Our Most Delicious Fish Recipes for Lent
Can't eat meat on Fridays? These recipes will help you eat through Lent season.
Feb 25, 2025
For observant Christians worldwide, Lent commemorates the sacrifice Jesus made when he died for humanity's sins and draws from his fasting in the desert for 40 days and nights, rejecting the devil's temptation. Lent season, which begins on Ash Wednesday (this year, Feb. 14) and ends 40 days later, on March 28, is a time of self-reflection and personal sacrifice, accomplished by abstaining from certain habits, pleasures, or foods.
Once the practice of Lent was formalized in the 4th century, fasting from warm-blooded animals on Wednesdays and Fridays became a tradition. Fish, being cold-blooded, became a stand-in for the consumption of warm-blooded animals on the designated fast days. While coastal dwellers had easy access to freshly caught fish, fish preservation methods developed in the Middle Ages, such as smoking, pickling, and salting, provided sustenance for people who lived inland.
Eating fish on the fast day of Friday during Lent also is symbolic of Christ himself. Records dating back to the 2nd century indicate that when the name "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior" is spelled out in Greek, it forms the acronym "ICHTHYS," the Greek word for "fish." Also, four of Jesus' apostles were fishermen, and fish had been central to the miracles Christ performed and his teaching parables.
Here are several of our favorite fish recipes for lent, as well as tips, and techniques for creating meatless meals for Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent.
A French-inspired affair
A French-inspired affair
Thick and mildly sweet-tasting halibut fillets are even more delectable with beurre noisette, or brown butter. You'll cook the butter until the water content evaporates and the milk solids caramelize (the sugars cook), leaving you with a nutty, delicious-tasting butter sauce. Crisping sage leaves in the pan offers more earthy flavor and an incredible aroma to your kitchen. This easy fish main course comes together in only 15 minutes and is perfect for a gathering. Serve simply with fresh spinach gently sautéed in olive oil, or roasted or mashed potatoes.
Suggested wine pairing: Enjoy a light-bodied red wine, such as the Harry and David Royal Crest red blend, with this fish dish. The warm cedar and vanilla notes in the wine complement the aromatic sage and nutty brown butter sauce.
AUTHOR
Theresa Gambacorta is a food writer and 25-year veteran of New York City's restaurant industry. Her writing has appeared in such titles as La Cucina Italiana, Men's Fitness, Muscle and Fitness, and Centennial's special interest publications. She is the co-author of chef Joey Campanaro's Big Love Cooking (Chronicle) and is currently working on a cookbook about Persian cuisine to be published by Knopf.
