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50 St. Patrick's Day Appetizers That Pair Perfectly With A Pint

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pull apart biscuits covered in herbs shaped like a shamrock
PHOTO: MURRAY HALL; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

St. Patrick’s Day can admittedly be a tricky holiday to party plan for. You could go classic with a meal of potatoes and corned beef, dye everything green and call it a day, or do a fusion of both (the real sweet spot). Whatever you go with, we can all agree, you’ve gotta have great food—namely, appetizers. No matter if you’re sitting down to a meal with family or throwing a kegger for friends, you’ve gotta have some solid apps to go around. Lucky you, these festive 50 dips, bites, breads, and more are a great place to start.

The thing about St. Paddy’s Day is that some of the foods we associate with it aren’t even traditionally Irish at all (looking at you, Shamrock Shake), making it tough to figure out what to serve to your guests. We say, don’t overthink it! Stick with a few general ingredients and flavor combos, and have fun with it. Potatoes are an important part of Irish culture, and are always a crowd-pleaser—try serving them in our fried mashed potato balls, our potato croquettes, or our St. Patrick’s Day nachos (if you’ve never had potato nachos before, you’re in for a treat!).

The melting pot flavor and vibe of a Reuben (Irish corned beef + Midwestern sensibility) is one of our favorites this time of year, especially when you push it even further into clever apps. Check out our Reuben egg rolls, our corned beef & cabbage quesadillas, our corned beef tacos, or our Reuben pinwheels for ideas, but feel free to get creative with it (take our word for it; nearly anything is good with Swiss, corned beef, and sauerkraut). Hot tip: these are the perfect way to use up leftover corned beef too.

The color green IS all important for the holiday, but don’t feel like you need to twist yourself all up to make everything unnaturally green. Save the twisting for the garlic knots! Try adding green herbs or veggies like parsley, asparagus, or zucchini into your apps, like we did in our crispy zucchini stacks, our spinach dip rolls, our pull-apart shamrock (basically one BIG garlic knot), or our shamrockuterie board. If all else fails, serve chips and dip—guacamole is already green!

Want more St. Patrick’s Day inspiration? Check out our best St. Patrick's Day drinks, Irish side dishes, and St. Patrick's Day desserts too.

1

Irish Nachos

st patrick's day nachos
LUCY SCHAEFFER PHOTOGRAPHY

Instead of tortilla chips, these nachos use a base of crispy roasted potatoes. The potatoes are then topped with shredded corned beef and all of our favorite nacho toppings. They're perfect for celebrating St. Patrick's Day!

Get the Irish Nachos recipe.

2

Pull-Apart Shamrock

pull apart biscuits covered in herbs shaped like a shamrock
PHOTO: MURRAY HALL; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

We're all about making our own luck, and what better way to do that this St. Patrick's Day than with your own (delicious) shamrock? This pull-apart appetizer uses pizza dough and mozzarella sticks to create a shamrock-shaped appetizer that will get any party started (alongside plenty of green beer, of course).

Get the Pull-Apart Shamrock recipe.

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3
swirled corned beef and pastry pinwheels with russian dressing
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

If you think Reuben sandwiches are great, then these crispy Reuben pinwheels are the easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer you’ve been searching for. Made with store-bought buttery puff pastry and layered with corned beef, gooey Swiss cheese, creamy thousand island dressing, and crunchy sauerkraut, these bites have everything you love about the classic sandwich in a party-ready shape.

Get the Reuben Pinwheels recipe.

4

Shamrockuterie Board

decked out board is loaded with corned beef, irish cheddar, kettle cooked potato chips, hard pretzels, rainbow bagel chips, and fresh veggies then surrounded by baby gherkin pickles, grainy mustard, sauerkraut, and dip stuffed bell peppers
PHOTO: LINDA PUGLIESE; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Some holidays are all about an elaborate feast, but others are more about lining your tummy for a legendary bar crawl. St. Patrick's Day is the latter, and whether you're hosting the green beer pregame or the main event, this shamrockuterie board is the perfect snack to keep the party going all weekend long.

Get the Shamrockuterie Board recipe.

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5

Beer Cheese

beer cheese in a black pot topped with chives surrounded by soft pretzels
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Warm, creamy dips are required at any party, but if you really want to start your St. Patty's Day festivities, put out a pot of beer cheese. Spiked with lager and Dijon mustard, this smooth and glossy cheese dip will be devoured by party-goers everywhere.

Get the Beer Cheese recipe.

6

Spring Pea & Feta Dip

sweet spring peas are blanched until tender yet vibrant green, then blended with tangy feta cheese, basil, mint, and lemon for a luscious dip that's both creamy and savory
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLIST: BROOKE CAISON

In this party dip, sweet spring peas are blanched until tender yet vibrant green, then blended with tangy feta cheese, creating a luscious base that's both creamy and savory. A splash of lemon juice and a handful of fresh basil and mint add a refreshing zing, cutting through the richness of the cheese.

Get the Spring Pea & Feta Dip recipe.

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7

Corned Beef & Cabbage Sliders

a tray of sliders made with hawaiian rolls, corned beef, sauerkraut, and swiss cheese
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

One of the most classic pairings for corned beef is, of course, cabbage, so in honor of this iconic St. Patrick’s day duo, these corned beef sliders pack all of those festive flavors into a bite-size package. They're easy to prepare and perfect for sharing.

Get the Corned Beef & Cabbage Sliders recipe.

8

Fried Mashed Potato Balls

fried balls filled with leftover mashed potatoes
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

This recipe turns leftover mashed potatoes into magical, fried bites of savory deliciousness. Ready in 25 minutes, these delish creations are a perfect last-minute appetizer when you want something a bit different than your average mashed potatoes, or simply need a fun take on classic comfort food.

Get Fried Mashed Potato Balls recipe.

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9

Reuben Egg Rolls

dish, food, cuisine, lumpia, ingredient, spring roll, fried food, egg roll, appetizer, produce,
ETHAN CALABRESE

Honestly, you can put anything in an egg roll, and it'll be delicious—this Reuben-inspired version is no exception!

Get the Reuben Egg Rolls recipe.

10

Leprechaun Bait

leprechaun bait
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: FRANCESCA ZANI

We went with Lucky Charms and green M&M's for added St. Paddy's Day flair, but like any party mix, this is completely customizable! Feel free to get creative with this mix, but whatever you do, don't forget the green. 😉

Get the Leprechaun Bait recipe.

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11

Corned Beef & Cabbage Cheese Quesadillas

corned beef and cabbage quesadilla
PHOTO: KATE JORDAN; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Enjoy the St. Paddy's fave meal anytime with this handheld snack version. These quesadillas feature Swiss cheese, corned beef, and cabbage wrapped up in flour tortillas. Sauerkraut and stone-ground mustard are also taking center stage in a creamy dipping sauce to serve alongside the quesadillas. Taste buds, get ready!

Get the Corned Beef & Cabbage Cheese Quesadillas recipe.

12

Spinach Puffs

spinach puffs

If you love baked spinach dip, you will love these baked puff pastry puffs. They're filled with a mixture of sautéed onion, garlic, spinach, and cream cheese and baked inside little puff pastry cups in a muffin tin. Consider these your "wearing green"; we bet you can't eat just one!

Get the Spinach Puffs recipe.

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13

Crispy Parmesan Broccoli Stem Fries

crispy parmesan broccoli stem fries on a plate
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

Broccoli at dinner? Don’t throw those stems away. Rolled in a spiced Parmesan panko and air fried to crispy perfection, these broccoli stem fries are a delicious way to transform your kitchen scraps. Skip throwing them in the compost—make fries instead!

Get the Crispy Parmesan Broccoli Stem Fries recipe.

14

Pimento Cheese-Stuffed Mini Peppers

mini red and yellow peppers stuffed with pimento cheese and baked
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

These are a really good vegetarian alternative to a jalapeño popper, so everyone can enjoy them at your game day or party spread. Mini peppers are sweet, so you don’t have to worry about the random super-hot jalapeño popping up.

Get the Pimento Cheese-Stuffed Mini Peppers recipe.

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15

Bacon-Spinach Dip

bacon spinach dip
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

One of our favorite ways to upgrade classic spinach & artichoke is to add everyone's favorite ingredient: bacon! It bulks up the app, and gives an added smoky, savory flavor that truly takes it to another level.

Get the Bacon-Spinach Dip recipe.

16

Pesto Zucchini Roses

pesto zucchini roses on a white platter
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Mozzarella and pesto join long strips of zucchini inside coils of crisp buttery puff pastry for a springy green twist on our popular pizza roses that’s as easy to make as it is impressive to look at.

Get the Pesto Zucchini Roses recipe.

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17

Dill Pickle Popcorn

popcorn with dill pickle seasoning
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Whether you're a pickle fan or are just looking for a new way to enjoy the classic salty snack, this pickle-inspired popcorn is the answer. Wondering about the citric acid? This is what will deliver that tangy bite we're looking for when it comes to pickle flavor—don't skip it if possible.

Get the Dill Pickle Popcorn recipe.

18

Potato Gratin Stacks

sliced potato stacks with melted cheese and bacon
PHOTO: DOAA ELKADY; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Potatoes au gratin are one of the most satisfying sides, so we decided to turn it into a crowd-pleasing bite-sized app too. No casserole dish needed here—a muffin tin, Russet potatoes, two types of cheese, heavy cream, and staple seasonings are all you need to create these cheesy stacks.

Get the Potato Gratin Stacks recipe.

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19

Loaded Potato Skins

potato skins topped with bacon, chives, and sour cream dollops
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

We expect nothing less than fully loaded from our potato skins. What does "fully loaded" mean to us? If it's topped with cheddar, sour cream, bacon, and scallions (or chives), it's loaded. Examples include (but are CERTAINLY not limited to): loaded mashed potatoes, loaded pickle chips, and loaded zucchini skins.

Get the Loaded Potato Skins recipe.

20

Pigs In A Quilt

pigs in a blanket quilted with crescent dough and topped with flaky salt
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

We're sure you’ve heard of pigs in a blanket, but have you heard of pigs in a quilt? All you need is some hot dogs, classic crescent dough, and egg wash for a shiny golden finish.

Get the Pigs In A Quilt recipe.

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