Lent Recipes
Lent recipes using seafood might be a challenge if you’re not used to cooking fish and shellfish. Keep protein in your meals with this useful list of modest seafood dishes.
If you’re not observing Lent, this is a fantastic collection of simple, easy to make seafood dishes.
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And if you’re Catholic, chances are you are observing Lent, and need some inspiration for meatless Friday meals. Cue these Lent recipes that I have curated for you.
Given that the 40 days of Lent is a time of simplicity and sacrifice, I’ve intentionally excluded recipes which feature lavish seafood such as lobster, shrimp and crab. Giving up meat is meant to be a penance, so it would not make sense to eat cioppino or lobster pasta on Fridays during Lent.
Would you rather eat vegetarian meals? I have over 70 meatless main dish recipes,
like this ricotta gnocchi with browned butter sage sauce.
There are only six meatless Fridays so with these recipe ideas for Lent, you’ll be spoiled for choice. Let’s get started!
Clam Chowder
A creamy and comforting clam chowder recipe that uses no cream. While the recipe contains pancetta, it is really easy to omit it for Lent, and it still tastes fantastic. Perfect inside a sourdough bread bowl, or just in a mug, for a smaller portion.
“Excellent!” Says my husband, a clam chowder lover! I did have to make my own bread bowl as I’m a good distance from a Trader Joe’s.(A 10 hour drive and 2 states away and a different time zone!) This is a simple and quick recipe that will have everyone thinking you are a gourmet chef!” ~ Jana A.
Cullen Skink (Smoked Haddock Chowder)
A traditional Scottish dish hailing from the town of Cullen. Made with smoked haddock, it’s a simple and delicious soup that everyone will enjoy.
Fish and Chips (Scottish Style)
Classic Scottish fish and chips are dipped in batter and then in fish dressing (rusk.) A great option for Lenten Fridays. This recipe is straight from my grandfather, father, uncle and cousins’ fish and chip shops in Glasgow, Scotland!
Fish Pasta
This is the perfect, quick and easy weeknight (ie Friday) meal that is healthy, nutritious, and so tasty. Ready in minutes, it will be a go to recipe in no time.
“I needed a quick easy way to use a fillet of fish I had and wanted to make pasta, my kids love pasta. This was indeed quick, easy and my boys loved it! I added green peas to my pasta so there was a ‘veggie’ included. Thanks for the easy to follow recipe.” – Umm B.
Fish Pie with Leeks
A classic British fish pie in a delicious sauce, this recipe includes leeks for more flavor and nutrition. Spoon or pipe creamy mashed potatoes on top and bake until golden brown and piping hot! It will be one of your favorite recipes for Lent.
“Thank you so much for this, perfection, I swapped the smoked haddock for smoked salmon & it turned out amazing as do all of your recipes.” – GJW
French Monkfish Stew (or Use Mahi Mahi)
This is a simple recipe for classic French monkfish stew: cooked in tomatoes, with garlic, onions, white wine, Cognac and served on rice. A hearty, delicious lenten recipe.
“Made this wonderful dish for two of us, WOW love love this dish Jill. Between the two us we ate almost 1 kg of monkfish 🙂 Will make again for sure” – Fidelma O.
Fried Baccala Recipe (Italian Dried Cod) is Perfect for Lent
A traditional Italian dish of salt cod, soaked, dried, dipped in batter and fried, often made during the Lenten season and Christmas Eve. Italians make this often as one of their lent dinner recipes.
5 stars “I used this recipe with halibut last night and it was so easy! I love simple recipes that are quick to make and don’t have a long list of ingredients. My 6 and 4 yr old girls loved it too. I used coconut oil to fry the fish and worked great.” – Marie
Insalata di Baccala (Baccala Salad)
Dried salt cod is rehydrated and soaked (to remove excess salt) then cooked, flaked and made into a light and delicious salad.
“My grandma and grandpa prepared baccalà exactly like this recipe!! They were both from a town called Avellino, the capital of the province of Avellino in the southern region of Italy called Campania—northeast of Naples. I was fortunate to go to their town on a trip to Italy.” – Louanne
Linguine and Clams for Lent
Light and full of flavor, this recipe is an Italian classic (doesn’t rely on lots of herbs and spices-just parsley.)
“Delish! Just made this tonight. Only difference I put 1/2 of cup of vegetable stock in recipe” – Cynthia P.
Maple Glazed Salmon with Bok Choy
If you don’t want to stand over a stove, this one pan oven baked salmon is for you.
Mussel Pasta
The perfect, easiest Italian mussel pasta recipe is right here! Simple, tasty and perfect for a meatless dinner.
Oven Baked Fish (Italian Style)
Another recipe which is a simple assemble and bake. It will be a dish you’ll want to make often as one of your lenten meal recipes, especially when you don’t have time to cook
“recipe was easy and delicious!! I used frozen Basa fillets and it turned out really good. Definitely going to make it again.” – Ann
Pasta with Anchovies
My Dad’s favorite Friday meal: spaghetti with anchovies. He’s turned so many anchovy haters onto it, it’s incredible. Give it a try and see what you’ve been missing!
PS Don’t miss the video of my dad cooking it for himself, it’s a hoot! 😂
Pasta with Seafood Sauce
Another quick pasta sauce (with calamari) that’s ready before the pasta has finished cooking!
Potato and Salmon Fish Cakes
Even those who dislike salmon love these potato based fish cakes (including me!) Make a double batch and freeze them, for an even easier Friday evening meal.
“Made these they were so good that my children asked me to make them every week” – Veronica L.
Quick Pan Fried Dover Sole
A protein packed meal that solves the problem of lent meal recipes. With capers and lemon, this will be a quick meal that everyone will ask for on repeat.
“This recipe comes together in a flash and is loved by all. I made it exactly as you wrote it and it worked out perfectly.” – Tammy
Salmon Burgers
Skip beef burgers for fish burgers with this easy to make recipe!
“I have made this recipe numerous times. I make a rice salad to go along with it and a small bowl of tartar sauce on the side. I use 365 canned pink salmon from Whole Foods, actually the tartar sauce is from there as well. I always try to find quality products when I can afford to. Thank you Christina for passing this one along.” – Maureen S.
Salmon Cobb Salad
Want a light meal, that’s healthy and full of flavor? Try this salmon cobb salad! (Omit the bacon for lenten meals.)
Smoked Haddock Fish Cakes for Lent
Using smoked haddock for these fish cakes is a delicious change from the usual salmon or whitefish.
“I ditched the kedgeree and made ten of your fish cakes instead (they are quite large). I egged and breaded 6 uncooked cakes and froze them for my 87 year old Mum. She is quite looking forward to having them. The four we had for dinner were wonderful indeed!…Thank you again for this lovely recipe!” – Pam D.
Smoked Haddock Salad
A nutritious, light salad that can make a meal with some bread or rolls. Perfect loaves and fishes meal for Lent.
Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad
A great lunch option for Fridays in Lent. Tuna and beans marry together beautifully in this healthy salad.
“Excellent!! I added a few cherry tomatoes, geen beans, sweet onion… so delicious!!!” – Dee
Tuna, Egg and Tomato Salad
Another fabulous, protein packed salad option that’s perfect for a meatless luncheon.
“Love the addition of the hard boiled egg. I did only use the whites. Also really appreciate no mayo. Simple and absolutely delicious!” – Lisa H.
Tuna Sandwich (Croissant)
Maybe during Lent, plain bread is a better option, but either way this is a classic, tuna salad recipe that has extra vinegar and less mayo.
“The vinegar does it. Made quite a few tuna sandwiches in my life but yours takes the gold. We have a few good croissant bakeries in Panama city (Republic of…) and the bread quality makes a huge difference. Usually I use baguett but it doesnt have the cache’ of croissant. Thanks for all of your recipes and your photo. It made my day.” – Panama Charlie
I hope you enjoy some of these Lent dinner recipes this year, and throughout the seasons that follow.
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