So you’ve got the green shirts ready and maybe even some shamrock decorations, but what about dinner?
Yup..thought so.
St. Patrick’s Day sneaks up on all of us, and suddenly you’re scrambling to figure out what to make that feels festive but won’t have your kids and guests turning up their noses.
Last year I Googled “how to make corned beef” at 4pm (btw…it was way too late).
But don’t worry, I’ve got you mamas…even if you’re usually more drive-thru than Food Network.
1. Irish Pub Style Shepherd’s Pie
Okay, let’s start with a total crowd pleaser. Shepherd’s pie is literally impossible to mess up, and I mean impossible. My middle schooler actually asked for seconds last time I made this, which basically never happens anymore.
The secret is using ground beef instead of lamb (I know, technically that makes it cottage pie, but whatever). Brown your meat with onions, throw in some frozen mixed veggies, and top it with mashed potatoes. Super basic, but it works.
You can even make the whole thing ahead and just pop it in the oven when you get home from picking up the kids. Total mom win.
2. Green Mac and Cheese
Before you roll your eyes, hear me out. This isn’t some weird food coloring situation. We’re talking about sneaking in spinach to make it naturally green, and my kids literally have no idea they’re eating vegetables.
Just blend some fresh spinach with your milk before making your cheese sauce. The color comes out this gorgeous shamrock shade that’s totally Instagram worthy, but more importantly, it tastes exactly like regular mac and cheese.
My youngest actually calls this “lucky mac” now, and requests it even when it’s not March. Mom hack level 100.
3. Sheet Pan Corned Beef and Cabbage
So this is definitely not your grandma’s boiled dinner. Sheet pan dinners are basically my love language, and this version is so much better than the traditional boiled stuff. Plus you’re not stinking up your whole house for three days.
Just grab a pre-brined corned beef from the store (Costco has the best ones, just saying), and throw it on a sheet pan with some cabbage wedges, carrots, and potatoes. The vegetables get all caramelized and amazing, which totally beats the mushy boiled version.
My husband actually high-fived me when I made this last year. Like, an actual high five at the dinner table. That’s how you know it’s good.
4. Lucky Green Pesto Pasta
This is my go-to when I’m running super behind schedule but still want to seem festive. It takes like 15 minutes tops, and everyone thinks you put in way more effort than you actually did.
Just boil some pasta and toss it with store-bought pesto (Trader Joe’s has an amazing one). If you’re feeling fancy, throw in some cherry tomatoes and a handful of pine nuts. The green color makes it totally St. Patrick’s Day appropriate.
Sometimes I tell my kids the green is from leprechaun magic. Judge me all you want, but they totally buy it and clean their plates.
5. Irish Soda Bread Grilled Cheese
Y’all, this is straight up genius and I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner. Take some Irish soda bread (you can totally buy it at the store, no judgment), add some good Irish cheddar, and make it into grilled cheese.
The soda bread gets all crispy on the outside but stays soft inside, and it’s literally the best thing ever. My middle schooler’s friend actually asked for the recipe, which made me feel like a cooking goddess for about 5 minutes.
Serve it with some tomato soup and you’ve got a meal that looks like you planned it weeks ago instead of at 3pm while waiting in the school pickup line.
6. Shamrock Chicken and Dumplings
This one’s basically regular chicken and dumplings but with a festive twist that makes it totally St. Patrick’s Day worthy. I literally just cut the dumplings into shamrock shapes with a cookie cutter and my kids lost their minds.
The secret is using store-bought biscuit dough for the dumplings (Pillsbury is totally fine, nobody’s judging). Cut them into shamrock shapes before dropping them in the pot. Sure, some of them lose their perfect shape while cooking, but enough keep their form to make it magical.
Trust me, this comfort food hack will have everyone thinking you’re basically a kitchen wizard. My oldest even posted it on her Snapchat which is apparently a big deal.
7. One Pot Irish Stout Beef Stew
Okay so this one takes a little planning, but it’s literally just dumping stuff in a pot and forgetting about it. The Guinness makes it taste fancy but really it’s doing all the work for you.
Throw some beef chunks, potatoes, carrots, and a bottle of Guinness in your slow cooker before school dropoff. By dinner time you’ve got this amazing stew that tastes like you actually know what you’re doing.
Last time I made this, my husband said it was better than the stew at our local Irish pub. I’m pretty sure he was just trying to get out of dishes duty, but I’ll take it.
8. Green Goddess Grain Bowls
For when you want something that won’t put you in a food coma but still feels festive. This is basically just throwing a bunch of green stuff in a bowl, but somehow it works.
Start with quinoa or rice, then add whatever green things you’ve got. Avocado, cucumber, edamame, spinach…literally anything goes. The green goddess dressing (totally store-bought, who do you think I am?) ties it all together.
My middle schooler’s friend who’s going through a vegetarian phase actually asked for seconds. Her mom texted me for the recipe and I had to admit it was literally just “green things in a bowl.”
9. Rainbow Grilled Chicken Skewers
Listen, not everything has to be green to be St. Patrick’s Day themed. These rainbow skewers are perfect because hello…pot of gold at the end of the rainbow vibes. Plus they’re basically just chicken and veggies on a stick.
Thread chicken chunks with rainbow peppers, cherry tomatoes, and any other colorful veggies you’ve got hanging out in your produce drawer. The trick is arranging them in rainbow order which somehow makes them taste better according to my kids.
Last year I served these with gold-colored rice (literally just added a tiny pinch of turmeric) and my youngest was convinced we were eating actual leprechaun food.
10. Lucky Loaded Baked Potatoes
This is my backup plan when everything else fails because potatoes are literally the most Irish thing ever, right? Plus you can totally customize them and everyone stays happy.
The key is setting up a potato bar with all the toppings. Green onions, cheese, bacon, broccoli…whatever you’ve got works. My kids get super excited about being able to “decorate” their own potatoes, and I get to pretend I planned this whole thing.
Sometimes I’ll cut the potato open and tell them it’s a leprechaun trap and they have to fill it with toppings to catch one. My middle schooler rolls her eyes at this now but she still loads up her potato so whatever works.
11. Green Monster Smoothie Bowls
So this one’s technically breakfast for dinner but honestly who doesn’t love that? It’s basically a bunch of fruits and spinach blended up to make this gorgeous green color that’s totally Instagram worthy.
The fun part is decorating the top with fruit slices and granola to make it look fancy. Sometimes I’ll arrange kiwi slices in a shamrock pattern if I’m feeling extra. My kids think it’s hilarious to eat “monster” food for dinner.
Last time we did this, even my picky middle schooler got into it. She made hers look all aesthetic for her social media, which meant she actually ate a vegetable willingly. That’s what I call a win.
12. Irish Nachos
Y’all, these are absolutely genius and I can’t believe I didn’t think of them sooner. Instead of tortilla chips, you use thinly sliced potatoes that get all crispy in the oven. It’s like if Ireland and Taco Tuesday had a baby.
You can top them with whatever you want, but I usually go with cheese, leftover corned beef if we have it (or just bacon), green onions, and a drizzle of sour cream. Last time I made these, they disappeared faster than my youngest’s iPad screen time.
My husband actually stopped watching the basketball game to come see what everyone was raving about. That’s like a serious seal of approval right there.
13. Green Velvet Cupcakes
Okay so technically this is dessert but sometimes you just need to have dessert for dinner. No judgment here. These are literally just red velvet cupcakes but with green food coloring instead of red. Super simple but totally festive.
The cream cheese frosting is non-negotiable though. I tried to use regular buttercream once and my kids staged what can only be described as a mini revolt. Learn from my mistakes people.
My middle schooler’s friends actually think I’m some kind of baking genius because of these. I haven’t told them it’s just a box mix with different food coloring. Some secrets are worth keeping.
14. Shamrock Shaped Pizza
So this is basically just regular pizza dough shaped into a shamrock before adding toppings. Super simple but somehow it makes everyone think you’re Martha Stewart or something. Even when the shape comes out a little wonky, kids still think it’s amazing.
I just use store-bought pizza dough (the kind from the refrigerated section, not frozen) and shape it into three connected circles with a stem. Add sauce, cheese, and whatever toppings you want. Sometimes I’ll do all green toppings like peppers and spinach, but honestly, regular pepperoni works too.
Last year my youngest took a picture to show her class for show and tell. Like, of pizza. That’s how excited they get about weirdly shaped food.
15. Lucky Charms Treats
Listen, sometimes dinner is just… whatever. And on those days, I make these instead. They’re literally just Rice Krispie treats but made with Lucky Charms and a tiny drop of green food coloring. The most basic thing ever but somehow they make you look like a genius.
Just use the regular Rice Krispie treat recipe but swap half the cereal for Lucky Charms. The trick is saving some of those little marshmallows to press into the top so they look extra fancy.
My kids’ friends actually beg to come over when they know I’m making these. Like, I’ve gotten actual text messages from other moms asking if their kids can stop by. For cereal treats. I’m not even mad about it.
16. Green Goddess Quesadillas
You know those nights when you’re like “I cannot even…” but still want to seem festive? These are your answer. They’re just quesadillas stuffed with cheese, avocado, and whatever other green stuff you can find in your fridge.
I usually throw in some spinach and green salsa too. The key is using enough cheese to hold it all together. Sometimes I’ll cut them into shamrock shapes if I’m feeling ambitious, but usually triangles are good enough.
My middle schooler actually requested these for her lunch the next day, which basically never happens with leftovers. That’s when you know you’ve struck gold.
17. Irish Coffee Milkshakes
Okay so this is the virgin version for the kids (but you can totally add Bailey’s to the grown-up ones after bedtime). It’s just vanilla ice cream blended with a little bit of cold coffee and topped with green whipped cream.
The coffee part is totally optional if your kids aren’t into that. Mine think they’re super sophisticated drinking “coffee” shakes, even though it’s basically just a regular milkshake with a tiny splash of coffee.
Last time I made these, my oldest said they were “actually kind of aesthetic” which I’m pretty sure is teen speak for good. I’ll take it.
18. Leprechaun Grilled Cheese Dunkers
This is literally just grilled cheese cut into strips with tomato soup, but call them “leprechaun dunkers” and suddenly the kids think you’re a culinary genius. The trick is to make the soup look golden by adding a little heavy cream to the tomato soup.
I use Irish cheddar when I’m feeling fancy (or when it’s on sale at Costco), but regular cheese works just fine. Cut the sandwiches into thin strips after grilling and stand them up in a bowl of soup like little soldiers.
My youngest spent a solid five minutes trying to catch a leprechaun with these by dunking them really slowly into the soup. Whatever keeps them at the table, right?
19. Pot of Gold Mac and Cheese Cups
These are basically just mac and cheese baked in a muffin tin, but somehow making them individual sized makes them feel super special. Plus, calling them “pots of gold” is totally on theme.
The secret is using those silicone muffin cups because otherwise you’ll be scrubbing cheese off your pan until Easter. I just make regular mac and cheese, spoon it into the cups, top with some breadcrumbs, and bake until golden.
Last year I caught my husband sneaking these for breakfast the next morning. Like, straight from the fridge. Can’t even be mad about it because honestly, same.
At the end of the day, St. Patrick’s Day dinner doesn’t have to be complicated or super traditional to be special.
Sometimes the best memories come from the most random dinner ideas that just happen to be green or have a fun name. Pick one or two of these that work for your crew and just roll with it.
Trust me, your family won’t remember if you made authentic Irish food…they’ll remember that you made it fun.
