We have to admit it: St. Patrick's Day is one of the most fun holidays to celebrate with friends and family. When else can someone pinch someone else for not wearing green, make fun crafts, nosh on bright green-colored food, or even get awesome green-inspired nail art? Although these so-called "traditions" aren't exactly authentic to the Irish culture or the patron saint of Ireland that the holiday is named after, it's difficult to deny the overwhelming joyful and festive spirit that comes with March 17.
On that note, not everyone who plans to celebrate St. Patrick's Day wants to limit their Irish-inspired eating to potatoes, cabbage and shepherd's pie. For the folks who are throwing a green-themed party on March 17 and want some on-theme food to go with it, look no further! Although not the most genuine and authentic Irish food, these 17 green food ideas are bound to take anyone's St. Patrick's Day celebration up a notch. Why just wear green when we can eat it too?
Avocado Fries
Who doesn't love both avocados and fries? Combine them into one recipe and bam! It's a St. Patrick's Day grub winner. This avocado fries recipe from Gimme Delicious takes just 25 minutes. As an added bonus, because the fries are baked in the oven, this recipe is much easier and healthier!
Lucky Leprechaun Treats
Lucky Leprechaun Treats are what we imagine are leprechauns' preferred dessert. With this recipe from Julie's Eats and Treats, food coloring, marshmallows, and Lucky Charms cereal transform into a sticky and sweet dessert that is so easy, even the kiddos can help out!
Avocado Mac and Cheese
Avocado's natural creaminess and greenness come out in this stovetop avocado Mac and cheese recipe by Two Peas & Their Pod. A large pot of this yummy bowl of comfort is bound to make everyone happy.
Green Goddess Dip
Want something green but also on the healthier side? Look no further than this green goddess dip recipe by Feed Me Phoebe*.* Fresh herbs, avocado, and either mayo or Greek yogurt are quickly blended together for a creamy but fresh dip that's perfect for raw carrots or celery.
Copycat Shamrock Shake
The creamy, Green Shamrock Shake McDonald's serves is iconic, right? How about we just skip the drive-thru and make our own? This recipe from Dinner Then Dessert is easy and ends with a decadent and minty treat! It recommends mint extract but peppermint extract will do just fine.
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Spinach artichoke dip is a classic party go-to recipe! Loaded with spinach, garlic and marinated artichokes, this recipe by Spend With Pennies nearly perfects it.
Matcha Green Tea Cheesecake
Looking for a recipe that's on the more unusual side? Forget mint. Let's talk about matcha, or powdered Japanese green tea. This matcha green tea cheesecake recipe from Inside BruCrew Life uses Oreo cookies, matcha powder and matcha-covered Pocky sticks.
Andes Mint Cake
What goes better together than mint and chocolate? Oh right, nothing. This yummy cake recipe by Your Cup of Cake is really mind-blowing thanks to chocolate ganache and Andes Mint toppings.
Zucchini Fritters
These low-carb zucchini fritters have just the slightest touch of green to them, but we felt that they deserved to be on the list because they're relatively low-calorie and still yummy. This recipe by D-mn Delicious yields four servings and takes about 25 minutes and 1.5 pounds of zucchini.
Pesto Pasta
A large pot of fresh pesto pasta is sure to please any crowd — big or small. This easy pesto recipe from Joy Food Sunshine is one of our faves. Use the pesto with any type of noodles, throw in grape tomatoes or shredded chicken, and voilá!
Green Popcorn
Think of green popcorn as a more festive caramel corn. Food coloring mixed with brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter transform regular popcorn into a sweet and crunchy snack. Check out this simple recipe from The Spruce Eats.
Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
Mint chocolate cupcakes are a classic dessert for a St. Patrick's Day celebration. They're sure to please adults and children alike. This recipe by Handle the Heat was inspired by Girl Scout Cookie Thin Mints.
Pistachio Ice Cream
One may argue that March 17 is probably too cold to be whipping up homemade ice cream. This recipe from Table for Two has us begging to differ. Unsalted pistachios are the real star of this recipe, although the chopped dark chocolate is pretty dang good too.
Matcha Green Tea Pancakes
Here's another matcha-inspired recipe for St. Patrick's Day brunch: matcha green tea pancakes. This recipe by Killing Thyme use just two tablespoons of matcha powder and results in deep green pancakes.
Key Lime Pie
Mint is great and all, but let's not forget about the real classic green dessert: key lime pie. Make a refreshingly tarty but still satisfyingly creamy pie with this easy recipe that comes from Mom on Timeout.
Fried Green Tomatoes
A Southern favorite, green tomatoes sliced up and coated in a crispy outer layer are going to be a crowd favorite at the next St. Patrick's Day celebration. Follow this recipe by The Kitchn for perfect fried green tomatoes. The recipe also comes with a delicious dipping sauce that's a take on a French remoulade sauce.
Mint Chocolate Chip Truffles
These easy mint chocolate chip truffles have a creamy mint chocolate chip center just waiting to be bitten into! This recipe from Shugary Sweet is so simple that the kiddos should most definitely be offering a helping hand!
