For many people, St. Patrick’s Day is a festive occasion with lots of Irish fare to keep them happy and well-fed. While potatoes might be off the menu for those who want to stay in ketosis, there are plenty of delicious recipes that can make your holiday table feel more festive. It is more than possible to keep your carb count low while still indulging in traditional food from this part of the world.
Here are a few of our favorite Irish and Irish-inspired recipes to jumpstart your meal planning before March 17th rolls around.
Some people like the idea of having a hearty breakfast for dinner and corned beef and hash does not disappoint. The hash has a reasonable 8 grams of net carbs per serving, but it will fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied. With just ten minutes of prep time, you will have lots of free time to decorate your house with a few four-leaf clovers.
While this keto shepherd’s pie takes a little extra time and effort, it’s not only delicious but makes an impressive centerpiece dish for a holiday like St. Patrick’s Day. Shepherd’s pie traditionally contains potatoes, but this version uses grated cauliflower that is combined with whipped egg whites and baked for a beautiful, tasty potato-alternative topping.
The Reuben sandwich may have been invented in the United States, but since Ireland loves its corned beef, we think it’s the perfect tribute to that country. Piled high with corned beef slices, a smattering of cabbage wedges, and a tangy splash of mustard, this recipe gives you a fan-favorite in no time at all. Each serving of this keto Reuben sandwich has 6.4 grams of net carbs and takes just a few minutes to assemble if you already have keto bread on hand.
When you know that you want to go traditional, you can’t go wrong with delicious pork and sauerkraut. This recipe gives you a quick and easy meal with five minutes of prep and ten minutes of cooking and a remarkably low 2 grams of net carbs per serving. All you have to do is cook the pork chops and let a can of premade sauerkraut do the heavy lifting for you!
Getting back late from work on St. Patrick’s Day might make it hard to prep your evening meal, but you can let the slow cooker do the work for you. In the morning, sear the meat for this beef stew and then add it directly into the slow cooker with some broth and onions. It might be a simple meal, but it is big on flavor and has no net carbs (as long as you stick with just meat and a serving of bone broth). This recipe pairs well with these keto dinner rolls to soak up all of those juices!
This keto grilled cabbage with a bright lime dressing is a fun and fresh twist on cabbage for your St. Patrick’s Day dinner. You can have this from ingredients to table in less than ten minutes if you happen to be in a hurry, and it makes a great side dish (try it with hearty slow-cooked beef) or vegetarian main dish. The quick prep involves just blitzing the dressing in a food processor and grilling the cabbage before plating it.
When you want a delicious Irish-themed dessert to go with your St. Patrick’s Day dinner, try these Irish cream pistachio cake squares. At less than 5 grams of net carbs per serving, they are sure to fit into your macros and you can whip up a large batch of this dessert in just ten minutes of prep time. Keep in mind that bake time is 40 minutes; however, since this cake keeps for up to five days, you can prep in advance.
Is there anything more ubiquitous around St. Patrick’s Day than the Shamrock shake on the McDonald’s menu? This homemade keto version of the Shamrock shake is a quick and ultra-easy way to follow up a delicious Irish-inspired dinner. Combine the ingredients in the blender and set it to mix for dessert in a flash.
St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and that means that you need to start planning your menu. The good news is that you can easily keep keto with traditional favorites like a Reuben sandwich or a tried-and-true pork and sauerkraut dish. No matter which recipes you decide to add to the official menu, these crowd-pleasers will give you a headstart on making a memorable holiday meal.