20 Fun Green Foods to Make Your St. Patrick's Day Extra Lucky
Why not celebrate with a festive feast?
Wearing a festive green outfit is one of the many St. Patrick’s Day traditions that makes March 17 such a beloved holiday. But if you really want to get in the spirit, why not embrace the Emerald Isle by preparing green foods, too? Whether you’re throwing a St. Patrick's Day party or you’re looking for simple ways to celebrate the holiday at home with your family, filling the table with green-colored cuisine will make the festivities a lot more fun (and tasty!). So, before you start preparing a feast of traditional Irish foods, make sure to add these green food ideas to your menu!
The best way to bring a pop of green to your St. Patrick’s Day spread? Fresh seasonal ingredients like herbs and vegetables! Thankfully, during spring, there are so many green veggies in season—like snap peas, broccoli florets, asparagus spears, and green beans, just to name a few. Whether you roast them in the oven, cook them in a casserole, toss them in a salad, or purée them into soup, they’re guaranteed to make the celebrations look and feel brighter! For something a little heartier, our roundup of green food ideas also features entrées and sides smothered in pesto sauce, such as a tasty pesto pasta dish with shrimp, and green goddess dressing like a creamy green goddess chicken salad dip. Whatever you make, be sure to finish it off with a green drink!
Avocado Crema
Start your St. Patrick’s Day off strong with avocado crema. Aside from the on-theme green hue, this dip tastes light and fluffy, comes together in five minutes, and uses five ingredients. All it needs is tortilla chips!
Get Ree’s Avocado Crema recipe.
Grilled Broccoli
St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect opportunity to get your greens in, and this roasted broccoli recipe proves that veggies don’t have to be boring! Each spear has a garlicky balsamic marinade, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
Get the Grilled Broccoli recipe.
Pesto Chicken
Pesto chicken will be the star of your plate on St. Patrick's Day! Tender chicken breasts are coated in a refreshing basil pesto, grilled until charred, and topped with another drizzle of pesto for good measure. Serve it with a simple green salad for even more green color!
Get Ree's Pesto Chicken recipe.
Avocado Salsa Verde
A mashup of creamy guacamole and zingy salsa, this zippy dip has a vibrant green color that’ll double as décor. If you’re throwing a St. Patrick’s Day party, save yourself a few minutes by opting for store-bought rather than homemade salsa.
Get Ree’s Avocado Salsa Verde recipe.
Green Goddess Salad
So many green ingredients, so little time (to assemble). This salad even has a homemade creamy green dressing to toss in. Bonus: It stays fresh for days!
Get the Green Goddess Salad recipe.
Spring Pea Tart
Frozen puff pastry, frozen peas, and herbed goat cheese come together to make this super simple yet super scrumptious tart! It's guaranteed to be the star of any and all spring events.
Get Ree's Spring Pea Tart recipe.
Pasta with Shrimp and Pistachio Pesto
Make an extra green pesto by using pistachios, parsley, and spinach. It'll add a flavorful punch to your pasta and give it a pretty naturally green glow.
Get Ree's Pasta with Shrimp and Pistachio Pesto recipe.
Sautéed Asparagus
When there is a lot to prepare for a holiday, sometimes you need a simple, no-fuss side. That's where sautéed asparagus comes in. But if you believe it's too simple, think again—garlic, lemon, and cheese delight the taste buds!
Get the Sautéed Asparagus recipe.
Avocado Dip
This dip is a like a creamy cousin to guacamole. It's fresh, and, of course, green! It gets its color and flavor from avocados blended with basil, green onions, garlic, and citrus.
Get the Avocado Dip recipe.
Enchiladas Verde
"Verde" literally means green in Spanish, so it's no wonder these enchiladas are blanketed in a bright green sauce. Making it from scratch is as easy as roasting the tomatillos, onion, and serrano chilis in the oven, then tossing it with the rest of the ingredients into a blender.
Get the Enchiladas Verde recipe.
Garlic Green Beans
If quick and easy is what you're looking for this St. Paddy's Day, this green bean dish comes together in just 15 minutes! They would make the perfect side dish for your corned beef, too.
Get the Garlic Green Beans recipe.
Tabbouleh
If you've never had this Middle Eastern staple, think of this as a love letter to fresh herbs in the form of a salad. Parsley, mint, and green onions add a pop of freshness in every bite.
Get the Tabbouleh recipe.
Pasta with Zucchini Pesto
A big bowl of pasta can easily feed a hungry slew of friends and family! This recipe is chock full of all things green, including green beans, a zucchini pesto sauce, and plenty of tasty herbs.
Get Ree's Pasta with Zucchini Pesto recipe.
Asparagus Quiche
This quiche just screams "springtime!" It's loaded with tender asparagus, green onion, fresh dill, and crumbled feta. The best part is you can make it ahead for an easy meal any time of day.
Get the Asparagus Quiche recipe.
Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas
This side dish comes together at the "snap" of your fingers. They're delightfully crisp, sweet, and 100% green.
Get the Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas recipe.
Green Goddess Chicken Salad Dip
You're going to be called a "goddess" if you serve this dip. The recipe combines two favorite foods—green goddess dressing and chicken salad—to create a festive verdant side.
Cucumber Salad
This no-stress dish allows you to focus on your party prepping! All you have to do is chop the cucumbers and onion, then toss them zippy dressing. Herbaceous dill gives it an extra fresh flavor, perfect for late March.
Get the Cucumber Salad recipe.
Cream of Asparagus Soup
For a big bowl of greens, think soup! It's the perfect lunch idea for a windy St. Paddy's Day.
Get Ree's Cream of Asparagus Soup recipe.
Stuffed Artichokes
Green and gold colors all in one dish! But that's not the only reason why these stuffed artichokes deserve a spot on your table: the lemony, cheesy taste is just delicious.
Get the Stuffed Artichokes recipe.
Collard Greens
Green is in the name! This version of collard greens uses smoked turkey legs as a scrumptious base. Just don't forget to serve them up with some cornbread.
Get the Collard Greens recipe.
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