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Vegan St. Patrick’s Day

Are you planning a vegan St. Patrick’s Day celebration? You’ve come to the right place.

I can help you with that.

Published: March 2015
Last Update: February 2023

Reading Time: 9 minutes

Celebrate vegan-style

There are a few things you can expect in this guide. First, I'll show you how to create green food dye because everything is green for this holiday.

Next up, recipes galore! Whatever type of vegan St. Patrick’s Day recipes you’re looking for, they’re here. Savory or sweet, this guide has them. Then, we’ll discuss what alcohols are vegan-friendly. I’ve even thrown in a few cocktail and mocktail recipes for you to try.

It’s everything you’ll need to celebrate the greenest day of the year.

 
A jar of green food coloring sitting on an outstretched palm.

Homemade green food dye / Source

1. Homemade food coloring

Because artificial colors are everywhere.

Green, green everywhere

Green is the official color for St. Patrick’s Day.

Stores pack their shelves with green hats, glasses, beads, cups, and t-shirts. Bars serve up mugs of green beer and other green-hued cocktails. Grocery stores serve green frosted cookies, cakes, and cupcakes with impossibly cute green sprinkles.

Green, green, everywhere you look! Generally, these food and drinks get their colors from artificial food colors.

I am not a fan of artificial food colors.

These toxic chemicals masquerading as food are only possible through the wonder of chemistry and the oil drilling industry. Studies have shown various adverse health effects from ingesting them. And did you know that artificial food colors undergo animal testing to ensure their safety as a food additive?

It’s true.

How to make homemade food coloring

Every time a holiday approaches, artificial colors go on sale. Magazines, blogs, and videos feature impossibly cute and creative treats made with various unnatural colors achieved through the magic of artificial colors.

There’s a better way; to make bright, vivid colors at home.

Look at that green up there! Spectacular! And it's easy to make from everyday ingredients in your fridge or pantry.

Trust me; it’s not complicated or expensive.

Click here for the full step-by-step homemade food coloring tutorial.

Shop for green food coloring

Would you prefer to buy green vegan food dye? No problem.

Here are a few that are colored with vegetable juice or spices and contain no synthetic dyes.

Disclosure: These two options contain affiliate links I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Affiliate Policy for more details.

Color Kitchen Food Colors from Nature

I picked up a few packets to test out on my favorite sugar cookies.

I’m a fan.

First, the colors come packaged in individual packets, which means I don’t over-buy. Second, the colors mix easily and create beautiful colors. I don’t even mind that they’re more pastel than bright. Lastly, they’re budget-friendly.

Here’s a 10-pack, Color Kitchen Food Colors from Nature, that makes a good starter pack.

McCormick Nature’s Inspiration Food Colors

By far, these colors are the cheapest and the most widely available. The powdered colors come in a pack of three colors which you can mix for a variety of colors.

I bought this McCormick Nature’s Inspiration Food Colors pack when I made these unicorn sugar cookies. Just look how vivid the colors turned out!

 

4. Vegan St. Patrick's Day recipes

Are you ready to cook? Here are vegan recipes for inspiration.

Main dish recipes

Side dish recipes

  1. Mashed Carrot & Parsnips
    Healthy Seasonal Recipes
  1. Irish Potato Farls (Irish Potato Bread)
    Unconventional Baker
  1. Colcannon Puffs
    Fatfree Vegan Kitchen
  1. Traditional Irish Soda Bread
    Strength & Sunshine

Vegan Shamrock Shake recipes

  1. Dye-Free Copycat Shamrock Shake
    Eating by Elaine
  1. Shamrock Shake
    Thee Burger Dude
  1. Vegan Mint Matcha Shamrock Shake
    Minimalist Baker
  1. Green Shamrock Shake
    Well and Full
  1. Shamrock Shake
    The Edgy Veg
  1. Shamrock Chip Shake
    Veggies Don't Bite
  1. Vegan Shamrock Shake
    Loving It Vegan
  1. Secret Ingredient Shamrock Shake
    From My Bowl
  1. Shamrock Shake
    Detoxinista
 
People toasting each other with beer

Toasting with beer / Source

5. Vegan beer, wine & cocktails

Does your favorite drink or cocktail contain more than just alcohol?

The devil is in the details

Some beer and wine go through a clarifying process that uses animal products such as isinglass (fish bladders), egg whites, or gelatin. And because alcohol is commonly exempt from labeling requirements other food products have, these ingredients are rarely listed on the packaging.

Luckily, there’s an easy-to-use website for that. Without a doubt, Barnivore is the go-to website to check the vegan status of most beers and wines. Together, you can find these vegan products at almost any store.

Here are a few popular brands that are suitable for vegan imbibers.

Irish beers and stouts

  • Barney Flat's Oatmeal Stout
  • Harvest Moon Paddy’s Irish Stout
  • Harvest Moon An Irish
  • George Killian’s Irish Red
  • Guinness (yes, it's vegan now)
  • Michelob Irish
  • Rogue Irish Lager
  • Samuel Smith’s Imperial Stout

More vegan options

  • Blue Moon
  • Budweiser (except the Clamato Chelada)
  • Coors & Coors Light
  • Corona
  • Heineken
  • Miller Lite, High-Life & Genuine Draft
  • Pabst Blue Ribbon
  • Sam Adams Ale (except Cherry Wheat, Honey Porter, or Latitude 48)
  • Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
  • Stella Artois
  • Yuengling

A lot of craft beers are also vegan. Just ask your bartender before ordering.

Vegan wine

  • Frey Vineyards (all varieties)
  • Orleans Hill (all varieties)
  • Sutter Home (Riesling, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer, and Chenin Blanc)
  • Yellowtail (red wines only; not the white or the rosé)

It isn’t always apparent which wines are vegan or vegan-friendly by the label. Unless its vegan status is listed on the label, I strongly recommend checking Barnivore before purchasing.

Vegan spirits

Hard liquors like tequila, bourbon, whiskey, vodka, gin, and rum are vegan, as are nearly all distilled spirits except those with a cream base or honey.

Here are a few familiar brands:

  • Absolut Vodka
  • Grey Goose Vodka
  • Skyy Vodka
  • Appleton Estate Rum
  • Bacardi Rum
  • Malibu Rum
  • Tanqueray Gin
  • Beefeater Gin
  • Cazadores Tequila
  • Hornitos Tequila
  • Patron Tequila
  • Black Velvet Whiskey
  • Jim Beam Whiskey
  • Jameson Irish Whiskey
 

Make your own vegan St. Patrick's Day cocktail

If something premade doesn’t tickle your fancy, try making your own. I gathered up a few recipes to help inspire you.

Vegan St. Patrick's Day cocktails

  1. Vegan Baileys Irish Cream
    Spabettie
  1. Boozy Shamrock Shake
    Plant-Powered Couple
  1. Vegan Irish Coffee
    Kitchen Treaty
  1. Vegan Baileys Almond Milk Liqueur
    My Pure Plants
  1. Vegan Whiskey Sour
    The Edgy Veg
  1. Old Fashioned
    Minimalist Baker

A plea to vegan imbibers

Go, have fun. Meet up with friends. Dance with people and have a good time. When you are ready to leave, don’t drink and drive. Plan ahead. Get a designated driver, call a cab, or get a Lyft or Uber. Call a friend, or call your mom.

All it takes is one accident to change lives. It’s not worth it.

Drink Responsibly.

 
Vegan St. Patrick's Day Recipes / Your Daily Vegan

Truth in Advertising

I am committed to providing accurate information to the vegan community. Meticulously researched, the vegan topic explored in this guide contains the information available at the time of publishing.

I don’t just say it; I source it too.

Please contact me if you find incorrect data.

Photo Credits

Guide Photos: Adobe Stock
Recipe photos via creators and used with permission