Are you abstaining from chicken, mutton, lamb, pork, quail and all other kinds of flesh meats for Lent and Good Friday? If you are, then you know that rustling up a meatless dinner isn’t that difficult if you have enough knowledge about global cuisines. From fish dishes to vegetarian and vegan dinners, the options for meatless holiday meals that are filling, delicious and festive are plenty. In fact, while many would believe that going for fish-only holiday meals is a must for Good Friday, you can totally go for vegetable-based feasts that don’t require any seafood at all!
The thing with making a meatless holiday meal for Good Friday is that it needs to not only be sufficient for the family quantity-wise, but also reflect a quality of food that goes with the foundation of the day—which is honouring Jesus Christ’s sacrifice through abstinence and simple food. So, an indulgent lobster dinner is best reserved for Easter Sunday instead of Good Friday. The Good Friday recipes for meatless holiday meals should also be easy to make, so that you can whip up large batches for the entire family.
If you are wondering what the best ideas for Good Friday meatless holiday meals, then worry not. Here are some meatless recipes that are so easy and yummy that you wouldn’t be hassled to make large batches and enjoy a filling Good Friday dinner or supper.
Fish Patty Burgers
Making fish patties might be the easiest thing in the world, especially if you are using a fleshy fish like salmon, tilapia or catla. Just coarse grind the fish fillets, add an egg and spices, mix well and shape the mix into burger patties. You can then coat the fish patties with breadcrumbs and fry or air fry them. To assemble the fish patty burgers, toast the burger buns and use a variety of burger toppings like cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, onions and jalapenos for that extra kick of heat.
Cheese & Herb Frittata
A frittata is always easy to whip up. All you need is a large skillet or pan, and plenty of herbs, veggies and cheese to add to the eggs. To make a simple cheese and herb frittata, you just need to crack five or six eggs in a large bowl and whisk them with some salt and pepper. Meanwhile, you can cook some chopped veggies like onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and bell peppers in butter in the pan. Add chopped herbs like coriander leaves, mint, dill and baby spinach, mix well and spread the veggies evenly. Pour in the whisked eggs and only then add any kind of grated cheese you like. Pair the frittata with simple toast once cooked.
Cauliflower Steak & Mash
There is perhaps nothing as beautiful or filling as a cauliflower steak that is roasted to perfection, paired with a creamy, smooth mash. All you need to do to make this luxurious-looking simple holiday meal is cut cauliflower heads into flat steaks. It’s important to steam the cauliflower and then marinate it with spices like salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, ginger-garlic paste and olive oil. You can then roast the cauliflower steaks in the oven or grill them in a pan until done. You can pair any kind of mash with these cauliflower steaks, ranging from potato or sweet potato mash to peas or pumpkin mash.
Fish Teriyaki & Noodles
Since teriyaki and other sauces are very easily available in the markets now, you can make fish teriyaki and noodles without any hassles at home. Just make a marinate with teriyaki sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, chillies, pepper, ginger-garlic paste and sesame oil. Marinate the fish in this sauce and then you can bake them in the oven. If you have any leftover marinate, then cook some shallots in a wok, add and cook the marinate and toss boiled noodles in it. Sprinkle sesame seeds over both the fish teriyaki and noodles before serving.
Shrimp Spaghetti Aglio Olio
Of all the pasta dishes in the world, making spaghetti aglio olio is perhaps the easiest. For those who don’t know, aglio means garlic and olio means olive oil in Italian. To make shrimp aglio olio, heat some olive oil in a pan. Add finely chopped or minced garlic and shrimp. You can add salt and chilli flakes to season the mix, and once the shrimp is cooked, just toss some al dente spaghetti in the pan. Yes, the dish is slightly on the dry side, but it’s the easiest holiday meal to prepare. You can also grate some parmesan and add chopped parsley on top before serving.
Mushroom Pot Pie
If you are a big fan of mushrooms, then this one is for you. All you need to do to make mushroom pot pie is cook chopped onions and mushrooms in a skillet with butter. Add garlic, salt, pepper, chilli flakes, cumin and any other seasonings you may like, then deglaze the pan with some red wine. Once the wine and mushrooms are cooked, transfer the mushroom mix in a baking dish and top with a puff pastry sheet. You can also do this in individual baking pots or ramekins to make serving the family easier. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes and your mushroom pot pie is ready.
Stuffed Tomatoes
A complete meal stuffed inside a veggie that can be baked in a large batch in the most hassle-free way possible? Sign us up now! All you need to do to make stuffed tomatoes is make a sort of fried rice with veggies of your choice—onions, carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers, corn—and even eggs if you want. The rice you use can be basmati rice or aromatic rice like jasmine rice to give that extra oomph to the simple dish. Now, cut the tops off tomatoes and scoop the insides out. Stuff the fried rice in this hollow and bake the tomatoes in the oven for 30 minutes.