The best Irish recipes and foods: from champ and soda bread to Irish stew
Tastes of the Emerald Isle
With its lush green pastures, sparkling seas and fertile soil, Ireland produces wonderful food. There's the rich, yellow butter, artisan cheeses, abundant fresh produce and sensational seafood. Then there's the rich heritage of traditional recipes and, of course, famous Irish tipples from Guinness to whiskey. Whether you're inspired by St Patrick's Day (17 March) or just fancy celebrating the country's incredibly varied cuisine, our recipe collection has the inspiration you need – from traditional recipes to new twists, with classic soda bread, hearty soups and stews, tasty fish ideas and divine desserts.
Irish onion soup with blue cheese toasts
A twist on the French classic, this recipe uses rich double cream in addition to the stock. The toasts are grilled with blue cheese instead of Gruyère, and we'd recommend trying award-winning Cashel Blue from County Tipperary – a soft, creamy cheese which isn't too strong but full of character.
Smoked sausage, bean and root vegetable soup
Hearty soups are perfect for wet and windy Irish winters, and are usually packed with potatoes. This is a very easy dish to make, with the smoked sausage adding an extra layer of flavour. It will happily keep in the fridge for up to three days.
Get the recipe for smoked sausage, bean and root vegetable soup here
Grilled oysters with bacon
Oysters are hugely popular in Ireland, with the country holding plenty of festivals, from Galway to Connemara, to celebrate this homegrown delicacy. Grilled with crisp bacon and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, these are gently salty and crisp, making a perfect nibble with a glass of chilled white wine.
Smoked salmon rillettes
Ireland is a big producer of quality salmon, much of it organic, for both the domestic and international markets. This recipe really shows it off, using both smoked and fresh salmon for a pâté-like snack or starter with plenty of lovely Irish butter, served with pickled cucumber. It keeps well, too.
Irish rarebit
A Welsh classic is given an Irish twist for this recipe by Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood, who switches things up with strong Irish Cheddar and Guinness. It's not just a slice of cheese on toast but a proper treat topped with a rich, flavoured paste made with breadcrumbs, mustard and egg yolks. It keeps well in the fridge, too. Serve on toasted soda bread.
Champ cakes with poached eggs and bacon
Champ is a traditional side of mashed potatoes enriched with milk or cream and plenty of butter, and flavoured with spring onions or chives. Here, the champ is made into a potato cake and served with poached eggs and bacon, a perfect brunch or lunch dish.
Get the recipe for champ cakes with poached eggs and bacon here
Mussels with cider
Mussel production is big business in Ireland, whose clear waters are perfect for them. Cider is popular too, with many craft ciders, usually made without additives for a fresh, crisp taste. Put the two together and it's a heavenly match.
Dublin coddle
Coddle was originally a dish made with leftovers, though now it's made from scratch with potatoes, sausages, bacon or ham and root vegetables, cooked in stock until tender. Perfect on a cold day, possibly with a pint of Guinness.
Slow-cooked lamb shoulder in Guinness
When meat is cooked with Guinness, the stout adds an earthy sweetness that's just perfect for this dish. It requires little preparation but it does need time to cook gently, to tenderise the lamb. The recipe serves eight, so it's perfect for a weekend gathering. Serve with buttery mash and greens.
Get the recipe for slow-cooked lamb shoulder in Guinness here
Venison sausage and mushroom traybake
There are several large estates across the whole of the island producing award-winning farmed and wild venison. This easy traybake combines version sausages with kale, mushrooms and squash, coated in a sticky redcurrant glaze. And of course, it has to be served with a buttery, horseradish mash.
Get the recipe for venison sausage and mushroom traybake here
Beef and stout stew
Ireland is one of Europe's biggest mushroom producers, and there are plenty of mushrooms in this winter-warming stew. Slow-cooked in stout and beef stock to give a rich, savoury dish, it's perfect to serve with creamy mashed potato.
Irish stew
Irish stew is traditionally made with mutton, with the meat layered up in a pot with carrots, onions, potatoes, seasoned, then covered with water. This recipe upgrades it using lamb, dark ale and a few more aromatics than the original, and it's especially tasty served with buttered kale or cabbage.
Colcannon
A traditional Irish side, colcannon consists of potatoes mashed with milk to which blanched shredded cabbage or kale is added. To serve, make a little hollow in the centre of the colcannon and add a large knob of butter, which should melt beautifully over the dish. Any leftovers are great fried up for breakfast or brunch, perhaps topped with a fried egg.
Herby champ
Another favourite flavoured Irish mash recipe, champ is also known as stelk. The potatoes are mashed with cream or milk, or half and half, and then sliced spring onions are added. A large knob of butter is essential. Our updated recipe adds fresh herbs for extra zing.
Potato farls
An essential part of an Irish fried breakfast, potato farls (meaning 'fourths', as the dough is cut into four) are basically thick potato pancakes. To make the dough, add a knob of butter, 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder and two tablespoons of flour to 250g (9oz) of mashed potato. Shape into a 15cm (6in) circle, 1cm (1/2in) deep, cut into four triangles, then fry in butter until golden and crisp.
Irish soda bread
This wonderful bread is so forgiving – no yeast, no kneading, no rising. It's made with soft flour as opposed to bread flour and the less you work it, the better. Mess with it too much and you'll end up with a chewy loaf. Our recipe gives you all the tips and tricks you need for a perfect soda bread.
Potato and rosemary soda focaccia
Italian focaccia is given a makeover using the best Irish ingredients for this tear and share treat. A soda bread base is topped with sliced potatoes, fresh rosemary and grated mature Cheddar. It's almost a meal in itself, though perfect with soup or cold meats.
Ballymaloe sherry trifle
From the renowned hotel, restaurant and cookery school outside Cork, this show-stopping trifle needs a little time to prepare, but it's certainly not difficult. With a homemade sponge, thick vanilla custard and plenty of sweet sherry, all topped with whipped cream and candied angelica, it will serve eight (and impress anyone you have around your table).
Irish coffee meringue gateau
Another dessert with wow factor from Ballymaloe House, this take on a gateau sandwiches together coffee meringues with whipped cream containing a glug of Irish whiskey. This recipe benefits from assembling a few hours ahead of time, so the rich cream can soften the meringue a little (and so you avoid a last-minute panic).
Baileys crème brûlée
The classic French dessert is given a taste of Ireland by adding Irish cream liqueur to a creamy vanilla custard. If you have a cook's blow torch, it makes melting the sugar topping much easier.
Chocolate Guinness brownies
The addition of Guinness, bubbled down to a reduction, adds a distinct sweetness and deep colour to dark chocolate brownies. Once baked, they're covered in a rich buttercream laced with Baileys cream liqueur – perfect served with an espresso.
Apricot, date and Guinness slices
Here's a sticky toffee pudding with an Irish twist, or rather a couple of Irish twists – the addition of Guinness and Irish whiskey to the nutty, fruity batter. Served with a warm sauce of butter, cream, honey and Guinness, this is the sort of dessert that will have everyone asking for seconds.
Irish coffee
A perfect after-dinner cocktail, Irish coffee usually is made with whiskey, coffee and a little sugar, topped with whipped cream. Our recipe adds a dark muscovado syrup, made by dissolving a tablespoon of the sugar in a splash of boiling water, which makes the flavour more intense.
Black velvet
The Black Velvet was created by the bartender of Brooks's Club in London in 1861, to mourn the death of Prince Albert. The colour was supposed to represent the black armbands worn by mourners. It consists simply of Guinness mixed with an equal quantity of Champagne or sparkling wine, hence the Irish connection.
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