You don't have to be Irish to enjoy St. Patrick's Day breakfast recipes! This collection of festive, hearty ideas is a perfect way to kick off your celebration.

28 Hearty St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast Recipes

Corned Beef Hash and Eggs
This hearty skillet hash starts with frozen cubed potatoes, which make prep a breeze. The eggs are cracked into a skillet and baked to your desired level of doneness. For jammy or slightly runny yolks, bake the eggs until the egg whites are set but still a little jiggly, as the eggs will continue to cook after coming out of the oven.
Get a jump on this hash by learning how to make baked corned beef.
Irish Soda Bread
Irish soda bread is one of our favorite quick bread recipes. No yeast or rising is involved, so the bread has a similar texture to scones or soft biscuits. There are many versions of soda bread, but this recipe stays simple and classic with just a handful of raisins to flavor the buttery bread. You can enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even dessert.
Irish Coffee
I didn’t fully appreciate Irish coffee until I enjoyed a properly made one at an Irish bar in Manhattan on a frigid day. Now I know to make it with a smooth whiskey and a good-quality, strongly brewed coffee. The real key is to beat the heavy cream and create the right texture until the cream is thick enough to hold its form on the top of the coffee.
Bubble and Squeak
“Bubble and squeak” may not be as descriptive as “crispy mashed potato and cabbage patties” (which is what they are), but the charm and fun of the name can’t be beaten. This recipe is a great way to use leftovers, so feel free to add bits of leftover meat, herbs or a sprinkle of cheddar cheese (preferably Irish, of course).
Hearty Slow-Cooker Breakfast Hash
The slow cooker turns this hash into a mostly hands-off recipe. In addition to potatoes, this version also includes savory breakfast sausage and carrots for color and sweetness. Don’t skip the end sprinkle of fresh dill, which brightens the taste and adds a festive pop of color.
St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of Irish culture through drinks, food and a whole lot of partying. Try this St. Patrick’s Day party food. The snacks, treats and—yes—drinks will keep the good luck flowing.
Reuben Brunch Bake
Corned beef is a St. Patrick’s Day staple, but you don’t have to wait until dinner to enjoy it. This baked egg casserole includes the classic flavors of a Reuben sandwich: corned beef, sauerkraut and rye bread.
Scones
Enjoying a freshly baked scone and a hot pot of perfectly steeped tea is part of afternoon tea in Ireland—a tradition I brought to my home in New Jersey after living in Dublin. Of course, scones taste delightful for breakfast too. To keep them tender, don’t overwork the cold butter and stop cutting it into the flour when the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
Mushroom Asparagus Quiche
This easy quiche leans into St. Patrick’s Day with its bright green filling, which is made with plenty of sauteed asparagus. The crust starts with refrigerated crescent dough, so you don’t have to worry about learning to make pie crust (unless you really want to).
From breakfast to dinner and drinks to dessert, get in the spirit with some green food for St. Patrick’s Day.
Reuben Bread Pudding
If you are familiar with only sweet bread pudding recipes, try a savory option like this Reuben sandwich-inspired one studded with corned beef. After assembling the casserole, you can bake it right away or let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes while preheating the oven so the bread pieces soak up the liquid.
Farmer’s Breakfast
This one-skillet breakfast is packed with tender potatoes, fluffy eggs, crispy bacon and melted cheddar. To give it more of a St. Patrick’s Day feel, use Irish cheddar and sprinkle the top with sliced green onions or chopped parsley.
Favorite Irish Bread
If you are intimidated by making homemade bread, this is a great starter recipe. It bakes in a square pan and doesn’t require shaping or kneading. The bread is flavored with raisins and caraway seeds, a classic combination in Irish soda bread, but you could swap in other dried fruit like golden raisins, currants or cranberries.
Poached Eggs with Tarragon Asparagus
This recipe creates an elegant breakfast by pairing bright green asparagus with perfectly poached eggs. Tarragon’s delicate, grassy and slightly anise-forward flavor always reminds me of springtime and pairs beautifully with asparagus.
Ham Steak
If you’re used to making bacon or sausage for breakfast, you might find that ham steak is a satisfying alternative. Butter and brown sugar glaze the ham and balance the salty meat, giving it a flavor that pairs well with everything from a plate of eggs to pancakes.
Eggs Florentine Casserole
This baked egg dish is made with verdant spinach, browned sausage and two types of cheese, creating a creamy casserole perfect for a crowd. To round out the meal, serve it with sliced Irish soda bread or toasted English muffins slathered with plenty of luscious Kerrygold butter.
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
This casserole uses Tater Tots as its base to create a potato-lovers breakfast. Try swapping in corned beef for the Canadian bacon to make it even more St. Patrick’s Day-appropriate.
Broccoli-Ham Puff Pancake
This large-format savory pancake is filled with a creamy combination of broccoli and ham. To get the best rise and tallest sides on your pancake, heat the skillet thoroughly before adding the batter.
Asparagus, Bacon & Shallot Tart
This tart is baked in a low-sided pan with removable sides, giving it a lower profile than a pie or quiche. But rest assured that this recipe is still packed with plenty of tasty goodness! Think bacon, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, onion, shallot and cheese all bound together with creamy eggs.
Green Smoothie
This bright green smoothie is the perfect way to start St. Patrick’s Day with a hydrating boost. Almond milk is the creamy base of the drink, but any nondairy milk will work.
Green Shakshuka
Traditionally, shakshuka is a skillet of spiced tomato sauce and poached eggs, but this version trades tomatoes for a mixture of wilted greens, Brussels sprouts and parsley. Cover the skillet tightly after adding the eggs so the steam fully cooks the egg whites.
Blueberry Scones
This recipe adds a juicy burst of fruit to a classic scone. You can make it with frozen blueberries, but be aware that frozen fruit can stain the batter purple.
Ham and Broccoli Quiche
This creamy quiche is loaded with ham, broccoli and two cheeses, one of which could be replaced with Irish cheddar in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Since the pie crust needs to be blind-baked and cooled before it’s filled, I recommend preparing the crust the night before to get a head start on breakfast.
Irish Cream
Homemade Irish cream is super easy to make, and our version can even be enjoyed without alcohol. The unique flavor comes from a blend of chocolate, coffee, vanilla and almond extract, but feel free to adjust the ratios to taste.
Veggie-Packed Strata
Made with bread cubes, eggs, cream cheese and tons of sauteed vegetables, this strata is hearty and filling. It bakes in a springform pan, which can leak if the two parts don’t lock together snugly. Wrapping the bottom and sides with foil will contain any minor seepage.
Feta Asparagus Frittata
Asparagus studs the filling of this attractive green frittata. The frittata mixture cooks first on the stovetop, so watch the heat under the skillet to prevent the bottom from browning too much, which can turn the eggs into a tough crust.
Corned Beef Hash
Classic corned beef and cabbage celebrates the tender, soft texture of the long-simmered meat. However, corned beef hash is just the opposite! It’s full of browned nuggets of meat with satisfyingly crunchy edges. Don’t skimp on the butter and oil or the cooking time when crisping the potatoes and meat.
Spinach Quiche
This quiche’s rich, creamy consistency comes from the combination of heavy cream, shredded Gruyere and eggs—plus spinach gives it a green finish. To keep the pastry crust crisp and the quiche from becoming watery, use wilted fresh baby spinach instead of frozen.
Vegetable, Steak and Eggs
Steak and eggs are a hearty breakfast. This version bulks it up even more with a mixture of lightly sauteed vegetables. The recipe calls for grilling the steak. If that’s not an option, try cooking it on the stovetop, as in this cast-iron steak recipe.
Slow-Cooker Oatmeal
There are several different types of oats, but we recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats for this recipe. They have more texture than quick-cooking oats but don’t have to cook as long as steel-cut oats.
St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast FAQ
What’s a traditional St. Patrick’s Day breakfast?
A loaded Irish breakfast plate has several types of meat, like rashers (similar to American bacon), bangers (breakfast sausage links), and black and/or white pudding (which are also sausages). An Irish breakfast also contains eggs, potatoes, baked beans, sauteed mushrooms, toast, butter and a halved tomato. That’s a lot, so don’t feel as if you have to include one of everything on your plate. However, it should feel abundant and varied.
Ireland has a rich cultural history with classic Irish recipes that celebrate the country’s bounty, and breakfast is no exception. Although it’s not an everyday thing, a full Irish breakfast is a hearty and festive way to celebrate a holiday like St. Patrick’s Day.
What can you serve with breakfast on St. Patrick’s Day?
To lean into the green theme, pair hearty St. Patrick’s breakfast recipes with a fruit salad recipe made with a mix of green fruits like kiwi, green grapes and Granny Smith apples. Of course, you can also use all the colors of the rainbow, like blackberries, blueberries, red pomegranate seeds, torn mint leaves and citrus. If serving bread, bagels or toast, try making a flavored butter studded with green herbs or Irish cheese.
To wash it all down, have some Irish cream or whiskey on hand to stir into your coffee. (Psst: Costco’s Irish cream is our new favorite.) You could also celebrate with green or gold sprinkles atop a mug of hot chocolate.
How can I make green pancakes for St. Patrick’s Day?
You can use most types of food coloring to turn pancakes green. Gel paste is more concentrated than liquid or natural food coloring, so you need only a small amount to create a vibrant color. If using the another type, add a few drops at a time until you reach the desired color. Whisk or blend the coloring of your choice into the liquid in the recipe before stirring it into the flour. Then it will dissolve and evenly blend into the batter without overworking it.
For a natural food-based dye, try whisking matcha or blended cooked spinach into the batter. Just be aware that these additions will change the flavor slightly.