5 Delicious Dinners for Lent That Aren't Fish
Because there's only so much shrimp scampi you can eat.
Matt
For many people, Lent is a time of self-reflection, repentance and preparation. Lasting a period of 40 days total, Lent usually begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday and is often commemorated by the act of giving something up before the celebration of Easter. In many cultures, this includes abstaining from eating meat on Fridays. While fish offers a great alternative to this, it can prove hard for adults and kids who aren’t the biggest fans of seafood. Thankfully, there's a wide variety of meatless and fish-free dinner options that’ll make your fasting period a little more bearable this year. From creamy pastas to savory tarts, here’s what we’ll be making for the remainder of this Lenten season.
Chicken Fried Mushroom Po’Boy (pictured above)
Don’t let the name of this dish fool you — there’s actually no chicken whatsoever in it. Instead, you’ll find golden and delicious bites of oyster, shiitake and cremini mushrooms, plus classic po’boy fixings like juicy sliced tomatoes, crunchy lettuce and homemade remoulade sauce. It’s a nice way to satisfy your po’boy craving minus the seafood.
Matt
There’s a reason why this creamy pasta dish is all over Instagram and TikTok nowadays; not only is it incredibly tasty and elegant looking, putting it together is as easy as 1-2-3! It’s also a healthier way of getting all the same tastes and textures of a comforting plate of cheesy baked pasta.
Renee Comet
It doesn’t need to be autumn for you to get your sweet potato fix — in fact, this innovative dinner can be made year-round! Not only will you learn how to use the classic method of braising in a meatless way, making it is also a flavorful way to introduce younger kids to kale. Serve on top of brown rice for an extra healthy touch or freshly cooked polenta for a little extra richness.
While there’s no dispute that delivery pizza is a great dinner option during Lent, the beloved combination of sweet tomatoes and melted mozzarella cheese can lend itself to some other irresistible dinner options too. Just take this sophisticated tart from Molly Yeh. Not only is it incredibly simple to put together, you can also use store-bought pie dough to save you a little extra time on Friday night.
Matt
Inspired by the beloved beef-based dish, this veggie-packed take on classic bourguignon uses a combination of browned mushrooms, parsnips and carrots to give you and yours a hearty meal in just a few steps. While we paired ours with buttery egg noodles, creamy mashed potatoes and velvety polenta are also perfect bases for soaking up the dish’s heavenly sauce.
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