Meat Free Recipes For Lent

Just a few short years ago we relied on traditional family recipes to fill the gaps during Lenten fasting, but now the internet introduces to us meat-free recipes that we normally would never know about or come across. If you’re not Christian or not practicing fasting this year, these recipes give you an opportunity to try stripping meat from your diet on a regular basis (say once a week). Many meat-free dishes are cheaper to prepare, healthier than some dishes with fatty meats and can still be quite satisfying and filling (when did we start thinking meat HAD to be on the supper table each night?).

Lent fasting is practiced by Christians from Ash Wednesday (the 7th Wednesday before Easter Sunday) to midnight Easter Saturday as penance and a spiritual tool for reflection. Some are stricter than others, for example those in the Eastern Orthodox Church also remove butter, eggs, cheese and milk from their diet. Catholics & many Protestants remove meat from their diet on Fridays with fish and most seafood ok (some abstain from all meat, fish and seafood during the entire Lent season) and others make a personal choice to also remove treats from their diet like chocolate, desserts, alcohol, etc. Sundays remain a day of celebration and are fasting-free, which gives 40 fast days for Lent.

The recipes I chose for this week’s Recipe Hit List are an interesting mix, some fish and octopus (don’t know if I can do that!), a tofu cake, hearty meals and light snacks–many are basic dishes while some a bit more exotic or cultural favorites. Stretch your menu muscles a bit and you might find some new family favorites!

Meat Free Recipes For Lent

*Note: Descriptions below are quotes from the recipe sites

1. Makeover Spinach Tuna Casserole Recipe: This is a thick, gooey Spinach Tuna Casserole from Taste Of Home (pictured above).
2. Fish Tacos: If you’ve never been to So Cal, the idea of a fish taco might sound…odd (I’ve gotten plenty of dirty looks from East Coasters). Fried fish tacos came to us by way of Baja California (Mexico) where you can buy the delicious little treats from taco stands that line the streets in seaside towns in Baja. They are nothing like your typical beef/chicken tacos, so I encourage you to give them a try. Branch out with your Mexican cuisine! Recipe found at Healthy Twists.
3. Beans, Bread and Baby Octopus: For the next few posts, you get to enjoy a recap of the Lenten Feast I presented last weekend. Each time I’ll breadown a trio or so of dishes so that you too may prepare and enjoy in the comfort of your own home! Recipe found at Kalofagas.
4. Tried and True Lenten Recipes: Hummus, Spinach Rice, Juddra, Farina Pudding, Bean Soup, Lentil Soup, Lenten chocolate cake, Applesauce cake, Vegetable soup, Corn Bread, Apple Cake, Pistou, Phad Thai, Crock pot marinara sauce, Vegetarian Chili. Recipes found at cblankens.
5. Lentil Soup (Low Fat): And what could be more appropriate for Lent than Lentil Soup- like my play on words? This is a nice, easy and cheap dinner for any night of the week. Enjoy! Recipe found at Our Little Monkeys.
6. Lent Recipe – Fabulous Fish: Recipe: Pan-Seared Fish with Lemon Dill Mayonnaise. Found at Circle Of Food.
7. Nistisima – Food for the Soul: A motherload of recipes here, you’ll find seafood, main dishes, bean dishes, soups, snacks and lots more. Found at Kopiaste.
8. Meatless Lasagna and Shrimp Creole: There are some wonderful recipes, and here are two that will be wonderful for those meatless, penitential days (including the Ember Days of Lent, which is this Wednesday, Friday, Saturday). The following recipe can be made ahead and just save the baking time (1 1/2 hours) for later. A recipe fit to serve to guests on Friday. Recipes found at Catholic Cuisine.
9. Lenten Bread: I thought some of you might like to make a quick, nutritious homemade bread to add to your simple meals today too. Recipe found at Faith & Family.
10. Salmon Patty Recipe: These are yummy with homemade tartar sauce (mayonnaise with pickle relish) or ketchup or whatever you like. And they’re so simple to make even I can do it! Recipe found at The Zahn Zone.
11. Japanese Thai Tofu Cake: I wouldn’t even call it a recipe. It is very simple. I am keeping all the food simple for Lent. This is a very economical dish which is also in keeping with the lenten spirit of austerity. The package costs about two dollars so a serving (1 piece) was about 50 cents plus a few pennies for the sauce. Recipe found at Kits Chow.
12. Frugal Friday: Mom’s Rice and Bean Vegetarian Enchiladas (Lent Friendly): My family loves these enchiladas. It is my own recipe so there is no measuring. You can add as much or as little ingredients that will fit your family size. Recipe found at Soul Pockets.
13. Seafood Chowdah’: This recipe has been adapted from Ina Gartner’s Lobster Corn Chowder and can be Lent suitable with the omission of the bacon. Recipe found at SAHM I am.
14. Recipe: Shrimp & Scallop Crepes Etouffee: Now that Lent is here, I have even more incentive to try new seafood recipes to incorporate more sustainable seafood into our diet. This was actually our Shrove Tuesday pancake meal, but we will definitely be making it again. Shellfish is loaded with nutrients (scallops with vitamin B12) and while my son isn’t yet slurping raw oysters, he has no problem eating shrimp or fried clam strips. This was the first time I tried giving him scallops, and he was skeptical but ate several bites. Scallops overcook very quickly, so don’t make the mistake I did of cooking the seafood first — cook the crepes and keep them warm in the oven while you prepare the etouffee and scallops. Recipe found at FoodieTots.
15. Shrimp & Olive Pasta With Wisconsin Parmesan Cheese: Recipe found at Wisconsin Cheese.
16. Honey Citrus Grilled Tuna Recipe: Grilling is popular at my house and fresh tuna steaks are one of my favorite things to grill. We enjoy them just brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt but sometimes we want somethings a little different. This is a great marinade for tuna or any firm fish. The easy part of marinating fish is that it marinates quickly. It only takes 30 minutes to an hour. Recipe found at Panino Lover.
17. Easy Fishcakes: If you have some leftover mash and a tin of tuna in the cupboard, you can make fishcakes. They make a great starter because they only take a few minutes to prepare on the day. Found at Recipe 85.
18. Bigoli With Onions, Anchovies & Tuna: It pleases me to know that this humble plate of bigoli with onions, anchovies and tuna epitomizes la festa but in a truly historical sense. What initially began as an innocent dish of polenta with herring is still being celebrated today in the town of Castel d’Ario (Mantova) each year on Ash Wednesday – that’s an impressive 150+ years later. Recipe found at Rubber Slippers in Italy.
19. Tuna Salpicao: Tuna’s a great substitute for pork or chicken as it is really meaty and when cooked right, it tastes like the real thing, too. Got some tuna cubes? Try this version of salpicao – either for pulutan or with rice. Recipe found at A Scientist In The Kitchen.
20. Tuna Salad – Six Ways: For those who observe Lent, fish is now a Friday habit, but it doesn’t have to be all fish sticks in this recession climate – canned tuna is a versatile food that can become a favorite ingredient with the right flavorful partners. With this basic Tuna Salad recipe, you can make several different meals, including but not limited to: Open-Faced Tuna Melt Sandwiches, Tuna Sandwiches, Tuna Over Green Salad, Tuna Pockets, and Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes. First, I have included the basic recipe (adapt to your tastes) then I have included instructions on how to use it in each of the aforementioned dishes. Recipe found at Cooking Peas & Q’s.
21. Seared Tuna with Avocado and Cilantro-Orange Broccoli Slaw: The tuna recipe is from Tyler Florence, one of my faves. The slaw is loosely adapted from a number of recipes I looked at. Recipe found at Justice Is Served.
22. Seafood Stews In A Jiffy For Lent: Seafood is considered by many to be the food of Lent and thus is associated by some with deprivation. To others, eating seafood doesn’t seem like a sacrifice at all. For discriminating diners, a seafood stew is the elegant entree par excellence. A handful of different recipes from The Washington Times.

You’ll find some more recipes and ideas that are meat-free (mostly) listed on these pages:

• 20 Things To Make With Potatoes
• 12 Veggie Sides To Try

Don't Miss These Tips:

• 16 Tuna Casserole Recipes
• 17 Tasty Casserole Recipes
• Meat Marinade – Recipe & Tip