to give it a more unique flavor profile – you can’t go wrong either way!Did you know: Originating in the 1700s, the legend is that this dish became popular because housewives were able to make it before they went to bed and let it simmer on the stove. Then, when their husbands returned home from the pub, they were able to eat a warm meal that’s been simmering on the stove for hours.

Get the recipe from Saving Room for Dessert.

7 Traditional Irish Recipes and The History Behind Their Food – Five Star Home Foods Blog (5)4. Easy Beef and Veggie Hand Pies
You can’t go wrong with crispy Pillsbury™ biscuits and a savory meat and potato filling! A real Irish hand pie would start by making the dough fresh, but let’s be real, creating the dough from scratch may be a little too ambitious for our busy lives. Pillsbury has already done this tedious work for us, so we can use their pre-made dough to simplify the meal and cut out a lot of prepping time!

Did you know: The first pies were actually called “coffins” or “coffyns” and are loosely traced back to the ancient Egyptians. The dough was originally used to preserve the filling and was too hard to eat.

Get the recipe from Pillsbury.

7 Traditional Irish Recipes and The History Behind Their Food – Five Star Home Foods Blog (6)5. Irish Beef Stew
Stew is arguably one of the best winter comfort foods that you could possibly make! This one takes it to the next level adding a hearty Guinness beer into the mix. When you’re ready to dig in, the beef will be so soft, it will fall apart and melt in your mouth! MMMHMM! Delicious!Did you know: Modern Irish stew is usually made with beef, but the early versions of it were made with Mutton (or sheep) because they were more available than beef at the time.

Get the recipe from Recipe Tin Eats.

7 Traditional Irish Recipes and The History Behind Their Food – Five Star Home Foods Blog (7)6. Guinness Braised Short Ribs
This recipe is not one that you will be able to spin up quick, but if you have the time to cook it nice and slow, you will be happy you did. These short ribs will fall right off the bone and melt in your mouth for a delicious St. Patrick’s Day meal!
Did you know: More than 13 million pints of Guinness beer are guzzled around the world on St. Patrick’s Day. Let’s cheers to that – or should we say, Sláinte!

Get the recipe from Jo Cooks.

7 Traditional Irish Recipes and The History Behind Their Food – Five Star Home Foods Blog (8)7. Irish Soda Bread
The original Irish soda breads only contained four ingredients – flour, baking soda, soured milk, and salt. We know this doesn’t sound very appetizing, but at the time, many families in Ireland couldn’t afford much more, so this was a staple in their diet. This recipe is an updated version of Irish soda bread and requires just 9 ingredients – and you should be relieved to know soured milk is not one of them! Don’t be fooled, this updated version of the traditional Irish soda bread is very tasty!

Did you know: Traditional Irish soda bread has a cross on the top of it. Legend has it that they did this to “let the devil out” while it baked for good luck.

Get the recipe from Cincy Shopper.
What’s your favorite meal to make for St. Patrick’s day? Let us know in the comments below!

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7 Traditional Irish Recipes and The History Behind Their Food – Five Star Home Foods Blog (2024)

FAQs

What is Ireland's traditional food? ›

Traditional dishes, such as Irish stew, coddle, the Irish breakfast, and potato bread have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. Chef and food writer Myrtle Allen—an early protagonist of such attitudes and methods—went on to play a crucial role in their development and promotion.

What is Ireland's national dish? ›

Irish Stew is a thick, hearty dish of mutton, potatoes, and onions and undisputedly the national dish of Ireland. Within the dish are many of the ingredients synonymous with the island, potatoes being one of the most recognized.

What is the oldest Irish food? ›

The food eaten by the early Irish people changed very little from the time when farming began until the arrival of the potato from America in the 1600s. The main parts of the early Irish diet were milk and cereals. Butter, buttermilk and cheeses also were very popular.

What is the main ingredient of many traditional Irish dishes? ›

Irish ingredients – from seafood, meat and dairy products to soda bread, oats and the ubiquitous potato – are the basis of Irish cuisine.

What is the typical Irish diet? ›

The typical Irish diet included potatoes, wholemeal bread, porridge, vegetables and smaller amounts of meat, fish and eggs.

What foods did the Irish bring to America? ›

If you like sour cream, pancakes, clam chowder and that Yankee staple known as the New England boiled dinner, you can thank the Scotch-Irish settlers who sailed into Casco Bay nearly 300 years ago.

What is the most eaten dish in Ireland? ›

One of the most popular and iconic Irish foods is undoubtedly the traditional Irish stew. This hearty dish typically consists of tender chunks of meat (such as lamb or beef), potatoes, onions, carrots, and sometimes other vegetables like celery or parsnips.

What is a true Irish dish? ›

Colcannon is a classic, comforting mash of potatoes, cabbage (or kale) and butter (or cream), flavoured with spring onions. Champ is a similar, mashed potato favourite, flavoured with spring onions, milk and butter. Try making your own... Colcannon or champ made with mustard or celeriac.

What is the national breakfast of Ireland? ›

All full Irish breakfasts include some or all of the following: Bacon, sausages, baked beans, eggs, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, and perhaps some cooked leftover potatoes made into a hash or a bubble and squeak. There will also be toast, butter, marmalade, and lots of tea to drink.

Why did the Irish only eat potatoes? ›

Why were potatoes so important to Ireland? The potato plant was hardy, nutritious, calorie-dense, and easy to grow in Irish soil. By the time of the famine, nearly half of Ireland's population relied almost exclusively on potatoes for their diet, and the other half ate potatoes frequently.

What is Ireland's national drink? ›

Over the last three centuries, Guinness has become a legendary part of Irish culture, celebrated as Ireland's national drink. And with over 8,000 years still left on the original St. James Gate brewery lease, there's still a lot more of 'the black stuff' to make and enjoy.

What did Irish people eat before the famine? ›

The pre Famine peasant diet abundant in simple fares such as potatoes, buttermilk, vegetables, milk and fish kept the rural poor of Ireland much healthier than their urban counterparts.

What is the typical Irish lunch? ›

Lunch often consists of a bowl of hot soup alongside freshly baked soda bread, but a heartier lunch menu can be found at the local pubs, where typical Irish plates are served around the clock.

What is an Irish known dish? ›

Representative Irish dishes include Irish stew, bacon and cabbage, boxty, coddle, and colcannon.

What do Irish eat for breakfast? ›

A traditional full Irish breakfast comprises bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, beans, soda bread or toast, tomatoes, mushrooms, and white or black pudding.

What is the national dessert of Ireland? ›

In conclusion, Irish coffee holds a special place as the national dessert of Ireland. Its rich history, simple yet flavorful ingredients, and cozy appeal make it a beloved treat for locals and visitors alike.

Why is a reuben considered Irish? ›

While the Reuben sandwich itself doesn't have Irish roots (it was thought to be created in Omaha, Nebraska mid-poker game) the meat inside it – corned beef, does. Well, it kind of does. The Irish-corned beef relationship is considered to be much more Irish-American than it is purely Irish.

What is the best food to eat in Ireland? ›

Discover the culinary staples with our tasty guide and check out what to eat in Ireland!
  • Irish Ice Cream. ...
  • Smoked Salmon. ...
  • Seafood. ...
  • Black and White Pudding. ...
  • Brown Bread. ...
  • Beer.

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