No matter your nationality or heritage, on March 17th, we’re all Irish! On this lucky day, the whole country breaks out into a celebration of all things green. If you’re skipping the bars and restaurants this year and hosting your own St. Paddy’s Day celebration instead, there’s plenty you can do to transform your house into an Irishman’s paradise – starting with the food. From traditional Irish dishes to fun green-colored snacks, here are a few appetizers that are sure to please any party-goer.
Veggie Pizza
Who doesn’t love pizza? Skip the pizzeria this year (as they’ll probably be swamped with orders) and make your very own veggie filled pizza at home. You can even save the pizza making for the party and let everyone create their own personal pizza with whichever toppings they like most – we suggest, spinach, kale, green olives, broccoli, and green peppers.
Green Pepper Shamrock Dip
This is a great appetizer for people who don’t have much time or practice in the kitchen. All you need to do is cut the top of a green pepper off and scoop out its insides. Then, fill it with either your favorite homemade or pre-made dip and it will look like an adorable shamrock centerpiece for your vegetable platter.
Grilled Beef and Vegetable Skewers
St. Paddy’s Day is the perfect excuse to fire up the grill and kick-off barbecue season! Skewers are a simple, yet tasty appetizer to any meal. Just throw a couple cuts of your favorite beef on the barbecue and add them to a skewer. Jazz them up a bit with a few grilled vegetables – like broccoli, zucchini, and asparagus. Now, your guests will be able to hold their snack in one hand and a drink in the other!
Jalapeno Potato Poppers
Cheese, potatoes, and spicy jalapenos – what more could you ask for in a party snack? Simply cut a few baby potatoes in half (horizontally), sprinkle on some cheddar cheese, and top it all off with thinly sliced jalapenos.
Cucumber Bites
Slice a few cucumbers half an inch thick and top them off with a kale infused hummus. These are a light and healthy snack to have before what we assume will be a day of beer and salty foods.
Toasted Garlic Bread and Pesto
Throw some basil, garlic, pine nuts, grated Parmesan, and a pinch of salt and pepper into a food processor. After you start the motor, slowly add in olive oil until the mixture has emulsified. Spread that over thickly sliced garlic bread and you’ve got an easy-to-eat snack that everyone will love.
Cabbage Rolls
Can you really say you celebrated St. Paddy’s Day if you don’t have even a little bit of cabbage? Cabbage rolls are great for a big crowd because they can be stuffed with virtually anything, from sauce and cheese, to meats and even other steamed vegetables.
A Twist on Irish Soda Bread
Traditionally, Irish soda bread is made from just baking soda, flour, buttermilk, and salt. While that’s delicious by itself, get creative and add a few of your favorite citrus fruit peels to it, like orange, grapefruit, lime, or tangerine.
Grilled Asparagus Wraps
After just a few minutes on the grill, you’ll have perfectly grilled asparagus, ready to be wrapped with your guest’s favorite foods. Wrap a few strips of bacon, cheese, or puff pastry around them and stick them in the oven for a few minutes.
All Things Guacamole
You can’t host a St. Paddy’s Day party (or really any party nowadays) without guacamole. This masterpiece of avocado, tomatoes, onion, and seasoning has become a huge hit over the past year and goes with almost anything. Throw out a few tortilla chips, potato chips, carrots, and celery and you’ll have an instant, easy to make hit.
And after appetizers and dinner, make sure you have dessert ready for everyone! If all that food prep has got you looking for something easy and delicious for dessert, look no further than our St. Patrick’s Day themed, chocolate covered strawberries and fruit baskets that are sure to leave everyone feeling pretty lucky.
