Our Best Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipes for St. Patrick's Day

By Taylor Combs
Updated February 11, 2020

Corned beef is a St. Patrick's Day tradition. Whether you go the classic route with this salt-cured and seasoned beef brisket served with cabbage, or try something new—you can't go wrong. Here are our favorite ways to make corned beef and cabbage.

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Credit: Bryan Gardner

A heaping plate of corned beef and cabbage has become synonymous with St. Patrick's Day here in the United States, but it isn't as well-known a dish in Ireland. How did this salt-cured beef brisket become the meal to eat on March 17th? And why is it called corned beef? The "corn" part of corned beef refers to the large salt crystals, as large as kernels of corn, used to cure beef according to Smithsonian Magazine.

Although salt-curing has long been a popular way to preserve meat, how corned beef became the dinner to have on St. Patrick's Day is a more complicated story. Historically, beef wasn't a popular meat in Ireland. Cows were used for their milk, not their meat, and people ate far more pork than beef. Corned beef only became an Irish-American staple in the 19th century after immigrants in New York found the meat affordable, accessible, and extremely tasty.

More often than not, corned beef is served atop a bed of fresh cabbage, but you can also use leftovers in a classic Reuben sandwich or chop trimmings into a pan-fried hash. And that cabbage can be a bright green slaw or crispy roasted wedges. We also love to steam fresh vegetables alongside a rich gravy, or even fry up vegetables and corned beef at breakfast time, too.

Serving a classic corned beef and cabbage dinner is easy with set-it-and-forget-it recipes, like our Slow-Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe. Have even less time? A tasty version of dish can be made in as little as 45 minutes using your Instant Pot—the delicious results of this recipe are pictured here.

Whichever way you slice it, you simply can't go wrong with corned beef in your kitchen. Here are our favorite ways to eat corned beef and cabbage.

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Slow-Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

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Set the slow cooker on low and come home to a complete meal of corned beef, cabbage, and veggies. Serve with grainy mustard for a touch of spice.

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Homemade Corned Beef with Vegetables

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The two-week brining process is well worth the effort when it comes to this show-stopping corned beef recipe. It's served with a medley of tender vegetables including turnips, carrots, potatoes, and, of course, cabbage.

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Uncorned Beef and Cabbage

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Don't have the time to brine? No problem. Try this speedy "uncorned" beef brisket that gets its bold flavor from a vinegar-infused spice paste.

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Deli Reuben Sandwich

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Corned beef and sauerkraut sandwiched between rye bread smeared with spicy brown mustard is a more casual—and still super delicious—take on the usual family-style meal.

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Corned Beef and Root Vegetable Hash

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Give the traditional potato hash a boost of color and flavor with cubes of carrots, parsnips, and turnips. Topped with a sunny-side-up egg—and the spiced-and-salty corned beef–this dish satisfies morning, noon, or night.

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Roasted Cabbage Wedges

Credit: John Kernick
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Skip boiled cabbage in favor of this roasted version with crispy browned edges. Caraway or fennel seeds keep the flavor authentic.

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Roasted Mixed Cabbages

Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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Add some festive color to the meal with a mix of red and green cabbage. Cut into hefty wedges, the cabbage gets a crispy charred edge in the oven.

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Cabbage Chips

Credit: Mike Krautter
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Seeking a side of cabbage with more crunch? Try roasting the leaves with a little olive oil and salt in the oven until brown and crispy.

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Creamed Green Cabbage

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If you want your cabbage to be as decadent as your corned beef, this casserole recipe is for you. Lemon zest balances out the richness of the milk, butter, and Pecorino Romano.

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Cabbage and Green Apple Slaw

Credit: Raymond Hom
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A fresh, crunchy slaw is always a good idea. This one pairs cabbage and Granny Smith apples with a tangy spiced yogurt dressing.

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