15 Vegan Traditional Irish Recipes - Six Hungry Feet (2024)

FAQs

What is the national dish of Ireland? ›

Irish Stew is a thick, hearty dish of mutton, potatoes, and onions and undisputedly the national dish of Ireland. Within the dish are many of the ingredients synonymous with the island, potatoes being one of the most recognized.

Cabbage is a staple ingredient in Irish cuisine, just like potatoes. It was often readily available for the average household. The most common preparation is served with boiled bacon.

From lamb in spring to fish in summer, stews and soups in winter and, of course, potatoes at almost any time of the year, Irish food involves simple, hearty, family cooking that follows the seasons.

Over the last three centuries, Guinness has become a legendary part of Irish culture, celebrated as Ireland's national drink. And with over 8,000 years still left on the original St. James Gate brewery lease, there's still a lot more of 'the black stuff' to make and enjoy.

One of the most popular and iconic Irish foods is undoubtedly the traditional Irish stew. This hearty dish typically consists of tender chunks of meat (such as lamb or beef), potatoes, onions, carrots, and sometimes other vegetables like celery or parsnips.

A traditional full Irish breakfast comprises bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, beans, soda bread or toast, tomatoes, mushrooms, and white or black pudding. For those wondering, black pudding coagulates the pig's blood into a sausage form. The white pudding is simply a pork sausage, usually flat.

Irish Stew has been a national dish of Ireland for nearly two hundred years, and is a hearty meal appreciated for its ability to satisfying hunger. Potatoes are also added to all types of soups made with seafood or meats, including salmon, scallops, lobster, oysters, beef, lamb or pork.

You may be surprised to hear that the carrot has been victorious in claiming the title of Ireland's favourite vegetable, even though you thought it might have been the potato!

Grains, either as bread or porridge, were the other mainstay of the pre-potato Irish diet, and the most common was the humble oat, usually made into oatcakes and griddled (ovens hadn't really taken off yet).

What kind of potatoes did the Irish eat? ›

The varieties of potatoes eaten ranged over the centuries from the Irish Apple, Cup, Lumper, Rock, Champion, Kerr's Pink, to the Rooster which today holds the dominant market position. Potatoes were eaten at all levels of society, but in different guises.

Representative dishes include Irish stew, bacon and cabbage, boxty, brown bread (as it is referred to in the South) or soda bread (predominantly used in Ulster), coddle, and colcannon.

Lunch often consists of a bowl of hot soup alongside freshly baked soda bread, but a heartier lunch menu can be found at the local pubs, where typical Irish plates are served around the clock.

And, in short, as for dispelling these Irish stereotypes, to say that all the Irish love potatoes wouldn't be fair or accurate. The truth is, simply, that they rely on them for sustenance throughout the year — especially the country dwelling population of Ireland.

Irish Stew has been a national dish of Ireland for nearly two hundred years, and is a hearty meal appreciated for its ability to satisfying hunger. Potatoes are also added to all types of soups made with seafood or meats, including salmon, scallops, lobster, oysters, beef, lamb or pork.

Representative Irish dishes include Irish stew, bacon and cabbage, boxty, coddle, and colcannon.