20 St. Patrick's Day Brunch Ideas
Host a festive St. Patrick's Day brunch with these easy Irish recipes that bring the taste of the Emerald isle to your family table.
I think hosting a St. Patrick's Day brunch is such a fun alternative to the loud and rowdy evening celebrations that are more commonly associated with this holiday. Gather your favorite people earlier in the day and enjoy a table filled with comforting homemade dishes that bring a taste of Ireland home.
When we spent 7 days in Ireland, the classic Irish breakfast was one of the most delicious traditions we got to experience. I made notes of all the best things to eat in Ireland so I could recreate them once we got back home.
You can host a simple St. Patrick's Day breakfast tea with scones or elevate the meal to a full brunch with hearty eggs and potatoes. Don't miss my easy Irish soda bread, a must-have for your menu.
Many of these recipes can be prepped in advance which means a slower start to your morning, too!
Setting the Table for a St. Patrick's Day Brunch
I brought home some Irish crystal and delicate shamrock serving pieces from our trip to Ireland but was downright giddy to find this darling Irish tea set on Facebook marketplace a few months ago.
I use these items all year round but I love to bring them out for St. Patrick's Day in particular.
If you'd like to set your breakfast with shades of green, here are a few fun and budget-friendly items that add just the right amount of flair to your table:
- Shamrock Tea Plates: These darling dishes would be just right for tea.
- Shamrock Mini for Nora Fleming Dishes: I love my Nora Fleming serveware, you can see how I use them here.
- Shamrock Tea Bag Basket: Delicate and dainty, this would be precious on your table all year round.
- Shamrock Table Runner: Or just use plain white dishes and place this adorable shamrock table runner on the table.
Classic Irish Breakfast
You could serve an authentic classic Irish breakfast for your St. Patrick's Day brunch but these dishes are a little harder to prepare in advance.
I'm mentioning them now so you can get a sense of what you might find on a breakfast table in Ireland before we look at how to plan a more relaxing brunch menu for you at home.
Fried egg, ham, fried potatoes, fried tomato, and fresh fruit.
You would need to serve:
- Fried Eggs
- Rashers of Bacon
- Bangers (Irish Sausages)
- Black Pudding
- Fried Tomatoes
- Fried Mushrooms
- Hashbrown Potatoes
- Irish Soda Bread or Irish Brown Bread
- Strong Irish Breakfast Tea
With that in mind, let's look at some delicious but easier options:
Tea for a Tea Party
Grab a tin of Irish breakfast tea and brew a pot of tea for your party. This tea pairs perfectly with both sweet and savory dishes and is a lovely excuse for using the fancy tea pot in your cabinet!
Irish Soda Bread
Irish soda bread is a must-have for any St. Patrick's Day menu. You can make my loaf in the oven or right in your bread machine. Slice it thick and serve it with Irish butter.
Irish Scones
Scones are offered at tea time in Ireland and usually feature dried fruit like currants. You could whip up a quick batch of my easy blueberry scones for a sweet alternative that still partners well with the other Irish dishes.
Mock Clotted Cream
I first tried clotted cream with scones during a rainy day afternoon tea in Limerick. It was so delicious, I wished I could bring it home. Since we can't find it easily here in the US, I developed this easy mock clotted cream as an alternative! Use it like you would butter and simply spread it on the scones or even the Irish soda bread.
Apple Turnovers
Apple pie is a classic Irish dessert that you can easily tweak to fit a brunch menu. Serve a platter of warm air fryer apple turnovers as a sweet surprise. Finish them with a dusting of powdered sugar for a special treat.
Homemade Rye Bread
Irish brown bread is hard to find here in the US but you can make my easy bread machine rye bread which pairs perfectly with savory meats, cheeses, and eggs. I prefer ours with caraway seeds but you can choose to leave them out.
Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
More savory than scones, these easy buttermilk drop biscuits still taste wonderful with tea. Brush them with melted Kerrygold butter for an authentic taste.
Maple Oatmeal Bread
The pastries we tried in Ireland were always simple but oh-so-delicious. This hearty maple oatmeal bread is mde in a bread machine and has just a touch of sweetness. I used McCann's Irish oats as one of the ingredients in honor of the holiday.
Irish Oatmeal
Speaking of oats, the restaurants in both Dublin and Limerick had big vats of Irish oatmeal along with a buffet of toppings for guests to enjoy each morning. You can make this ahead and reheat it in a large pot and let your loved ones choose their own toppings.
Overnight French Toast Casserole
My overnight French toast casserole is made with bourbon but you could easily substitute an Irish whiskey or even Bailey's Irish cream! The sweet and salty pecans would pair well either way.
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Crockpot Spiral Ham
For a stunning roasted meat centerpiece, you can't go wrong with my easy Crockpot spiral ham with brown sugar glaze. Serve it in thick slices with a strong Irish mustard or prep it ahead and use the leftovers in one of my easy brunch dishes below.
Cheesy Egg and Ham Slab Pie
Use diced ham in the hearty filling of this buttery and flaky cheesy egg and ham slab pie. A touch of Irish mustard complements the filling so well.
Crispy Breakfast Potatoes Skillet
Is it really a St. Patrick's Day feast without a bowl of steaming hot potatoes? For brunch, the obvious choices is my crispy breakfast potatoes skillet with herbs.
Easy Eggs Benedict
My easy eggs Benedict was developed to feed a crowd at breakfast. For a St. Patrick's Day variation, I recommend stacking English muffins (which are very similar to Irish crumpets), sliced ham, fresh tomato, and fried eggs. This is similar to a stacked Irish breakfast!
Easy Quiche
My easy quiche recipe lets you mix and match your fillings.
For St. Patrick's Day, I would mix together crumbled bacon, baby spinach, Irish cheddar, and caramelized onions.
Peppered Bacon
Every classic Irish breakfast has a side of bacon. My peppered bacon isn't exactly authentic, but it is absolutely delicious!
Turkey Breakfast Sausage
Irish breakfasts also offer Irish sausages, usually pork with a white pepper seasoning. For a lighter take on this tradition, you could make a batch of my homemade turkey breakfast sausage. It pairs really well with all the dishes mentioned above!
More St. Patrick's Day Recipes
Looking for more St. Patrick's Day ideas? Here are a few of my favorites:
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