7 Best Guinness Recipes

Add the Bold Taste of This Dark Beer to Your Food

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 08/5/21
Irish Stew and Guinness
StockFood / Getty Images

Guinness is a great beer to drink at the pub, but it's also a fantastic cooking ingredient. Known as "The Black Stuff," Guinness Stout is a very dark beer with an unmistakable taste. When that rich, roasted wheat flavor finds its way into food, it lends a new dimension to the dish.

As you might suspect, Guinness is a favorite ingredient in many Irish dishes. It's also a perfect pairing for chocolate and found in many delicious dessert recipes. Better yet, many of these don't require a full bottle. Go ahead and drink the excess while you cook, we won't tell!

  • 01 of 07

    Beef and Guinness Pie

    Beef and Guinness Pie

    The Spruce Eats / Elaine Lemm

    The signature Guinness food recipe is also an Irish favorite, and it does not get more authentic than a classic beef and Guinness pie. Encased in a homemade pastry, the filling includes beef and vegetables, and the beer brings all the flavors together. It's a well-balanced meal in a single dish and delicious as it sounds.

  • 02 of 07

    Guinness Beer Brats

    Quick and Easy Beer Bratwurst (With Variations)

    The Spruce Eats

    Beer brats are delicious, and you can choose any beer you like. Yet, as with many beer food recipes, Guinness is one of your best options because of its dark, robust flavor. Making beer brats at home is incredibly easy because it requires just four ingredients, and you'll simply finish cooking the brats in a beer reduction.

  • 03 of 07

    Guinness Marinade

    Guinness Marinade
    Gillian Vann/Stocksy United

    A good, all-around marinade with a Guinness base can be very useful in the kitchen or on the grill. This flavorful mix celebrates the stout, backing it up with garlic, onion, shallot, Dijon mustard, and fresh herbs. Try it on steak, chicken, pork, and any of your favorite vegetables.

  • 04 of 07

    Cheddar and Beer Fondue

    Cheddar and Beer Fondue

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Rattray

    Cheese dip with beer is a favorite party appetizer, and it requires minimal effort to make. Nearly any style of beer works in this cheddar fondue recipe, though the caramel flavor of Guinness is especially delicious against sharp cheddar. Use it as a dipper or to top an indulgent plate of nachos.

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  • 05 of 07

    Guinness and Cheddar Biscuits

    Guinness and Cheddar Biscuits

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Rattray

    Cheddar biscuits are a perfect complement to almost any meal, and they're even better with Guinness. The deep stout flavor plays well off the cheddar and lighter bread. Best of all, these easy biscuits can be prepared and baked in less than 30 minutes.

  • 06 of 07

    Guinness Brownies

    Fudgy Guiness Stout brownies

    Souders Studios / Getty Images

    Wonderful things happen when Guinness and chocolate come together. The beer's natural chocolate notes intensify the chocolate flavor, and that makes Guinness brownies the ultimate indulgence. There's little difference from other brownie recipes, though this one uses dark bittersweet, semisweet, and white chocolate chips as well as cocoa powder. It's a chocolate lover's dream!

  • 07 of 07

    Beer Cake

    Beer Cake

    Kristina Vanni

    Dark beer like Guinness makes a natural pairing for chocolate. They come together to make this delicious, moist beer cake with chopped cherries and walnuts mixed into the batter. A little more beer is added to the creamy chocolate frosting for flavor.