Get creative this St. Patrick’s Day and enjoy a plant-based menu that’s great-tasting and healthy to boot. We’ve put together a mix of both traditional Irish recipes, as well as some that feature the popular St. Patrick’s Day color—green!
Nothing beats shepherd’s pie when it comes to comfort food, and this veggie-strong version by Cathy Fisher is one to take note of. Fresh thyme’s sweet, almost spicy flavor adds an enticing lift to the saucy base of umami-rich mushrooms and veggies. A little of the mashed potato is used to thicken the filling, while the rest gets smoothed over top and baked until lightly golden. A reviewer writes, “Made this for Thanksgiving with Yukon Gold potatoes instead of russet—so good!!”
Green, gorgeous, and packed with sustaining nutrition, these tasty lettuce wraps tick all the right boxes this St. Patrick’s Day. Tart dried cranberries, refreshing celery, and crunchy pecans combine with nutty chickpeas and a creamy Indian-inspired dressing to ensure every mouthful is a memorable one. Delish!
It doesn’t get more Irish than potato soup! In this crowd-pleasing blended soup, sweet, smoky caramelized garlic provides a rich backdrop, infusing every mouthful with decadent flavor, while cannellini beans add extra heft and creaminess. Serve over cooked farro and garnish with crisp sugar snap peas, spicy red pepper flakes, and aromatic chives. A fan raves, “I wouldn’t ever have thought about combining farro and sugar snap peas with potato soup, but the combination was flavorful, light, and fresh.”
This humble crumble is big on flavor and straightforward to make—don’t you love that happy combination! Almond butter gives the oat topping richness, while a splash of maple syrup is all you need to sweeten it up. The two-ingredient apple and raspberry filling comes together in a flash. Because this recipe calls for frozen raspberries, you can enjoy this tasty pie in early spring or any time of the year. A commenter notes, “I’ve made with a variety of fresh and frozen fruit. Delicious and guest-approved!”
Classic Cajun flavors abound in these plant-strong burrito-style wraps and are easily achieved with a store-bought Cajun seasoning. A spicy red bean and rice filling, which also features okra and tomatoes, simmers on the stove for half an hour, filling the house with warming aromas. The saucy medley dribbles down your chin in the most delicious way and is perfectly balanced by the fresh crunch of raw collard leaves.
These crowd-pleasing crispy fingerling potatoes make a great side dish or appetizer. A coating of ground flaxseed seasoned with chipotle chile powder gives them a scrumptiously spicy crunch. Oil-free and absolutely delicious, these tasty bites only take 20 minutes to cook in an air fryer. Serve with the zesty and deliciously green Creamy Chimichurri Dip.
Need a satisfying start to your St Patrick’s Day celebrations? This inventive recipe uses your waffle maker to transform steamed potatoes into crispy-on-the-outside and creamy-on-the-inside waffles. Dijon mustard, tahini, and paprika give them a tangy creaminess with extra depth, and a creamed spinach topping comes together quickly and perfectly complements the potato waffles. Writes one happy reviewer, “We tried this recipe out for brunch this morning (“retired persons brunch!”), and it was fabulous.”
Loaded with basic ingredients like cabbage, potatoes, barley, and white beans, this classic Irish stew is seriously delicious—a healthy, filling meal all on its own.
A little tahini is all you need to add an underlying depth of flavor to this hearty green-hued soup. A single potato helps to thicken it, and loads of greens make it super-nourishing! Top with pomegranate seeds, chickpeas, and peas.
Warm the cockles of your Irish heart with this deeply nourishing soup of purple cabbage, onion, and potato. Finish with a sprig of fresh thyme and sprinkle with parsley and green peas for a meal to remember.
Your Irish grandma would approve of this velvety vegan spit pea soup. Throw it into your slow cooker in the morning and come home to the earthy-smoky aroma of home-cooked soup. One reviewer notes: “Was impressed on how good it was without using a ham bone.” We agree; just a little smoked paprika is all you need to give it a yummy smoky flavor. In a hurry? No problem: It only takes 20 minutes to put together, or as one reviewer puts it: “Just chop and drop.” This one’s a keeper!
Split pea soup traditionally gets its flavor from ham bones, but in this plant-based version a well-chosen mix of spices gives all the flavor you need.
Mixed spring greens and cucumber form the base of this lush chilled green soup, while frozen peas and avocado make it deliciously creamy. Top with a fresh gremolata for lemony crunch.
Stuffed with a potato-couscous-kale mix, these stunning leafy wraps, drizzled with tomato sauce, offer a contemporary spin on two quintessentially Irish veggies: potato and cabbage.
Fragrant with fresh herbs, this luscious green lentil vegetable salad is best served chilled, allowing time for the flavors to mingle. One reader notes, “Can’t believe how good this is. Even non-vegan family members love this.”
In this easy family-friendly meal, fresh basil pesto gives pasta and cannellini beans scrumptious rich flavor, while green beans add extra veggie goodness.
The meaty texture of lentils make them an ideal filling for a vegan shepherd’s pie. Be sure to make plenty, as it’s even better the next day!
Simple, satisfying, and seriously tasty, this hearty minestrone soup ticks all the boxes. Onion, garlic, and mushrooms ratchet up the umami goodness of the savory broth, while potato and cannellini beans add creamy bites. Tender kale adds a helping of greens and rounds out the flavors. Writes one commenter: “It was a raining tonight and I wanted a quick soup…. It filled the bill for a fall evening and was delicious.”
For a green-hued, fresh-tasting hummus use frozen lima beans and fresh basil leaves instead of chickpeas. Serve with your favorite crackers, pita bread, or crudités.
This platter of oven-roasted, perfectly seasoned asparagus spears is guaranteed to please any crowd.
This spinach and herb hummus is as easy as it is green. Serve with dippers like toasted tortilla chips and veggie sticks. For extra wow this St. Patrick’s Day choose all green veggies for dippers, such as cucumber, green bell pepper, asparagus, and snow peas.
This base for this luscious green dip is zucchini, so there is a lightness to it that’s really appealing when you feel like an alternative to bean-based hummus.
Brighten up the color and flavor of simple chickpea hummus with sweet green peas and fresh mint in this 15-minute healthy vegan hummus recipe.
In this ultimate green-themed breakfast, kiwifruit is blended with wheatgrass and kale for tangy-sweet flavor, then the mixture is topped with quinoa, fresh fruit, and seeds.
The addition of one small potato makes this broccoli soup creamy and thick. Thanks, potato—you’ve done it again!
Celebrate all things green with this sorghum grain bowl topped with cool green veggies and a drizzle of avocado-based Green Goddess Dressing.
These crispy, gluten-free potato and zucchini pancakes are baked, not fried, and would make a great St. Patrick’s Day brunch or lunch.
One of the tricks to cooking great-tasting food without oil is learning new cooking methods. In this recipe, all the cooking is done on the stovetop, yet it seems like the potatoes have been roasted in oil.
For a low-fat, avocado-free guacamole, try this tasty blend of frozen green peas and classic add-ins like fresh garlic, lime, cilantro, cumin, and hot sauce.
Serve chickpeas, avocado, lime juice, cilantro, and red onion on a bed of greens for a fresh-tasting and satisfying green salad.
The creamy tofu-based spinach filling in this scrumptious pizza is right on point for a green-themed St Patrick’s Day menu. Serve it up and watch it go!
Let those new season potatoes shine in this simple green bean, bulgur wheat, and potato salad. Added bonus: It’s ready in just 20 minutes!
In this masterful side dish, Brussels sprouts are simmered in a garlicky broth then dressed with a tangy cheese sauce made from nutritional yeast and mustard. Finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes add a pop of color and flavor.