Corned Beef and Cabbage For Two with carrots and potatoes is a hearty St. Patrick’s Day dinner to serve in March using the boiling method.

It never fails.
Every March, I get a message from my parents asking when they can come over so I can make them corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day.
We usually pick the Saturday closest to St. Paddy’s Day.
Corned beef and cabbage is a once a year meal for me, mostly because it takes forever to cook.
Then I started thinking about how it’s usually a large meal and not friendly for small families. That’s why I wanted to make Corned Beef and Cabbage For Two.
It really is possible to have it for St. Patrick’s Day without feeding an army!
This corned beef and cabbage recipe is what I make every March except I scaled down the ingredients including the potatoes, carrots, and cabbage to make it more dinner for two friendly.
Serving sizes will heavily depend on the smallest size of corned beef you can find. I included what to do with leftover corned beef if your brisket happens to make too much.
Don’t want corned beef? You can also cook Shepherd’s Pie For Two or Baked Fish And Chips for St. Patrick’s Day.

Do they really eat corned beef and cabbage in Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day?
No, surprisingly corned beef and cabbage is not an authentic Irish dish.
When the Irish first immigrated to the US, they couldn’t afford much so they bought the cheapest cut available: beef brisket. It was paired with cabbage because it was the cheapest vegetable around.
We eat it for St. Patty’s Day because of its Irish American origins.
What is corned beef?
Corned beef is beef brisket which has been cured in corn-sized pieces of salt.
Because making your own corned beef takes a long time to make, you can easily buy already cured corned beef at the store to save time.
What is the best cut of corned beef to buy?
When you buy corned beef, you’ll see two types of cuts – flat cut and point cut.
Flat cut brisket is when the meat is mostly flat with a layer of fat on one side. It’s leaner than point cut, making it ideal for slicing. You want to buy flat cut brisket for your corned beef and cabbage.
Point cut brisket is when the meat comes to a point at the end. It has a lot of fat running through it, making it nice and juicy after cooking. This cut is ideal for shredding, which you don’t want for this particular recipe.
You’ll see flat cut more available than point cut, so that should make shopping for this recipe easier.
What size brisket should I buy for corned beef and cabbage for two?
Buying corned beef is a big challenge when cooking dinner for two. It’ll heavily depend on what is available at the store.
Ideally you want a 2 pound brisket, 2 1/2 pounds at the most. Corned beef will shrink after cooking, so don’t freak out about the size when you buy it.
If you cannot find corned beef small enough, buy the smallest one you can then refer to my list of leftover ideas below.
Do you rinse corned beef before cooking?
If you buy already-cured corned beef, you don’t have to rinse it before cooking.
However, if you make homemade corned beef then you may want to rinse off the extra salt.
Do you leave the fat on corned beef?
Leave the fat cap on for cooking as the fat adds flavor. However, for serving you may trim it off.

How To Make Corned Beef and Cabbage
One way to cook corned beef and cabbage is to gently boil it in water.
Some people do frown upon boiling the meat, but I’ve used this method for years. As long as your water is flavorful from salt and spices, it won’t be bland.
You also want to make sure you don’t overboil the meat. You can ensure this by turning the heat down to low.
Don’t speed up the process; it’s going to take 3 hours. No way around that (except maybe a pressure cooker).
First, you need a giant pot with a lid to hold both the meat and vegetables. I personally use a 5.5 quart Dutch oven (Amazon affiliate link).
Add the meat to your pot then cover with water. It may still float a little, but you want to submerge it as much as possible.
If you bought already-cured corned beef, it should come with a small packet of spices. Make sure you add those along with some bay leaves.
Bring the meat to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and cover with a lid. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours, flipping the meat occasionally if the top is peeking out.
Keep an eye on the water level. If it gets too low, add more water to cover.
After 2 1/2 hours, add the vegetables. Bring back to a boil and cook uncovered until the vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Drain into a colander then serve, discarding the bay leaves.
What do you serve with corned beef and cabbage?
Sticking with the St. Paddy’s Day theme, serve your corned and cabbage with Irish Soda Bread (Small Loaf) or Irish Soda Bread Muffins.
For dessert, serve it with Chocolate Guinness Cake or Chocolate Guinness Mousse For Two.
How do I use up extra cabbage?
Cabbage is one of those vegetables where you simply can’t buy a small size; usually the smallest is around 2 pounds.
That’s too much for one recipe, so here are recipes using leftover cabbage.
Bonus – Not entirely sure how to prep your cabbage? Here’s a step by step guide on how to cut cabbage.
What To Do With Leftover Corned Beef
Because you’re at the mercy of whatever size cut the store sells, you may or may not have leftover corned beef. Here are some recipes using leftover corned beef:
- Stuffed Cabbage Soup – Omit the ground beef and stir in cooked corned beef at the end when the cabbage is done cooking.
- Haluski (Cabbage And Noodles) – After the cabbage is done cooking, add cooked corned beef for some protein in this pasta dish.
- Corned Beef Hash from Spend With Pennies
Corned Beef and Cabbage For Two with carrots and potatoes is a hearty St. Patrick’s Day dinner to serve in March using the boiling method. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.Corned Beef and Cabbage For Two
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Claudia Lamascolo says
I am so glad to find this recipe its perfect and now I know what cut to buy for St Patricks Day meal this year ! looks amazing!
Carla says
Enjoy! Let me know how it goes!
nancy k says
Great recipe…simple and perfect for two.
I have one question…where would I get a packet of “spices for corned beef”? I don’t think I have ever seem such a thing in the spice aisle at my local grocery store. Is there any thing I could use in place of? Also, the recipe does not indicate when to add the spices…I am guessing when the meat is cooking?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Carla says
When you buy corned beef, it always comes with a spice packet. I’ll clarify in the recipe.
BEVERLE says
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS RECIPE FR ONE OR TWO. I AM CURRENTLY ALONE WITH MY DEAR YORKSHIRE TERRIER WHO JUST TURNED 12. DOCTOR;S ORDERS – STAY IN HUSE FOR 4 WEEKS AND NOT ALLOW ANYONE IN – YOU KNOW – IT;S THE cORONAVIRUS PROTECTIVE STUFF.O\
SO I AM PREPARING A 2 1/2 LB POINT CUT CORNED BEEF FOR EASTER DINNER WITH MASHED POTATOES AND BRUSSSEL SPROUTS. SO EASY – I AM PREPARING IT THE DAY BEFORE LEAVING JUST THE VEGETEABLES TO PREPARE ON EASTER SUNDAY FUN SMELLS SO YUM. GRATII AGAIN AND AGAIN – JUT RIGHT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. ONLY ONE HITCH – I THINK MY PUP IS NT ALLWEED TO EAT CORNED BEEF???
Carla says
Happy Easter, Beverle! Happy I could help you with Easter dinner. Dogs can’t eat corned beef because it’s much higher in salt than regular beef. Enjoy!
Jeff Hawken says
If curing your own corned beef, would pickling spice work instead of the “spice Packet”?
Carla says
Yes, I believe they are the same thing or at least have enough overlap to work.