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No one wants to spend more time than necessary in the kitchen, especially on a holiday. So why not fire up the slow cooker this St. Patrick’s Day so you can just set it, forget it, and spend time with the family? Because the slow cooker is designed to cook food low and slow, it’s the perfect appliance for cooking tough cuts of meat, but there are so many other recipes you can make with it, too.
Maria Higgins is a nutrition coach and mom of two who uses her slow cooker regularly to help her meal plan and save time and money. “Since I do weekly bulk cooking, I know what I have on hand in the pantry or freezer. Building my grocery list each week takes 5-10 minutes,” Higgins wrote on her blog. “I always start with the recipes I’ve picked and move to other staples or snacks to fill in the week.”
Check out these St. Patrick’s Day recipes just for the slow cooker!
Start your day with slow cooker cooking for St. Patrick's Day
Whether you start your slow cooker breakfast recipes the night before, or wake up a little early to prep slow cooker ingredients for a St. Patrick’s Day brunch, you’ll appreciate the time-saving aspect of this handy kitchen appliance.
- Nutritionally speaking, Irish steel-cut oatmeal or Irish oatmeal provides more fiber than traditional oatmeal. Get a healthful headstart to your day with an overnight slow cooker steel cut oatmeal recipe before heading out for that St. Patrick’s Day parade.
- Make time for a complete Irish breakfast in slow cooker form with Irish Dublin Coddle. The lore behind the Dublin Coddle is that it was a dish that wives prepared and kept warm on the stove for their husbands. “Not just for St. Patrick’s Day, you can serve this recipe year-round for breakfast, lunch, or dinner,” cookbook author and slow cooking expert Shannon Epstein wrote on her blog, Fit Slow Cooker Queen.
St. Patrick's Day family-friendly recipes
Overall, St. Patrick’s Day meals include hearty ingredients that are just basic enough to please the pickiest of eaters, but still flavorful and fun for more adventurous palates. These family-friendly meals come together easily in your slow cooker and stay warm to accommodate a steady stream of guests.
- It doesn’t get more traditional than an Irish Stew recipe for St. Patrick’s Day, and this one made in the slow cooker ensures the meat is tender and delicious when it’s time to serve.
- If you have always wanted to try your hand at corned beef and cabbage, this slow cooker version might be your best bet.
- Shepherds Pie is yet another traditional Irish recipe that can be made in the slow cooker. This recipe from The Magical Slow Cooker calls for ground beef, but you could easily substitute ground chicken, turkey or even meatless crumbles.
- If you prefer a plant-based option, this Vegan Irish Stew incorporates the richness and comfort of the traditional stew without the meat. “This vegan Irish Stew recipe does require a lot of vegetable chopping, but after that, it comes together easily,” wrote vegan lifestyle health coach Dianne Wenz. “You just need to throw everything in the pot and let it simmer until the vegetables are tender. Then serve and enjoy!”
- Another slow cooker recipe for plant-based diets is this Cruciferous Colcannon that combines cabbage, kale, cauliflower and broccoli for a gluten-free and vegetarian or vegan option.
- This All Day Brisket with Potatoes is comforting, warming, and all of the things, a perfect slow cooker family meal for a St. Patrick’s Day family dinner.
- Of course, you’re going to need bread for dipping if stew is on the menu, and this Slow Cooker Irish Soda Bread should definitely do the trick.
Slow cooker recipes for dessert
Finish off your meal with a slow cooker dessert recipe you can whip up in advance or leave your kids on dessert duty, while you tend to the adult beverages.
- Your kids will love helping in the kitchen when this St. Patrick’s Day Crockpot Candy is on the menu. It’s just a matter of dropping in the ingredients and mixing until combined!
- Another fun recipe for the kids to try on their own is this St. Paddy’s Day Fudge. While you don’t need a slow cooker to make it, it’s a great activity to help pass the time while they’re waiting for dinner.
- Everyone’s favorite cereal turned snack is center stage with these Crock-pot St. Paddy’s Mint Muddy Buddies</a>; again another easy one that gets the kids helping in the kitchen.
- And of course, we can’t forget a St. Patrick’s Day recipe just for the adults! Finish off the evening with a Slow Cooker Bailey’s Irish Cream Hot Chocolate — it’s the perfect end to a chilly winter night, or leave out the Bailey’s for a family-friendly after-dinner treat!
