Irish Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Ideas: The Best Holiday Recipes to Try! (2024)

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These Irish Thanksgiving dinner menu Ideas are just what you need to celebrate the holiday with some Irish flair! There's no boring pumpkin pie or dry turkey on this menu. Just some fantastic Irish-inspired appetizers, side dishes, entrees, and desserts that will make your Thanksgiving extra special!

Irish Inspired Thanksgiving Recipes

You're not the only one that gets tired of eating turkey 3 days in a row. Yes, the classic Thanksgiving recipes are delicious, but why not add an Irish twist to give everyone something to get excited about?

These Irish-inspired recipes are made for sharing and will make a beautiful addition to your holiday spread. You'll have a Thanksgiving get-together like no other with these fabulous dishes on the menu!

Irish Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Ideas: The Best Holiday Recipes to Try! (1)

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Irish Inspired Thanksgiving Recipes
Appetizers
1. Irish Soda Bread
2. Potato Leek Soup
3. Irish Nachos
4. Irish Boxty
Main Course
5. Shepherd’s Pie
6. Irish Lamb Stew
7. Corned Beef and Cabbage
8. Oven Roasted Turkey
Side Dishes
9. Colcannon
10. Sweet Potato Colcannon
11. Guinness and Irish Cheddar Mac and Cheese
12. Irish Cabbage
Desserts
14. Irish Coffee
15. Irish Apple Cake
16. Irish Soda Bread Pudding
17. Irish Barmbrack
18. Baileys Chocolate Chip Cookies
19. Irish Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Pecan Frosting
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Irish Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Ideas: Irish Lamb Stew (+More Delicious Recipes To Try!)
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Whether you're a pro at hosting Thanksgiving dinner and holiday parties or giving it a try for the first time this year, you're sure to find my ultimate guide to planning Thanksgiving a help! Don't forget to safely thaw your holiday turkey early, too!

For Irish Americans, Thanksgiving is the perfect excuse to get together with family and friends to enjoy some good food (and good beer)! It's all about the company, but an incredible meal never hurts. These Irish Thanksgiving dinner menu ideas are here to help you pull it off!

Appetizers

1. Irish Soda Bread

You can butter it, you can dip it, you can use it to sop up gravy, this 4-ingredient bread can do it all! Even if you've never made bread before, this one is hard to mess up.

Traditional Irish Soda Bread (Easy No-Knead, No-Yeast Bread)

Traditional Irish soda bread only requires 4 ingredients and is perfect for even the beginner bread maker. There is no yeast and no kneading required here. Add the amazing taste of buttermilk, and you have an easy bread that everyone will love.

Check out this recipe

2. Potato Leek Soup

An inviting cup of warm potato leek soup is a great way to start your dinner. Top it off with crispy bacon and some chives and you'll want to lick the bowl.

Potato Leek Soup with Bacon

This potato leek soup with bacon is perfect for St. Patrick's Day or any other time. It's an easy 30-minute recipe that tastes like it was simmering on the stovetop all day. Add some shredded cheese, extra bacon, or a drizzle of heavy cream, and dig in.

Check out this recipe

3. Irish Nachos

Irish nachos are classic bar fare that replaces tortilla chips with thinly sliced potatoes! You can add all your favorite nacho toppings and customize it to your liking.

Irish Nachos (Classic Pub Food Appetizer)

Irish Nachos are a fantastic twist on the classic Mexican dish, swapping traditional tortilla chips for crispy, sliced potatoes. This hearty appetizer combines the comforting flavors of Ireland with the beloved nacho concept, resulting in a dish perfect for gatherings, game days, or St. Patrick's Day.

Check out this recipe

4. Irish Boxty

These crispy potato pancakes are a staple of Irish cooking. The inside is soft and fluffy while the outside is golden and crispy!

This recipe is a great way to use up any leftover mashed potatoes.

Irish Boxty Recipe

Try this boxty recipe for a traditional Irish dish made of potatoes — mashed mixed with grated — fried for a golden crust and fluffy inside.

Check out this recipe

Main Course

5. Shepherd’s Pie

This savory meat and potato pie is comfort food at its finest. If you don't have lamb, you can easily swap it for ground beef in this recipe. It would then be a 'cottage pie', but delicious nonetheless!

Gordon Ramsay Shepherd’s Pie

This Gordon Ramsay Shepherd’s Pie is a fantastic, classic recipe he has shared through multiple videos, including his popular 'F Word' series! Savory layers of ground lamb meat and a 'secret ingredient' mashed potato topping combine to make this internationally loved comfort food!

Check out this recipe

6. Irish Lamb Stew

This hearty lamb stew will fill your belly and warm your soul. It's full of chunky vegetables and melt-in-your-mouth tender lamb meat that has been simmered for over an hour.

Irish Lamb Stew

This Irish lamb stew is loaded with vegetables and melt-in-your-mouth, tender, grass-fed lamb meat for the most amazingly tasty soup ever. The rich broth is incredibly savory and soul-warming. It's the perfect cozy comfort food soup for any day of the year!

Check out this recipe

7. Corned Beef and Cabbage

This classic corned beef and cabbage is some good old-fashioned Irish home cooking. It's even got Guiness in it, it doesn't get more Irish than that!

You can make it on the stovetop, in the crockpot, or in your Instant Pot. No matter how you cook it, the results are delicious!

Corned Beef and Cabbage

This Irish corned beef and cabbage with Guinness beer is a traditional favorite that's super popular for St. Patrick's Day here in the States. It's incredibly easy to make and super flavorful, whether serving it fresh out of the oven or slicing it for leftover sandwiches.

Check out this recipe

8. Oven Roasted Turkey

No matter your heritage, turkey is always a suitable main course on Thanksgiving. This oven roasted turkey recipe is a tried and true classic that yields delicious results every time.

Try making some turkey gravy from scratch to really impress your guests!

Oven Roasted Turkey

Perfect oven-roasted turkey is easy to dish up for family meals and holidays with this easy, tried, and true roast turkey recipe! This is one of the easiest ways to ensure your holiday turkey turns out beautifully browned, tender, moist, and super tasty!

Check out this recipe

Side Dishes

9. Colcannon

Colcannon, or Irish mashed potatoes, are mixed with extra butter and cream as well green onions and leafy greans (like kale, Swiss chard, or cabbage). If you are a mashed potato fan, you will surely love this creamy Irish recipe. In fact, you may prefer it!

Traditional Irish Colcannon

Colcannon is a traditional Irish potato dish with a hearty combination of mashed potatoes, kale or cabbage, and rich butter. Add some bacon bits and chives for garnish, and you've got an amazing potato side dish that's wonderfully suited for any day of the year. Grab some potatoes and whip this classic recipe up for St. Patrick's Day festivities!

Check out this recipe

10. Sweet Potato Colcannon

This Emerald Isle spin on mashed sweet potatoes is full of greens and plenty of cream and butter. Not to mention, a pinch of cayenne pepper for good measure!

Irish sweet potato colcannon recipe - a Thanksgiving tradition with a twist

An Irish slant on a Thanksgiving side dish - with a bit of a kick! Check out this sweet potato colcannon recipe perfect for an Irish Thanksgiving dinner.

Check out this recipe

11. Guinness and Irish Cheddar Mac and Cheese

The combination of sharp Irish cheese, Guinness beer, and Dijon mustard makes for a fiercly flavorful macaroni and cheese! It's indulgent and creamy with an optional breadcrumb topping that I highly suggest you try.

Guinness and Irish Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese

Guinness and Irish Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese - Flavorful mac and cheese made with Guinness stout, sharp Irish cheddar, and a touch of dijon mustard.

Check out this recipe

12. Irish Cabbage

Similar to fried cabbage, this Irish cabbage is a savory vegetable side dish that will be right at home on your Thanksgiving table. This cabbage is boiled instead of fried, but it still has plenty of bacon flavor!

Irish Heritage Cabbage Recipe

This is a delicious, authentic Irish cabbage side dish. If you can’t find Irish bacon, regular works fine, just drain well.

Check out this recipe

13. Sausage, Sage, & Onion Stuffing

This classic sausage, sage, & onion stuffing slices beautifully. It also has fresh apples and plenty of butter for added flavor!

Sausage, sage & onion stuffing recipe | BBC Good Food

A slice of our classic sausage, sage and onion stuffing is a must-have for Christmas dinner. It’s also great as a side with your Sunday roast

Check out this recipe

Desserts

14. Irish Coffee

Irish coffee is a great after-dinner drink to sip on. It's warm and sweet, and the caffeine helps you put off the after-Thanksgiving nap.

If sweet drinks aren't your thing, a glass of Irish whiskey neat will also do the job.

Irish Coffee

15. Irish Apple Cake

This moist apple cake is one of my favorites to make (and to eat). The smooth and creamy vanilla custard sauce is downright heavenly, though you can enjoy the subtly sweet apple cake without it.

Irish Apple Cake with Vanilla Custard Sauce

This Irish apple cake with vanilla custard sauce is a wonderfully tasty cake with the perfect moist crumb studded with fresh apples. Serve this not-too-sweet apple cake up on its own, or drizzle some of my amazing custard sauce over the cake slices when serving. It is a well-loved apple cake that's the perfect dessert for any day of the year.

Check out this recipe

16. Irish Soda Bread Pudding

Remember the easy no-knead bread from the beginning of this list? Turn it into a fabulous bread pudding!

It's covered with a luxurious crème anglaise made with Bailey's Irish Cream. This dessert will be a new family favorite for sure.

Irish Soda Bread Pudding with Bailey's Crème Anglaise

There is something truly special about this Irish Soda Bread Pudding with Bailey's Crème Anglaise topped with rich, luxurious crème anglaise.From the consistency of the traditional soda bread in our bread and butter pudding to the hint of Bailey's in the crème anglaise - everything combines to make an exceptional Irish dessert to satisfy any sweet tooth!

Check out this recipe

17. Irish Barmbrack

This homemade raisin bread is surprisingly easy to make and makes your house smell wonderful. It's similar to fruit cake.

You don't even have to wait to serve this bread at the end of the meal if you don't want to. Just make sure you have plenty of butter!

Irish Barmbrack (Fruit Bread) Recipe

Traditional Irish Barmbrack (Fruit Bread) is the best raisin bread you'll ever bake. It's incredibly easy to make and needs no yeast. It's so delicious that there's no sense waiting for an Irish holiday to roll around to enjoy this amazing bread. Bake it up anytime or for the holidays that barmbrack is a traditional part of, including St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, and New Year's Day!

Check out this recipe

18. Baileys Chocolate Chip Cookies

These perfectly chewy chocolate chip cookies are always a hit. The addition of Baileys Irish Cream gives them a subtle flavor that isn't found in classic chocolate cookies. These will quickly disapper, so be sure you make plenty!

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies

A warm batch of Baileys Irish Cream chocolate chip cookies will make anyone's day because they are the perfect sweet treat! The subtle hint of flavor from the Irish cream liqueur adds a complexity not found in your usual cookie, and the soft, chewy inside full of melted chocolate chips will make your sweet tooth happy!

Check out this recipe

19. Irish Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Pecan Frosting

You can't go wrong serving this delectably moist oatmeal cake this Thanksgiving. It has a rich stove-top caramel pecan frosting that perfectly complements the spiced cake and ties it all together!

Old Fashioned Irish Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Pecan Frosting

This Old Fashioned Irish Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Pecan Frosting is another heavenly cake of Irish origin that is a super easy dessert treat for St. Patrick's Day and certainly any day of the year.

Check out this recipe

I hope your family enjoys these Irish Thanksgiving dinner menu ideas as much as mine does! Let me know which recipes were your favorite in the comments below!

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Irish Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Ideas: Irish Lamb Stew (+More Delicious Recipes To Try!)

Author | Angela

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 314kcal

Prep 10 minutes minutes

Cooking 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

▢ 1 ½ lbs lamb stew meat (or use lamb shoulder or thick cut shoulder chops, cut into 1 ½ to 2 inch chunks and trimmed of fat)
▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
▢ ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
▢ 4 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin - divided into 2 portions of 2 tablespoon each)
▢ 1 large yellow onion (rough chopped)
▢ 2 tablespoon parsley (fresh, chopped)
▢ 5-6 carrots (medium sized, rough chopped)
▢ 6 ribs celery (rough chopped)
▢ 6 cups beef broth (use more or less, as needed to cover your stew ingredients)
▢ 3-4 medium red potatoes (or russet potatoes - chopped)
▢ 2 bay leaves
▢ 2 sprigs thyme

Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela

Instructions

In a medium bowl, coat your cut lamb stew meat with flour (start with half the ¼ cup of flour) and season with salt and pepper. Bring the first 2 tablespoon portion of the olive oil to medium high heat in a large stock pot or heavy bottomed dish (like a dutch oven).
Brown the floured lamb meat on all sides (dust the browning meat with the remaining flour if you would like your stew broth to be thicker), then remove from the pot and set aside. *Do not worry about the browned bits sticking to the bottom of the pot, this is the base of a great stew!
Add the second portion of 2 tablespoons olive oil into the pot and sweat the onion until beginning to get translucent. Add remaining ingredients: chopped parsley, carrots, celery, broth, potatoes, bay leaves, and sprigs of thyme. Return the seared lamb to the pot, stir, cover, and bring to a boil.
Once a slow rolling boil is reached, reduce the heat to low and cook at a low simmer for approximately 90 minutes (timing will vary depending on your meat portion, the chunk size, etc.) or until your lamb meat is very tender when forked.
Remove bay leaves and thyme stems before serving.
Other vegetables that would be a wonderful addition: turnips, parsnips, fennel, leek, shallot, or peas.

Oven (Oven Braised) Instructions

*To make your Irish Lamb Stew in the oven (oven braised method), follow the directions in the recipe: use an oven safe dish (preferably a dutch oven), preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) while browning the lamb meat.
Once all of the ingredients have been combined, cover your lamb stew and place in the oven. Bake for about 1 hour, or until lamb meat is very tender when forked.

Slow Cooker & Crock Pot Instructions

**To make your Irish Lamb Stew in a slow cooker or crock pot, for best results follow the directions including coating the lamb with flour, seasoned with salt and pepper, and browned in a dutch oven (or frying pan). Transfer browned lamb stew meat to your 6 quart slow cooker, scraping as much of the 'fond' from the bottom of the pan along with the juices from cooking the meat.
Add the onion, potatoes, carrots, celery, chopped parsley, bay leaves, sprigs of fresh thyme, and beef broth. Cover and cook on low setting for eight hours.
To skip the pan searing, place flour coated lamb stew meat in the bottom of the slow cooker (OR sprinkle flour over the lamb meat after it has been placed into the slow cooker).

Instant Pot & Pressure Cooker Instructions

***To make your Irish Lamb Stew in an instant pot or pressure cooker, follow the directions for coating your lamb meat with flour and seasoning with salt and pepper. Set your instant pot to saute and brown the lamb stew meat, about 3-4 minutes.
Add 1 cup of the beef broth, stir and scrape any browned bits into the liquid. Add the remaining beef broth along with the chopped parsley, bay leaves, and sprigs of fresh thyme. Close and seal your instant pot, then cook on high for 30 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients: onion, celery, carrot, and potatoes, then re-seal the instant pot and cook on high for 10 minutes. When the timer beeps, let your lamb stew rest 7-10 minutes.
If your lamb meat is not fork tender, return your stew to high pressure for an additional 5 minutes.

Video

Notes

*This is one of those dishes that your choice of meat will impact your results! Usually stews are forgiving of what meats you choose, but in this case your stew meat chunks should be of good quality, preferably lamb shoulder (leg of lamb is best suited for roasting and grilling, but will be tough when used as lamb stew meat). Milk lamb or Grass fed lamb is also recommended.

Nutrition

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irish lamb stew, Irish Thanksgiving menu, irish thanksgiving recipes, lamb, lamb stew

Course Lamb Dishes, Soup Recipes, St. Patrick's Day

Cuisine Irish

Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com

Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!

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