You Lucky Dog! St. Patrick’s Day Recipes for Your Pup

Posted by Erin Ballinger

This St. Patrick’s Day, get your Irish on with Fido! These home-cooked recipes are a real treat for dogs and humans. Start with a delicious potato hash topped with a sunny side egg. For a midday snack for your lucky dog, there are soft Irish oatmeal dog cookies and a hearty Shepherd’s Pie washed down with a green smoothie. For dinner, serve your pup an authentic Irish Colcannon dish prepared with yummy sweet potatoes and healthy greens. Your pooch can be an honorary Irish Setter or Kerry Beagle all St. Patrick’s Day!

Top ‘o the Mornin’ Potato Hash for Pups

Hash in the pan. Photo by BringFido/Erin Ballinger

Start the day with a healthy breakfast hash for the whole family. This recipe is tasty for dog owners and safe for your pup, too.

Ingredients

  • 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 ounces bacon, diced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cups spinach, roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup freshly grated sharp Irish Cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 over-medium or over-easy eggs

Instructions

  1. Place the diced potatoes into a bowl of cold water. Drain and rinse again under cold running water in a colander to remove potato starch.
  2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped bacon and cook, stirring until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon and it place onto a paper towel-lined plate.
  3. Cook potatoes in the skillet over medium-high heat. Brown in an even layer until pieces are browned and crusted on the bottom. Stir and spread in a single layer again in the skillet and brown. Repeat for about 10 minutes, until potatoes are golden brown on all sides.
  4. Stir in the cooked bacon bits. Add in chopped spinach and cook until it is wilted, and then top with grated cheese and cover with a lid for a couple of minutes. Turn off the heat.
  5. While the cheese melts, cook your eggs in another pan.
  6. Serve hash and top with a poached egg and chopped parsley. This recipe yields two hearty servings for Fido to enjoy.

Irish Oatmeal Cookie Dog Treats

“Irish” you had made more! Photo by BringFido/Erin Ballinger

Fido will feel the “luck ‘o the Irish” when you give him these wholesome, healthy treats!

Ingredients

  • 5 1/2 cups steel-cut oats (aka Irish oatmeal)
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
  2. Grind oatmeal in a food processor until it has a coarse texture.
  3. In the bowl of a food processor, add applesauce. Blend for a couple of minutes until a uniform dough is formed.
  4. Spoon dough onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, then flatten into a disc with a fork.
  5. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with cinnamon, and allow to cool before serving. Serve within a few days, or refrigerate up to two weeks. The cookie treats will last for up to six months when frozen.

Dog-Friendly Shepherd’s Pie

So ap-pie-tizing! Photo by BringFido/Erin Ballinger

This recipe is lightened up and made more budget-friendly with lean ground turkey instead of lamb. Humans will just want to add table salt and pepper. Refrigerated leftovers can feed Fido dinner for several meals.

Ingredients

  • 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 2 cups frozen peas
  • 1 can green beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced
  • 2 ribs of celery, diced
  • 1 lb extra lean ground turkey breast
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp table salt
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or beef broth

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
  2. Place potatoes in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain potatoes, transfer to a large bowl and add sour cream; mash until smooth and set aside.
  3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Add flour, thyme, and salt. Stir to coat. Add broth and bring to a simmer; let cook until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.
  4. Add green beans, carrots, celery, and peas; cook until celery is soft, about 3 minutes.
  5. Transfer turkey mixture to a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate. Spread mashed potatoes over top. Bake until potatoes are golden, about 30 minutes. Makes 6-8 meal-sized servings, and can be frozen in individual servings.

Shamrock “Shake Your Tail” Smoothie for Dogs

Green smoothies, not just for leprechauns. Photo by BringFido/Erin Ballinger

Who needs green beer? Toast St. Patrick with your pup with these green smoothies that are healthy and delicious for dogs and their people.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of fresh baby spinach
  • 1 cup of sliced strawberries
  • 1 sliced banana
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 cup of ice

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
  2. Pour into your dog’s bowl and let Fido enjoy!

Irish Colcannon With Sweet Potatoes

This authentic recipe has a dog-friendly twist. Photo by BringFido/Erin Ballinger

Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale. We’ve traded out the Russets for sweet potatoes and greens that are friendlier on dogs’ delicate tummies to make Fido want to “Irish Wolfhound” it all down!

Ingredients

  • -1 tbsp. olive oil
  • -2 cups chopped kale and/or spinach
  • -1½ lbs. sweet potato, roasted, skinned, and chopped
  • -1 tbsp. maple syrup or honey
  • -a dash of ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Stir in the sweet potato, mashing with the back of your spoon. Add kale or spinach and cook until the sweet potatoes are heated and the kale and/or spinach is wilted for approximately 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in maple syrup or honey.
  4. Garnish with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
  5. Let cool before serving to your dog. This dish is also human friendly and makes a delicious side dish addition to your St. Paddy’s Day spread!