12 St. Patrick's Day Breakfast Ideas for the Top o' the Morning
Start your day on a lucky note!
St. Patrick's Day has a way of turning even an ordinary Tuesday morning into something a little more lively! Maybe there's a parade on the schedule, perhaps a pub crawl later on, or it might just be an excuse to wear green. Whatever the plan, a good breakfast sets the tone! That could mean leaning into classic Irish breakfast ideas like soda bread or hearty brown bread, still warm from the oven and ready for butter and jam. Or it might look more like a full Irish–inspired spread with eggs, bacon, hash browns, and even a spoonful of baked beans on the side.
Of course, St. Patrick's Day breakfast ideas don't have to be strictly traditional Irish foods. There's room for corned beef hash topped with fried eggs, cozy breakfast casseroles that feed a crowd, or a skillet of green eggs and ham that earns its color from real greens. For something sweet, Irish apple cake or zucchini muffins will fit right in. (And yes, Irish coffee is always an option, especially when the morning starts early!)
Whether the goal is a festive brunch table or a quick bite before the day's celebrations begin, these St. Patrick's Day breakfast ideas bring plenty of comfort and maybe even a little luck of the Irish to the first meal of the day.
Green Eggs and Ham
Instead of food coloring, this recipe uses curly kale for its pop of green. The base is a frittata-style mix with eggs, heavy cream, cheddar, parmesan, and chopped herbs, plus slices of ham (or Canadian bacon) tucked in. It's the perfect way to start the day!
Get the Green Eggs and Ham recipe.
Irish Brown Bread
This traditional loaf has a deep, nutty flavor that comes from whole wheat flour, rolled oats, and a pour of stout (hello, Guinness). Molasses and honey add a little sweetness and the loaf bakes up sturdy enough for serious buttering. Toast a slice and serve it with eggs.
Get Ree's Irish Brown Bread recipe.
Irish Coffee
Skip your regular morning brew in lieu of something a wee more special. Irish coffee is great for St. Paddy's Day or any day! Just don't forget a dollop of Baileys whipped cream.
Get Ree's Irish Coffee recipe.
Mashed Potato Pancakes
Leftover mashed potatoes turn into crisp little pancakes with cheddar and a handful of chopped green onions mixed right in. Each patty gets a panko breadcrumb coating, so the edges come out extra crunchy. Put out sour cream and let people go wild with even more green onions!
Get the Mashed Potato Pancakes recipe.
Corned Beef Hash
All the flavors of the creamy meat-and-potatoes mixture from a can, but completely homemade! This makes a perfect Irish breakfast when paired with eggs—and maybe a slice of brown bread.
Get the Corned Beef Hash recipe.
Irish Apple Cake
This cake pulls off the breakfast-dessert thing perfectly! Thinly sliced Granny Smith apples bake into a cinnamon-vanilla batter, then get an oat-studded streusel on top. The recipe includes a vanilla custard sauce for drizzling, which is admittedly indulgent for a morning meal—but it's a holiday!
Get the Irish Apple Cake recipe.
Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats
This is the answer for a holiday weekday morning when do not have time for actual cinnamon rolls. Rolled oats soak in milk plus Greek yogurt with brown sugar, cinnamon, chia seeds, and a spoonful of cashew or almond butter, then get a yogurt-maple topping. For St. Patrick's Day, a sprinkle of chopped pistachios is an easy green wink!
Get the Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats recipe.
Sausage Breakfast Casserole
This one's a crowd-feeder: browned sausage, hash browns, eggs, cheddar, plus bell pepper and onion for a little color and bite. You can make it ahead of time, which is exactly what you want on a holiday morning when everyone's wandering in at different times.
Get the Sausage Breakfast Casserole recipe.
Lucky Charms Bars
These count as breakfast because there's cereal involved! Instead of Rice Krispies, Lucky Charms step in to make these magically delicious bars.
Get Ree's Lucky Charms Bars recipe.
Spinach Quiche
Store-bought pie crust makes this one easy, but the filling tastes like it took all morning: sautéed onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and plenty of spinach. Half-and-half and sour cream make the center extra creamy, while cheddar and parmesan add sharpness. And that pinch of nutmeg is the secret to it all!
Get the Spinach Quiche recipe.
Irish Soda Bread
No yeast, no waiting! All you need is flour, baking soda, cold butter, and tangy buttermilk to stir into a shaggy dough. This loaf is dotted with golden raisins and dried cranberries, so every slice lands somewhere between breakfast and snack. Serve it warm with a thick swipe of Irish butter and thank us later!
Get the Irish Soda Bread recipe.
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
These are cozy and not-too-sweet, with grated zucchini (so they stay super moist), cinnamon and nutmeg, and plenty of chocolate chips. There's sour cream in the batter, which is one of those little details that makes people ask why they're so good. And yes, those little green flecks are perfect for St. Patrick's Day!
Get Ree's Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins recipe.
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