22+ Easy Traditional Irish Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is a true Irish dish? ›

Colcannon. The traditional Irish food pairs creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage. It can also feature greens like kale, scallions and leeks (its verdant color makes it a St. Patrick's Day classic) and is often served with boiled ham.

Colcannon has been a favourite comfort food in Ireland for some time and is something that the nation prides itself on inventing. The ingredients of traditional Irish colcannon are mashed 'floury' potatoes, kale, butter and milk.

The national dish of Ireland is Irish stew! It's a delicious dish made with lamb or beef, potatoes, onions, and carrots. It's hearty, comforting, and perfect for a cosy meal. You can find it in many Irish homes and restaurants, especially on chilly days.

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.

Until the arrival of the potato in the 16th century, grains such as oats, wheat and barley, cooked either as porridge or bread, formed the staple of the Irish diet. The most common form of bread consisted of flatbread made from ground oats.

(In Ulster in Northern Ireland the breakfast is also known as an "Ulster fry.") 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.

3. Irish Apple Cake. One of the most popular traditional desserts in Ireland is the Irish apple cake. It's made with lots of fresh apples that are readily available in the country.

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.

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.

Bangers and Mash

This comforting pub food is traditional in Ireland and Great Britain. It consists of sausages, mashed potatoes, and onion gravy.

What did the Irish eat before the potato famine? ›

Besides the focus on oats and dairy (and more dairy), the Irish diet wasn't too different from how we think of it today. They did eat meat, of course, though the reliance on milk meant that beef was a rarity, and most people probably just fried up some bacon during good times, or ate fish they caught themselves.

And, in short, as for dispelling these Irish stereotypes, to say that all the Irish love potatoes wouldn't be fair or accurate. The truth is, simply, that they rely on them for sustenance throughout the year — especially the country dwelling population of Ireland.

The Dining Experience in Ireland

The main meal of the day for locals is dinner, meaning making reservations is a good idea, especially if you're planning to dine during peak Irish dinner hours (from 8:00 p.m. onward).

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.