Best Lent Recipes
DELICIOUS MEAL IDEAS FOR LENT
Lent season is upon us! Whether you’re looking for new ways to cook fish and seafood recipes or special Good Friday meatless dishes, this guide will help you with fun meal ideas.
First, a little background on Lent. In Italy, Lent is a time of reflection and self-sacrifice. For the 40 days leading up to Easter (just after the indulgent festivities of Carnevale), many choose to abstain from meat. Some observe meat abstinence during Fridays only, while others do for the whole season.
Along with meat, many choose to “fast”—not starve, but rather give up a particular food of enjoyment. Many will decide to give up sweets like chocolate, ice cream, or cheese. All of this is to show solidarity with those less fortunate.
Lent is also known to inspire positive changes, generosity, and volunteer work. It’s truly an inspiring season!
The Lent season means one thing for many American cities… fish fries! From chain restaurants to local churches, the fried cod fish sandwiches and dinners are practically a Friday ritual. And while we love a great fried fish, there are so many other ways to honor the season with great seafood.
You may think the fish and seafood options are limiting, but this recipe roundup will inspire you. There are many incredible fish and shell fish varieties to cook.
An excellent example of an incredible and easy Lenten meal is Baked Halibut with Olive Bruschetta. And have you ever had a salmon burger? Our recipe for Lemon-Herb Salmon Burgers is off the charts.
Tip: Bruschetta is a great finish for baked and grilled fish, by the way.
Not into seafood? Meatless meals for Lent can be more than seafood, you know. Meatless meal ideas can include everything from pasta and grain bowls to meatless pizza recipes.
Our favorite meatless pasta recipes feature pesto, beans, slow-simmered tomato sauces, briny olives, sautéed greens, and heavier cream sauces. These recipes boast big, bold flavors and hearty ingredients so that you’ll never miss the meat.
Along with meat, many choose to “fast”—not starve, but rather give up a particular food of enjoyment. Many will decide to give up sweets like chocolate, ice cream, or cheese. All of this is to show solidarity with those less fortunate.
Lent is also known to inspire positive changes, generosity, and volunteer work. It’s truly an inspiring season!
Delicious Meal Ideas for Lent
If you need some inspiration, find them here! These are just some of our go-to Lent food ideas, but there are so many more to explore.
Are you ready for some delicious Lenten meals?
Fiery One-Pot Seafood Pasta with Arrabbiata
Not only is this recipe a cinch, but it ups your dinner game with tender shrimp, sweet scallops, and juicy mussels. This recipe is ideal for a weeknight quick-fix or a next-level dinner party. (Recipe from KillingThyme.com)
Tuna Steaks with White Beans
This recipe is a healthy seafood dish with boatloads of flavor. We season tender, nutty cannellini beans with fresh Roma tomatoes, arugula, garlic and lemon zest alongside crisp, savory pancetta. Nothing complements these steaks better!
Lemon Herb Salmon Burgers
These lemony and herbaceous salmon patties are hard to resist. (Recipe from PinchofYum.com)
Linguine with Olives & Shrimp
Vibrant green and black olives, succulent shrimp and a tasty marinara sauce team up with our Italian Linguine creating a complex pasta dish.
Baked Salmon with Brown Butter Balsamic Glaze
What’s on your menu tonight? How about tender, flaky fillets of salmon served up with a savory-sweet balsamic brown butter? We recommend serving it up with a fresh greens salad with a citrusy dressing.
Brown Butter Halibut Orzo and Mushroom Broth
This dish is somewhere between a pasta dish and a soup. No matter how you categorize it, it’s sheer rustic elegance. Perfect for a Date-Night In. (Recipe from ASpicyPerspective.com)
Whole-Wheat Orzo with Scallops in Lemon Cream Sauce
This unforgettable pasta recipe introduces our tasty whole-wheat orzo to seared scallops. This recipe gets dazzled-up with a light, lemony cream sauce, and a kiss of garlic.
Calamata Olive Tapenade Grilled Cheese with Tomato and Spinach
This cheese sandwich is not ordinary. We upgrade the basic grilled cheese you know with briny, tart Calamata Olive Tapenade, garlicky sautéed spinach and gooey Swiss cheese.
Creamy Shells with Asparagus and Mushrooms
Irresistibly rich and creamy, this is a simple but flavorful Lent pasta recipe. This recipe features springtime favorites asparagus and our beloved Italian pasta shells.
Pesto Orzo Pasta Bowl with Green Beans and Calamata Olives
Nothing says spring like the bright and herbaceous flavor of basil pesto. This colorful pasta bowl is a great way to keep it fresh. It’s time to make your own Lent food traditions!
Halibut with Olive Bruschetta
Did you know one of your favorite antipasti picks can serve as a super flavorful addition to weeknight recipes? Just a few spoonfuls of our beloved tart-and-briny Olive Bruschetta take this simple halibut entrée to new heights.
Pan-Fried Cod With Lemon Caper Sauce
With the briny flavor of capers and the fresh citrus of lemon, these cod fillets really shine in this easy seafood preparation.