Traditional Irish recipes are straightforward like the food, filling, and built from ingredients many people already recognise. In this collection of 35 traditional Irish recipes, you will find dishes that show how simple methods can produce generous plates for everyday meals or special occasions. Potatoes, cabbage, oats, butter, and fresh dairy appear often, along with lamb, beef, and seafood from the surrounding waters.

This roundup brings together mains, sides, breads, and desserts in one place so you can plan an entire Irish-inspired menu. You can move from soups and stews to soda bread and potato dishes, then finish with sweet bakes that pair well with tea or coffee. Each recipe keeps to clear steps and common ingredients, making it practical for busy home cooks.

Use these 35 traditional Irish recipes as a starting point for weeknight dinners, holiday tables, or St. Patrick’s Day gatherings. The focus stays on real food, familiar techniques, and dishes that are easy to share at the table.

35 Traditional Irish Recipes

1. Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes)

Colcannon (Irish mashed potatoes) is a comforting potato dish made by mixing creamy mashed potatoes with cooked cabbage or kale, butter, and milk or cream. The potatoes are smooth and soft, while the greens add a gentle bite and extra richness.

It’s a hearty traditional Irish recipe that is hearty without being heavy and works well as a simple side dish for everyday meals or holiday dinners. Serve it hot with a little extra butter on top, and it becomes an easy, reliable way to round out a plate of meat, sausages, or roasted vegetables.

2. Irish Pasties

Irish pasties are handheld savory pies with a crisp, golden crust that flakes when you bite into it. Inside, they are packed with a simple filling of minced beef or lamb, potatoes, onions, and sometimes carrots, all cooked until tender.

Each pasty feels sturdy in your hand yet soft in the middle, making it easy to eat on the go or with a side salad at the table.

3. Irish Stew

This traditional Irish recipe for stew is a straightforward, slow-cooked dish built around soft pieces of lamb or beef, potatoes, onions, and carrots. The broth turns slightly thick as the potatoes break down, giving the stew a gentle, silky texture.

The meat becomes very tender, and the vegetables soften without falling apart, so every spoonful has a mix of chunks and broth that warms you up quickly.

4. Irish Mist Brownies

Irish Mist brownies are dense, fudgy chocolate squares with a moist crumb and a glossy top. They are made with Irish Mist, an Irish whiskey liqueur, so the chocolate is backed by a light whiskey and honey note.

The edges bake up slightly chewy, while the center stays soft, making them rich enough to enjoy plain or with a small scoop of ice

5. Traditional Irish Beef and Guinness Stew

Traditional Irish beef and Guinness stew is a dark, rich dish with chunks of beef simmered slowly in Guinness stout. The long cooking time traditional Irish recipe gives the meat a very tender texture and turns the stout into a thick, glossy gravy that coats every piece.

Potatoes, onions, and carrots soak up the sauce, so each bite combines soft vegetables with deep, malty beef flavor, ideal for serving with mashed potatoes or crusty bread.

6. Classic Irish Fish Pie with Colcannon Topping

Classic Irish fish pie with colcannon topping is a warm baked dish with a creamy fish filling and a thick mashed potato crust. The traditional Irish recipe base usually combines white fish and sometimes smoked fish in a mild, savory sauce.

On top, there is colcannon—mashed potatoes mixed with cabbage or kale and green onions—spread in a thick layer. It bakes until the potatoes are lightly browned at the edges and the filling bubbles up around the sides.

7. Irish Soda Farls

Irish soda farls are simple, round soda bread cakes cut into four wedges and cooked on a griddle or pan instead of baked in the oven. The dough is made with flour, baking soda, and buttermilk, so it cooks quickly.

Each farl is soft inside with a lightly crisp, browned surface. They are often eaten warm with butter or used as part of a cooked breakfast.

8. Yellow Man (Irish Honeycomb Candy)

Yellow Man is an Irish honeycomb candy with a light, bubbly structure and a bright golden color. It is made from sugar, golden syrup, and baking soda, which creates the airy texture inside.

The candy sets into hard sheets that are broken into irregular chunks. Each piece is crisp and fragile, with a sweet, toffee-like taste that sticks lightly to your teeth as it melts.

9. Irish Brown Bread

Irish brown bread is a dense, everyday loaf made with coarse wholemeal flour and baking soda instead of yeast. The traditional Irish recipe has a firm crumb, a slightly rough texture, and a deep, nutty taste from the whole grains.

The crust bakes up dark and sturdy, while the inside stays moist. It is commonly sliced thick and served with butter, cheese, or alongside soups and stews.

10. Dublin Coddle (Irish Sausage and Potato Stew)

Dublin coddle is a simple Irish sausage and potato stew cooked slowly in one pot. It usually contains pork sausages, bacon, potatoes, and onions layered together and simmered in stock or water.

The traditional Irish recipe long cooking time makes the sausages tender and the potatoes soft while they absorb the cooking juices. The broth is light but savory, and the dish is often served with bread to soak up the liquid.

11. Traditional Irish Potato Soup

Traditional Irish potato soup is a straightforward, creamy soup built around potatoes, onions or leeks, and stock. The potatoes cook until very soft, so the soup can be blended smooth or left slightly chunky.

A little milk or cream is often added for richness. It is usually finished with simple seasoning and sometimes a sprinkle of chives or scallions on top.

12. Authentic Irish Apple Cake

Authentic Irish apple cake is a plain, not-too-sweet cake packed with chunks or slices of fresh apple. The traditional Irish recipe batter is usually a simple sponge or butter cake, so the apples stay the focus.

As it bakes, the top turns golden and slightly crisp while the inside stays soft and moist. It is often served with custard, cream, or a light dusting of powdered sugar.

13. Irish Potato Cakes or Potato Farls

Irish potato cakes or potato farls are flat rounds made from mashed potatoes mixed with a little flour and cooked on a griddle or pan. They form a thin, golden crust on the outside while staying soft inside.

The traditional Irish recipe shape is usually round or wedge-like, and they are often served warm with butter or alongside eggs and bacon as part of a cooked breakfast.

14. Traditional Irish Soda Bread

Traditional Irish soda bread is a quick bread made with flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk instead of yeast. The dough is shaped into a round loaf with a cross cut into the top before baking.

The crust becomes firm and lightly browned, while the inside is dense but tender. It is commonly sliced thick and eaten with butter, jam, or alongside soups and stews.

15. No Bake Irish Fifteens

No bake Irish fifteens are a sweet tray treat made from crushed biscuits, marshmallows, and glacé cherries bound with condensed milk. The traditional Irish recipe mixture is rolled into a log, coated in desiccated coconut, and chilled until firm.

Slices are cut into small rounds, showing the pieces of marshmallow and cherry inside. They are called “fifteens” because traditional recipes use fifteen of each main ingredient.

16. Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes)

Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes) are thin potato pancakes made from a mix of grated raw potato and mashed potato with a little flour.

They cook up with a lightly crisp, golden surface and a soft, tender center. They are usually fried in a pan and served warm, often alongside bacon, eggs, or sausages.

17. Irish Shortbread

Irish shortbread is a simple cookie made with butter, sugar, and flour, baked until pale golden at the edges. The traditional Irish recipe texture is tender and crumbly, breaking cleanly when you bite into it.

It has a rich butter taste and a lightly sweet finish. These cookies are often cut into wedges or rectangles and pair well with tea or coffee.

18. Champ

Champ is a creamy mashed potato dish mixed with finely chopped scallions (spring onions), milk, and butter. The traditional Irish recipe potatoes are mashed until smooth, so the texture is soft and fluffy.

The scallions add mild onion flavor and small green flecks throughout the mash. It is usually served hot as a side dish, often with a well of melted butter on top.

19. Barmbrack

Barmbrack is a dense Irish loaf studded with dried fruit such as raisins and sultanas, often soaked in tea before baking. The crumb is moist and slightly sweet, with the fruit spread evenly through each slice.

The top bakes to a dark, glossy finish. It is commonly sliced, buttered, and served with tea, especially around Halloween.

20. Easy Traditional Irish Lamb Stew

Easy traditional Irish lamb stew is a one-pot dish with chunks of lamb slowly simmered with potatoes, carrots, onions, and sometimes celery or parsnips. As it cooks, the lamb becomes very tender and the broth thickens slightly from the starch in the potatoes.

The traditional Irish recipe vegetables soften but keep their shape, so each bowl has a mix of meat, vegetables, and savory broth. It is often served with bread or mashed potatoes.

21. Irish Bacon, Cabbage, and Parsley Sauce

Irish bacon, cabbage, and parsley sauce is a simple boiled dinner built around salted or smoked pork with green cabbage and potatoes. The traditional Irish recipe bacon is cooked until tender, then sliced and served with wedges of soft cabbage and floury potatoes.

A smooth white parsley sauce is spooned over the meat and vegetables, adding a mild, creamy finish.

22. Irish Traditional Christmas Cake

Irish traditional Christmas cake is a rich fruit cake packed with raisins, sultanas, currants, and mixed peel, often soaked in alcohol like whiskey or brandy.

The cake is dense and moist, baked well ahead so the flavors can develop. It is usually covered in a layer of marzipan and a firm white icing. Slices are thick and heavy, with visible pieces of fruit in every bite.

23. Irish Bangers & Mash

Irish bangers and mash is a basic plate of pork sausages served over a mound of mashed potatoes. The traditional Irish recipe sausages are browned on the outside and juicy inside, while the mash is smooth and buttery.

A brown onion gravy is often poured over the top, so the potatoes and sausages sit in a shallow pool of sauce. It is usually served hot as a filling main meal.

24. Irish Shortbread Toffee Bars

Irish shortbread toffee bars are layered treats with a firm shortbread base, a chewy caramel or toffee middle, and a chocolate topping. The bottom layer is buttery and crisp, the center layer is sweet and sticky, and the chocolate sets into a smooth, breakable sheet on top.

When sliced into bars, you can see the three distinct layers. They are rich, so small pieces are common.

25. Irish Oat Cookies

Irish oat cookies are simple biscuits made with oats that give them a slightly rough texture and a light chew. They bake up flat and round with lightly browned edges.

The flavor is mildly sweet with a noticeable oat taste. They are often eaten plain or with a cup of tea and can be slightly crisp or a bit softer depending on the recipe.

26. Cranberry Orange Irish Soda Bread

Cranberry Orange Irish soda bread is a quick bread made with baking soda and buttermilk, studded with dried cranberries and flavored with orange zest.

Traditional Irish recipe bakes into a round loaf with a firm crust and a soft, slightly crumbly interior. The cranberries add small sweet-tart bites, and the orange gives a light citrus note to each slice.

27. Irish Coffee

Irish coffee is a hot drink made from strong black coffee, Irish whiskey, and sugar, topped with a layer of lightly whipped cream. The traditional Irish recipe is usually served in a clear heatproof glass so you can see the dark coffee under the pale cream.

You drink it through the cream, so each sip combines warm coffee and whiskey with cool cream on top.

28. Irish Porter Cake

Irish porter cake is a fruit cake made with porter or stout beer and dried fruits such as raisins and sultanas. The traditional Irish recipe batter is simple, but the beer adds color and a mild malty taste.

It bakes into a firm, moist loaf or round cake with pieces of fruit in every slice. It is often served plain with tea.

29. Smoked Salmon On Irish Soda Bread

Smoked salmon on Irish soda bread is an open-faced snack or starter built on slices of soda bread. The bread is dense and slightly tangy, providing a solid base.

Thin slices of smoked salmon are laid on top, sometimes with butter or a light spread. The finished dish is simple and neat, often cut into small portions for easy serving.

30. Irish Breakfast

An Irish breakfast is a cooked breakfast plate that typically includes sausages, bacon, eggs, and black or white pudding.

Traditional Irish recipe often comes with grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, and fried or toasted bread such as soda farls or sliced bread. The foods are served hot together on one plate, making a filling first meal of the day.

31. Chocolate Chip Irish Soda Bread

Chocolate chip Irish soda bread is a quick bread made with baking soda and buttermilk, with chocolate chips mixed into the dough. traditional Irish recipe bakes into a round loaf with a firm crust and a soft, slightly crumbly interior.

The chocolate chips form small, sweet pockets throughout each slice, making it good for breakfast or a snack.

32. Irish Whiskey Truffles

Irish whiskey truffles are small chocolate sweets made from a ganache that includes Irish whiskey. The centers are smooth and rich, then rolled in cocoa powder, chopped nuts, or a thin chocolate shell.

Each bite has a clear chocolate taste with a noticeable but mild whiskey note.

33. Irish Butter (Homemade Grass-Fed Butter)

Irish butter (homemade grass-fed butter) is a spread made by churning cream from grass-fed cows until the fat separates.

It has a higher fat content than many standard butters, so the texture is dense and smooth. The color is often a deeper yellow, and it spreads easily on bread or melts quickly over hot foods.

34. Fudgy, Chewy Guinness Brownies

Fudgy, chewy Guinness brownies are chocolate brownies made with Guinness stout in the batter. They bake into a dense, moist bar with a slightly chewy edge and a soft center.

The stout deepens the chocolate taste and adds a faint malty note without making the brownies taste like beer.

35. Irish Cream Pie

Irish cream pie is a chilled dessert pie made with an Irish cream liqueur–flavored filling in a biscuit or cookie crumb crust. This traditional Irish recipe filling is usually smooth and creamy, sometimes lightened with whipped cream.

The top may be left plain or finished with more whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Slices hold their shape but stay soft when cut.