March Supper Club

Meatless recipes for Lenten Fridays

I came into Lent with high hopes for the Friday dinners I would make this season — the intentional meals I’d prepare, the creative meatless options I’d try. Last week, we ordered a cheese pizza for dinner at 9pm, if that’s any indication of how things are going…

Growing up, we always ate Friday dinners at the parish fish fry put on by the Knights of Columbus. The food at our home church was admittedly on par with your standard cafeteria, but attendance was part of being in the parish community, and I loved going.

I always assumed that fish fries are rather universal. After all, most parishes offer Stations of the Cross on Friday evenings, so why wouldn’t that gathering roll straight into a community meal? Apparently, fish fries are most common in the Great Lakes region, the Rust Belt, and Louisiana due to both the density of Catholics (specifically Polish, German, and Irish Catholics) and proximity to great fresh fish.

Our parish in D.C. doesn’t have a fish fry, so I’ve been building a repertoire of meatless meals for Lent over the past few years that are delicious and also have enough protein to satisfy my husband. (Alden McRae shared great thoughts on this topic over on her blog Virtue Signals, and she specifically speaks to balancing the penitential intent of the fast with quality protein. Highly recommend!)

So, without further ado, I present several excellent meatless options:

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Shakshouka — I usually have the ingredients for this dish on hand, and it comes together quickly. Make sure you have bread on hand for the extra sauce!

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Shrimp Rolls — Think lobster roll but with shrimp. Heavenly! This is probably one of my all-time favorite Lenten meals, and we usually make it at least once a year.

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Nicoise Salad — This salad is definitely designed for an adult palette, and I think I like it better each time I make it. The tuna and egg make sure you get plenty of protein, and kalamata olives add the perfect amount of saltiness.

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Teriyaki Salmon and Bok Choy — I made this two Fridays ago when my mother-in-law was in town, and I was very happy with how it turned out! Most of the ingredients are pantry staples, and the bok choy is fantastic when roasted alongside the fish.

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Macaroni and Cheese + Fish Sticks — I haven’t actually made this for myself, but this was the childhood classic for Lent. Honestly, I might bring it back just for nostalgia’s sake!

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Eggplant Parmesan — For some reason, eggplant parm became one of my “signature” dishes when I first lived on my own after college. I needed a relatively cheap meal that I could make and eat throughout the week, and this fit the bill. My improvised recipe is very simple, although it takes a little prep time:

• Cut eggplant into half-inch slices. Lay flat on a cutting board or plate, and sprinkle with salt. Let them sit for a few minutes before patting them down with a dry paper towel. (This draws out the extra water and cuts any bitterness.)

• Create a dredging station of flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs/parmesan. Season each with a little salt, and dredge the eggplant slices.

• Fry eggplant in a little bit of oil until it’s done (golden brown on both sides, no longer hard to the touch).

• Layer eggplant slices in a baking dish, spooning marinara sauce over each layer. (I stand by the Trader Joe’s garlic marinara sauce, and I’ve also used homemade. Both!)

• Top with shredded parmesan cheese — and, if you’re feeling cheesy, mozzarella. Bake at 375-ish until warmed through.

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