50 Lughnasadh Recipe Ideas for Your Party

Lughnasadh is a pagan holiday that is celebrated on August 1. The festival honors the god Lugh and has Celtic roots and is the first of the harvest holidays. It is celebrated by modern day pagans, witches, Wiccans, and others.

Here are some Lughnasadh foods and inspired recipes you can enjoy as part of your feast.

Other ways you can celebrate Lughnasadh include casting abundance or money spells, focusing on manifestations connected to abundance, and enjoying a little friendly competition through games or sports. After all, Lugh is the Celtic god of sun and light and is a powerful warrior.

To keep those games going, you’re going to need something to eat. Hence, all these Lughnasadh recipes! And, if you’re looking for more holiday ideas, you can find those here.

What Are the Foods of Lughnasadh?

The most important Lughnasadh foods are bread and grains. But, there are other popular foods as well such as nuts, wild berries, apples, roasted lamb, and wine.

Lughnasadh foods include:

• Bread and Grains
• Wild berries (bilberry and blackberry especially)
• Apples
• Cinnamon
• Potatoes
• Mushrooms
• Lamb
• Corn
• Wine

Lughnasadh Recipes

Some of these Lughnasadh recipes are more traditional, while others are inspired by the traditional foods but enjoyed in a modern way.

1. Bread

This major holiday on the Wheel of the Year is the first of three harvest holidays (the other two are Mabon and Samhain). Starting around August 1 farmers will begin harvesting crops, which is one reason bread and grains are important symbols and foods for Lughnasadh.

• Whole Wheat Sourdough Irish Soda Bread – proper crusty bread goes well with everything.
• Easy No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread – good news. you don’t have to knead it. Bad news. You will want to order way too many Le Creusets.
• Irish Potato Bread – this simple farls only requires 4 ingredients and is somehow fluffy and delicious. Especially with butter.
• Instant Pot Sourdough Bread – Your “excuse” to finally order that Instant Pot.
• Flaky Homemade Biscuits with Fresh Herbs – honey optional. Theoretically.
• Irish Brown Bread – it gets its color from the whole wheat meal that also adds a bit of hearty texture.
• Barley Risotto with Mushrooms and Goat Cheese – this rich side dish will keep you coming back for seconds.
• Herb Barley Salad with Butter-Basted Mushrooms – this recipe would convince even a non-mushroom fan to dig in.

2. Wild Berries

Wild berries such as bilberries and blackberries are ripe at this time in Ireland, where the holiday originated, but if you live in the states might be harder to come by. If you don’t have access to wild berries, opt for organic berries if you can.

• Blackberry Peach Crisp with Brown Sugar Oat Topping
• Apple and Blueberry Crumble – combine two of the fruits of the holiday in this easy Fall recipe.
• Blackberry Tart with Chocolate and Mascarpone – the hardest part about this recipe is figuring out where to put the r in mascarpone.
• Blueberry Cheesecake Galette – pie crusts can be challenging, but galette crusts are forgiving. A great recipe for a new baker or one in a hurry.
• Blackberry Cobbler – fruit cobbler recipes are wonderfully versatile. Use the berries suggested or swap in your preferred ones or a blend of a few.

3. Apples

Though it feels a bit early to be thinking of Fall and apple season, August and September are prime apple picking seasons in Ireland. If it feels too early to be roasting apples, considering enjoying them raw and fresh with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

• Slow Cooker Apple Butter – this spreadable topping pairs well with cheese, crackers and more cheese.
• Spiced Apple Streusel Coffee Cake – while this wouldn’t be a traditional recipe for Lughnasadh, the caramel convinced me it needed to be on the list.
• Cinnamon Apple Popsicles – by the time apples are in full swing, it’s too cold for me to think about ice cream. But, this is a fantastic dessert idea for early August when the apples are ripe and it’s still warm outside.
• Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes – these picture perfect cupcakes are almost to pretty to eat. Almost.
• Sourdough Cake With Apples – this moist apple cake is topped with a layer of maple cream cheese frosting.
• Apple Pie Pops – adorable miniature versions of apple pie.
• Easy Irish Apple Farmhouse Cake – with layers of apples and flaky pastry, your guests will love this dessert.

4. Cinnamon

Speaking of cinnamon, cinnamon is one of the warming foods of this holiday. It’s a great first step into the flavors of Fall. Save a little extra from your recipe to perform your monthly abundance spell.

• Cinnamon Fig Jam Buns – you will absolutely want to smell these baking in the oven.
• Cinnamon Apple Curd – this stove-top recipe is a welcome Fall condiment and will keep in the fridge for about a month.
• Cinnamon Coffee Cake – make this the night before so you can enjoy it in the morning of August 1.
• Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting – it’s not quite pumpkin season, but if you want to get a jump on Fall, enjoy these in late August and September.
• Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting – they’re a classic for a reason.
• Cinnamon Polenta Pancakes – a hearty way to begin your morning.

5. Potatoes

As we move into chillier weather, potatoes make their way onto the menu for holiday feasts.

• Garlicky Roasted Potatoes – simple. classic. delicious.
• Loaded Baked Potato Soup – all your favorite baked potato toppings like chives, sour cream, and bacon but in soup form.
• Dublin Coddle – this Irish stew is made with sausage, onions, potatoes and was traditionally eaten around Lughnasadh.
• Sliced Potato Bake – this showstopper of a side dish makes for a choice potluck recipe.
• Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes – if you don’t have a recipe on hand for this classic, now you do.
• Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Fried Onions and Parsley – instant snack or side dish. Your choice.

6. Mushrooms

Wild mushrooms grow in Ireland throughout the warmer months, but are particularly abundant in the early Fall. Add them as a side or integrate them into your main dishes to add umami flavor.

• Hearty Mushroom and Noodle Soup – this easy soup recipe uses a beef broth base and is ideal for cooler days.
• Caramelized Mushrooms – this recipe works with any type of mushroom you have on hand.
• Sauteed Mushrooms – another simple and classic side dish.
• Vegan Mushroom Wellington – love this idea of beef wellington but don’t eat meat? Here’s a vegan version that uses mushrooms as the primary filling instead.
• Garlic Butter Mushrooms – if you bring this to the potluck, expect it to go quick.
• Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms – these are filled with walnuts, onions, tomatoes, and herbs and are an easy appetizer to hold over hungry guests.
• Mushroom Pot Pie – for vegetarians looking for a main for this holiday or for anyone looking to enjoy more vegetables in general, this hearty take on the pot pie is a must.

7. Lamb

Lamb or mutton was likely enjoyed at the feasts in areas where there were shepherds. But, according to historical documents, a bull was offered to Lugh, so if you eat meat but prefer not to eat lamb, steak would be a historically accurate swap.

• Shepherd’s Pie – This classic dish is made with a base of ground meat and vegetables and is topped with a layer of mashed potatoes.
• Beef and Mushroom Stew – and if you want a more traditional Irish stew, this one will do.
• Lamb Roast – a rich and simple main your guests will enjoy.
• Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb – take it up a notch with lamb dressed in a flavorful sauce.
• Garlic-Crusted Rack of Lamb – if you’re the top to add four times as much garlic to a recipe than it calls for, you’ll like this dish.
• Lamb Shanks with Pomegranates and Walnuts – it’s not quite Perspehone’s season, but we won’t judge if you enjoy this one holiday early.

8. Corn

In her book The Festival of Lughnasa, Máire MacNeill writes about the ancient traditional rites that took place during Lughnasadh. Part of the ceremony involved “a solemn cutting of the first of the corn of which an offering would be made to the deity by bringing it up to a high place and burying it.”

Corn dollies were also made to look like the god Lugh and to symbolize and hope for an abundant harvest.

• Creamed Corn Au Gratin – this hearty side adds a nice complement to any protein.
• Corn Pudding – cheese plus corn equals delicious.
• Corn Muffins – I know everyone’s go to is blueberry, but corn muffins have a special place in my heart.
• Grilled Corn Ribs with Honey Butter – give that grill one last go before putting it away for the winter.
• Cornbread – this one is made with a touch of honey. Bring your own (extra) butter.

9. Wine

Most ancient festivals involved wine or beer or ale or some sort, including this one.