Guinness Isn't Just for Drinking! Try It in These Recipes for St. Patrick's Day

Guinness is more than just a well-known Irish stout to order at a bar. It's also a great ingredient to use in cooking. Though it's often used in small amounts, Guinness imparts a rich, roasted maltiness that penetrates food and brings flavors to the next level. It's a favorite ingredient in elevated takes on some Irish dishes, like stew and potpie. The creamy texture and coffee notes of the stout also make it a great ingredient in chocolate-based desserts. Here, just in time for St. Patrick's Day, we're sharing our favorite recipes that use Guinness.

Irish Beef and Stout Stew

Rich, hearty, and a freezer-friendly dish, our Irish Beef and Stout Stew is the perfect way to warm up on a cold day. There's beef chuck, potatoes, onions, a touch of tomato paste, and a generous glug of any Irish stout (but we recommend Guinness). The stew cooks slowly for about three hours, allowing time for the ingredients to truly meld. Don't forget to stir in baby peas before serving—they add a welcome pop of sweetness.

Guinness Pie

A flaky, buttery crust made with the addition of Irish cheddar is the perfect vessel for the hearty beef chuck and vegetable filling that's ladled into this superbly savory Guinness Pie. Including prep time and cook time, the dish is nearly a six-hour project, but most of that is hands off time and the resulting flavor is well worth the effort. We recommend breaking up the work by making the crust and Guinness stew a day ahead, then assembling and baking the dish prior to serving.

Braised Short Rib, Stout, and Potato Potpies

Different than your typical potpie, these Braised Short Rib, Stout, and Potato Potpies call for thinly sliced potatoes in place of a usual crust; the recipe also makes individual pies rather than one large one. For the filling, short ribs are dredged in flour and browned in a Dutch oven then simmered for a couple hours ​​with onion, garlic, stout, and rosemary.

Chocolate-Stout Cupcakes

Finish off your St. Patrick's Day meal with this lucky dessert. The deep cacao flavor of these Chocolate-Stout Cupcakes is accentuated by the Guinness in the batter. The sweet treats are completed with a swipe of homemade cream cheese frosting and each is adorned with four gold chocolate hearts arranged in the shape of a shamrock.

Stout-Braised Lamb

A host's dream is a dish that tastes even better when it's prepared ahead of time, as is the case for this Stout-Braised Lamb. It's a quintessential St. Patrick's Day meal, and we recommend making it at least one day and up to three days before your celebration. Boneless lamb shoulder is seared, then braised with garlic, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, stout, and chicken broth for the ultimate fork-tender dinner.