34 Vegetarian Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day

Updated: Mar. 19, 2023

From colcannon potatoes to Guinness floats to green foods galore, these vegetarian recipes are perfect for your St. Patrick's Day spread.

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Colcannon Irish Potatoes

My mother came from Ireland as a teen and brought this homey recipe with her. I find that it's a fantastic way to get my family to eat cooked cabbage—it is hidden in Grandma's potatoes! —Marie Pagel, Lena, WI
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Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls

This marvelous meatless entree comes from my 89-year-old grandmother, who cooks a lot with grains, particularly bulgur. The zucchini is a fun change of pace stuffed inside these vegetarian cabbage rolls. —Michelle Dougherty, Lewiston, Idaho
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Homemade Irish Soda Bread

Some people consider bread to be the most important part of a meal...and this Irish bread satisfies such folks! This recipe is by far the best soda bread I've ever tried. With the addition of raisins, it is moist and delicious! —Evelyn Kenney, Trenton, New Jersey
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Guinness Float

That very first sip of a Guinness is what inspired this quick and easy dessert. The rich, creamy foam that gathers on the top of a freshly poured draft made me think of vanilla ice cream. At that point, I knew I had to combine the two in a Guinness float. —James Schend, Dairy Freed
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Shamrock Cookies

A handy cookie cutter shapes these sensational sweets. With a hint of mint flavor, these shamrock cookies are especially yummy with cocoa or chocolate milk. —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana
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Rainbow Snack Platter

Kids and adults alike will gobble up this rainbow snack platter. Go ahead and make it as large as you’d like! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Onion Cheese Soup

I made a few adjustments to this savory soup recipe I came across in a community cookbook. It's rich, buttery and cheesy, plus it's so quick to prepare. —Janice Pogozelski, Cleveland, Ohio
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Hearty Chickpea Potpie

This veggie potpie is so savory and satisfying! The spring veggies, easy prep and impressive presentation make it a perfect addition to Easter or other family dinners. —Deanna McDonald, Grand Rapids, Michigan
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Irish Coffee

This Irish coffee lives up to its reputation as a relaxing after-dinner drink. Creme de menthe adds a colorful touch to the cream. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Pistachio Salad

This fluffy salad is a real treat since it's creamy but not overly sweet. It's easy to mix up, and the flavor gets better the longer it stands. It's perfect for St. Patrick's Day, served in a green bowl. —Pattie Ann Forssberg, Logan, Kansas
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Malted Chocolate & Stout Layer Cake

If you want a dessert that will take the cake at a St. Patrick's Day celebration, look no further! The rich chocolate cake is incredibly moist and has a nice malt flavor that's perfectly complemented by the Irish cream frosting. —Jennifer Wayland, Morris Plains, New Jersey
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No-Fuss Potato Soup

For a busy-day supper, my family loves to have big steaming, delicious bowls of this soup, along with fresh bread from our bread machine. —Dotty Egge, Pelican Rapids, Minnesota
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Rainbow Cookies

I always bake these cookies two weeks ahead. That allows enough time for mellowing, leaving them moist and full of almond flavor. —Mary Ann Lee, Clifton Park, New York
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Skillet Cabbage

I use this dish often when the schedule gets tight and I need a hurry-up vegetable to cook. It adds plenty of substance to a simple meal. —Charmaine Fricke, St. Charles, Illinois
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Citrus Rainbow Carrots

I grow lots of carrots and I’m always experimenting with ways to serve them. The first time I made this citrusy recipe for my husband, he said it tasted like Christmas! Although he calls them my "Christmas carrots," they're tasty anytime; I especially like serving them at Easter, with the array of carrots available in early spring. It's easy to prepare, and can easily be doubled to serve a large group. To save time, I sometimes cut up the carrots several days in advance. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
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Chocolate Guinness Cake

One bite and everyone will propose a toast to this silky-smooth chocolate Guinness cake. The cream cheese frosting reminds me of the foamy head on a perfectly poured pint. —Marjorie Hennig, Seymour, Indiana
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Cabbage Barley Soup

My neighbor had an abundance of cabbage, so a group of us had a contest to see who could come up with the best cabbage dish. My vegetarian soup was the clear winner. —Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
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Rainbow Fruit Salad

When my children were young, I would often dress up fresh fruit in this easy salad. Decades later, my grandchildren and great-grandchildren still love digging in to the fruity layers. The salad goes well with barbecued meats or cold sandwiches. —Jonnie Adams Sisler, Stevensville, Montana
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Favorite Irish Bread

Serve this classic from the Emerald Isle with butter, jam and a hot cup of tea. Baking this beauty in a 9-in. pan means there is enough to go around. —Sadie Rotondo, Rockland, Massachusetts
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Fried Cabbage

When I was young, my family grew our own cabbages. It was fun to put the cabbage to use in the kitchen, just as I did with this comforting side. With potatoes, deviled eggs and cornbread, fried cabbage tastes like home. —Bernice Morris, Marshfield, Missouri
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Homemade Irish Cream

Add some creamy goodness to your cup of joe with a splash or two of this homemade Irish cream. —Marcia Severson, Hallock, Minnesota
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Rainbow Cake with Clouds

Some cakes stand on their own without icing. For this bright Rainbow Cake, use a little whipped cream to make fluffy clouds. —Janet Tigchelaar, Jerseyville, Ontario
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Good Luck Irish Cookies

To top off the meal, Connie bakes these appropriately Irish cookies. "But they taste good anytime," she says. "You can even change the food coloring to fit other holidays." —Connie Lou Blommers, Pella, Iowa
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Over-the-Rainbow Minestrone

This colorful soup is vegetarian-friendly and full of fresh flavors from a rainbow of vegetables. You can use any multicolored pasta in place of the spirals. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado
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Thin Mint Milk Shake

Save a sleeve of Girl Scout cookies for this creamy milkshake that's fun for kids and adults, too. —Shauna Sever, San Francisco, California
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Potato Pan Rolls

My family loves these rolls and requests them often. They don't take long to make because you use quick-rise yeast. —Connie Storckman, Evanston, Wyoming
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Fennel Carrot Soup

This soup is perfect as a first course for a special-occasion dinner. It gets its delicious flavor from toasted fennel seeds—a pleasant complement to the carrots, apple and sweet potato. —Marlene Bursey, Waverly, Nova Scotia
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Shamrock Cutout Pound Cake

My son Gabriel loves surprises inside cakes, like seeing a shamrock when this cake is sliced. Everyone wants to know how it’s done. — Angela Lively, Spring, Texas
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Mashed Potatoes with Horseradish

Instead of the ever-popular garlic mashed potatoes, this unusual recipe calls for prepared horseradish. The zippy side dish would be fantastic with roast beef. —Cynthia Gobeli, Norton, Ohio
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Rainbow Quiche

With plenty of veggies and a creamy egg-cheese filling, this tasty quiche gets rave reviews every time I make it! —Lilith Fury, Adena, Ohio
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Rainbow Spritzer

Layers of colorful fruit submerged in a fizzy, sweet beverage make this a kid-friendly sipper that gets two thumbs-up. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Skillet Stout Brownies

These stout brownies are so rich and fudgy. I love how quickly they come together. They're perfect for a busy weeknight. —Mandy Naglich, New York, New York
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Buttery Whiskey-Glazed Pearl Onions

I always have pearl onions on hand to add to stews and vegetable dishes—they're great pickled too. Every Thanksgiving, I make this glazed onion dish. It can easily be made ahead and reheated. —Ann Sheehy, Lawrence, Massachusetts