Here is my favorite one pot corned beef and cabbage recipe, with tender beef, hearty potatoes and carrots, and a flavorful broth seasoned with pickling spice and caraway seeds.
This corned beef dinner is what I make every St. Patrick’s Day, and honestly, my family asks for it year-round. I love that everything cooks together in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time to relax with everyone at the table.
Why You’ll Love This Corned Beef and Cabbage
- One pot meal – Everything cooks together in a single pot, which means less cleanup and more time to relax after dinner.
- Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any day – This classic dish brings all the traditional flavors you love without any fuss or complicated steps.
- Hearty and filling – The tender corned beef paired with potatoes, carrots, and cabbage creates a complete meal that’ll satisfy even the biggest appetites.
- Simple ingredients – You only need a handful of basic items to make this comforting dinner happen.
- Great for leftovers – This recipe makes plenty of food, and the flavors get even better the next day for easy lunches or quick dinners throughout the week.
What Kind of Corned Beef Should I Use?
You’ll typically find two cuts of corned beef at the grocery store: the flat cut and the point cut. The flat cut is leaner and slices more neatly, making it the go-to choice for most home cooks, while the point cut has more marbling and fat, which means it’s juicier and more flavorful. Either cut will work great for this one pot meal, so grab whichever looks better or fits your budget. Most corned beef comes with a spice packet included, but if yours doesn’t, don’t worry – the pickling spice and caraway seeds in this recipe have you covered.
Options for Substitutions
This classic dish is pretty straightforward, but here are some swaps you can make if needed:
- Corned beef: Corned beef is really the star here and shouldn’t be substituted if you want authentic results. However, if you can’t find it, a beef brisket with added salt and pickling spices can work in a pinch, though the flavor won’t be quite the same.
- Red potatoes: Yukon gold or white potatoes work great too. Just keep them in larger chunks so they don’t fall apart during the long cooking time.
- Cabbage: Green cabbage is traditional, but you can use savoy cabbage for a slightly milder taste. Just note that it cooks a bit faster, so add it closer to the end.
- Caraway seeds: If you’re not a fan of caraway’s distinct flavor, you can leave it out entirely. The pickling spice blend will still give you plenty of flavor.
- Pickling spice: Most corned beef comes with a spice packet, so use that if available. If not, you can make your own with mustard seeds, peppercorns, bay leaves, and coriander seeds.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest mistake people make with corned beef is not simmering it long enough or letting the water boil too hard, which results in tough, chewy meat – keep that simmer gentle with just a few bubbles breaking the surface for the full 2 1/2 hours to get tender, fall-apart beef.
Another common error is cutting the cabbage wedges too small, causing them to fall apart in the cooking liquid, so aim for thick wedges (about 2 inches) that will hold their shape while becoming tender.
Don’t skip the resting step after removing the beef from the pot – letting it sit covered for 10-15 minutes allows the juices to redistribute, making it easier to slice against the grain into thin pieces.
Finally, resist the urge to crank up the heat when cooking the vegetables, as a rolling boil will turn your potatoes mushy on the outside while still hard in the center, so maintain that same gentle simmer you used for the beef.
What to Serve With Corned Beef and Cabbage?
This hearty one-pot meal is pretty filling on its own, but a few simple sides can round out your St. Patrick’s Day spread (or any weeknight dinner, really). I love serving it with crusty rye bread or Irish soda bread on the side – perfect for soaking up all those flavorful juices from the pot. A dollop of whole grain mustard or horseradish sauce on the table is a must-have for adding a little kick to each bite of corned beef. If you want something fresh to balance out the richness, a simple cucumber salad or coleslaw with a tangy vinegar dressing works great alongside this dish.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep your leftover corned beef and cabbage in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to store the meat and vegetables together since the flavors get even better as they sit. It makes for really easy lunches throughout the week!
Freeze: This dish freezes pretty well for up to 2 months. Just note that the potatoes and cabbage might get a bit softer after freezing, but the corned beef stays great. I usually freeze it in individual portions so I can grab just what I need.
Reheat: Warm it up gently on the stove over medium-low heat with a splash of water or broth to keep everything moist. You can also microwave individual portions, but add a tablespoon of water and cover it to prevent drying out. The meat tastes just as good the next day!
| Preparation Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 160-210 minutes |
| Total Time | 170-225 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | 8 servings |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 3500-4000
- Protein: 170-200 g
- Fat: 180-220 g
- Carbohydrates: 270-320 g
Ingredients
For the meat and broth:
- 3 lb corned beef (I prefer Libby’s for the most consistent cure)
- 1 onion (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges)
- 1 tbsp pickling spice
- 3 tsp caraway seeds (gives the broth a deeper, more traditional aroma)
- 1 bay leaf
- salt
- pepper
For the vegetables:
- 3.5 lb red potatoes (scrubbed and halved into 2-inch chunks)
- 1 cabbage head
- 3 carrots (I use Bolthouse Farms for a sweeter flavor)
Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Start the Corned Beef
- 3 lb corned beef
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 3.5 lb red potatoes, scrubbed and halved into 2-inch chunks
- 1 cabbage head, cut into 2-inch wedges
- 3 carrots, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
Rinse the corned beef under cold water to remove excess surface salt from the cure, then pat dry.
Peel and cut the onion into ½-inch wedges.
Scrub the potatoes and cut them into 2-inch chunks, keeping them in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning.
Cut the cabbage into 2-inch wedges and trim the carrots, cutting larger ones into 2-inch pieces.
Having everything prepped before cooking begins ensures smooth timing throughout the one-pot process.
Step 2: Build the Aromatic Broth and Simmer the Corned Beef
- 3 lb corned beef
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 1 tbsp pickling spice
- 3 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- water
Place the corned beef in a large pot (at least 8-10 quarts) and add the prepared onion wedges, pickling spice, caraway seeds, and bay leaf.
I like to use caraway seeds generously—they really deepen the traditional flavor of the broth and make the whole dish sing.
Cover everything with cold water until the beef is submerged by about 2 inches.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Cover partially and cook for 2½ hours until the corned beef is fork-tender, skimming any foam that rises to the surface in the first 10 minutes.
Step 3: Remove Beef and Add Vegetables
- corned beef from Step 2
- salt
- pepper
Once the corned beef is tender, carefully remove it from the pot using tongs or a slotted spoon and place it on a cutting board.
Tent it loosely with foil to keep it warm while you continue cooking.
Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the spent onion, spices, and bay leaf, then return the flavorful broth to the pot.
Taste the broth and season lightly with salt and pepper if needed—remember the corned beef cure already added plenty of salt to the liquid.
Step 4: Cook Vegetables to Tender Perfection
- broth from Step 3
- 3.5 lb red potatoes from Step 1
- 3 carrots from Step 1
- 1 cabbage head from Step 1
Bring the strained broth to a boil and add the prepared potatoes first—they take longer to cook than the other vegetables.
Boil for about 10 minutes, then add the carrots and cabbage.
Simmer everything together for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender and the cabbage is just tender but still has a slight bite to it.
I prefer my vegetables on the firmer side, so I keep a close eye on them and pull them out as soon as they’re done rather than letting them go mushy.
Step 5: Slice and Serve
- corned beef from Step 3
Remove the corned beef from the cutting board and slice it against the grain into ¼-inch thick slices.
Arrange the sliced corned beef on a large serving platter or individual plates and surround with the cooked vegetables, ladling some of the flavorful broth over everything.
Serve immediately with crusty bread, whole grain mustard, and butter on the side for guests to customize their plates.
Irish One Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Ingredients
For the meat and broth::
- 3 lb corned beef (I prefer Libby's for the most consistent cure)
- 1 onion (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges)
- 1 tbsp pickling spice
- 3 tsp caraway seeds (gives the broth a deeper, more traditional aroma)
- 1 bay leaf
- salt
- pepper
For the vegetables::
- 3.5 lb red potatoes (scrubbed and halved into 2-inch chunks)
- 1 cabbage head
- 3 carrots (I use Bolthouse Farms for a sweeter flavor)
Instructions
- Rinse the corned beef under cold water to remove excess surface salt from the cure, then pat dry. Peel and cut the onion into ½-inch wedges. Scrub the potatoes and cut them into 2-inch chunks, keeping them in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning. Cut the cabbage into 2-inch wedges and trim the carrots, cutting larger ones into 2-inch pieces. Having everything prepped before cooking begins ensures smooth timing throughout the one-pot process.
- Place the corned beef in a large pot (at least 8-10 quarts) and add the prepared onion wedges, pickling spice, caraway seeds, and bay leaf. I like to use caraway seeds generously—they really deepen the traditional flavor of the broth and make the whole dish sing. Cover everything with cold water until the beef is submerged by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook for 2½ hours until the corned beef is fork-tender, skimming any foam that rises to the surface in the first 10 minutes.
- Once the corned beef is tender, carefully remove it from the pot using tongs or a slotted spoon and place it on a cutting board. Tent it loosely with foil to keep it warm while you continue cooking. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the spent onion, spices, and bay leaf, then return the flavorful broth to the pot. Taste the broth and season lightly with salt and pepper if needed—remember the corned beef cure already added plenty of salt to the liquid.
- Bring the strained broth to a boil and add the prepared potatoes first—they take longer to cook than the other vegetables. Boil for about 10 minutes, then add the carrots and cabbage. Simmer everything together for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender and the cabbage is just tender but still has a slight bite to it. I prefer my vegetables on the firmer side, so I keep a close eye on them and pull them out as soon as they're done rather than letting them go mushy.
- Remove the corned beef from the cutting board and slice it against the grain into ¼-inch thick slices. Arrange the sliced corned beef on a large serving platter or individual plates and surround with the cooked vegetables, ladling some of the flavorful broth over everything. Serve immediately with crusty bread, whole grain mustard, and butter on the side for guests to customize their plates.
