An Elegantly Easy St. Patrick’s Day Dinner

As an Irish American, St. Patrick’s Day is near and dear to my heart. Some of my happiest memories are listening to the pipes go by at the parade when I was young, sitting on my father’s knee.

It’s a day for connecting with family, feeling so much gratitude for them, and serving a traditional, cozy Irish meal.

This dinner includes a gorgeous lamb stew, colcannon (mashed potatoes with green onion and buttery kale), roasted rosemary cauliflower and fennel, and the very best salted whisky caramel bread pudding you’ll ever make! 

Every recipe can be made days ahead and requires only 20 minutes to reheat before dinner time, allowing you to enjoy your family’s company, rather than fuss about in the kitchen. In fact, the lamb stew can be made a whole 3 days ahead, and only gets tastier by the day!

The simple, fresh tablescape can be created with just 2 glass vases, white and green hydrangeas, 2 vines of fresh ivy, and a little creativity. I’ll show you how I put it all together!

First, find yourself 2 fresh vines of ivy, and 2 vases. I love these glass vases so much, I use them all the time for fancy dinners. I got the ivy from a nearby park. The best (and cleanest) vines will be crawling up trees, away from the ground.

Simply lay them down in the middle of your table, placing the vases equally apart from the center.

To easily arrange flowers in the vases, here’s a great tip: make a little grid with masking tape. The grid holds the stems up nicely, so the flowers don’t flop over. I used 4 big white hydrangeas and 6 smaller green hydrangeas. I also added a little solidago (goldenrod) flowers to add some bright gold.

I then set the plates, glasses, and cutlery. To keep things simple and elegant, I added a single ivy leaf under each salad plate. I used gold-rimmed coup glasses (I know, Prosecco isn’t very Irish, but it’s my favorite dinner party spirit), and I used wine glasses for water.

I used assorted cordial glasses for my tea lights that came from a thrift store. They make the table look so charming.

For the meal, I included a lovely, fresh loaf of Irish soda bread. I didn’t make it myself, I found it at a local farmers market. There’s nothing more comforting than a big slice of warm Irish soda bread with a huge smear of soft Irish butter. It’s my absolute favorite St. Patrick’s Day treat!

Now for the first course! Roasted rosemary cauliflower and fennel, served cold, drizzled with a touch of lemon, oil, and vinegar, and sprinkled with crispy bread crumbs, minced rosemary, and cheese.

It’s spiced only with a sprinkle of salt and pepper – such a refreshingly simple, and delicious salad. It’s both light and full of garden-fresh flavor!

I also wanted to use a few shamrocks for garnish, but they’re a bit hard to find this time of year in New York, so I decided to make my own! I used a few basil leaves and a shamrock paper punch. So easy to create, and they look so cute!

Roasted Rosemary Cauliflower and Fennel

This nutritious roasted cauliflower and fennel recipe makes an elegantly simple first course that will delight your dinner guests. 

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Next, no St. Patrick’s Day Dinner would be complete without colcannon. It’s thick, mashed potatoes with sliced green onions, kale, white cheddar, and plenty of butter! It’s also traditionally served with cabbage as well, but it was a pretty heavy meal with plenty of earthy flavors. I kept it simple.

Colcannon with Kale

This traditional Irish recipe for mashed potatoes with fresh, green onion, buttery kale and cheddar will complete your St. Patrick’s Day meal! Serve it with a hearty stew, corned beef hash, pot roast or bangers, and don’t forget a big slap of butter on top!

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I served the potatoes with one of the most luxurious stews in my repertoire: a lamb stew with thick seared mushrooms, seared pearl onions, thick, juicy carrots, and red onion. (I know my grandma will turn in her grave when I say this, but) I’m not a fan of Guinness, so I used red wine instead. 

If you are a fan, though, and want to make an EXTRA traditional St. Patrick’s Day stew, feel free to substitute the wine with Guinness, in the same measurement as the recipe calls for. 

Lamb Stew with Red Wine

This tender, hearty lamb stew is made with red wine, juicy carrots, luscious, thick mushrooms, seared pearl onions and smoky spices.

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For dessert, I made the easiest, most exquisite bread pudding with whisky caramel! I didn’t feel like making caramel from scratch, so I just picked some up from the food store and mixed in a bit of my favorite whisky.

Bread Pudding with Salted Whisky Caramel

This traditional bread pudding recipe makes a perfect St. Patrick’s Day dessert! Served warm and drizzled with salted whisky caramel, topped with fresh cream or ice cream, your family will love this cozy, decadent dessert! 

See the Recipe

The tastiness of this dessert was shocking, and it takes only 20 minutes to make, and about a half hour to bake! I made and baked the whole thing a day before, then simply reheated it for 20 minutes after dinner.

I also served a little Baileys Irish Cream with a dash of Peppermint Schnapps with a little basil clover garnish alongside dessert. What a lovely dinner party!