Lenten recipes: Meatless meal ideas to make on Fridays

Arkansas Catholic readers shared their favorite things to prepare, eat during Lent

Published: February 22, 2023

By Arkansas Catholic Staff

Jacklee via creativecommons

Jacklee via creativecommons

Fasting and abstinence

As the season of Lent begins next week, it is helpful to recall the discipline of the Church with regard to fasting, abstinence and other forms of penance.

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting and abstinence. The law of fasting allows one full meal and two smaller ones that do not together equal one full meal. The law of abstinence prohibits the eating of meat.
The Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence in the United States.
The obligation of abstinence begins at age 14. The law of fasting obliges all between the ages of 18-59.
Pastors and parents are to see to it that minors, though not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are educated in the authentic sense of penance and encouraged to do acts of penance suitable to their age.
All members of the Christian faithful are encouraged to do acts of penance and charity during the Lenten season beyond what is prescribed by the law.

Lent is the perfect time to try a new meatless recipe and share with your family and friends.

Imitation Roast

1-16 oz cottage cheese

4 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 envelope dry onion soup

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

2 to 2 1/2 cups Special K original cereal

1/4 cup chopped onion

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pan. In large bowl, combine cottage cheese, eggs, vegetable oil, soup mix, walnuts, cereal and onion. Spoon into pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes. Let rest for 5-10 minutes. Turn out onto serving platter.

You may add any seasonings of your choice. Try it this way first. This comes out looking like real meat, but more solid than hamburger. It slices very nicely for sandwiches.

Bonnie Fulks

North Little Rock (Marche)

Pea Salad

Small package frozen peas

Small sweet onion, chopped

Garlic, mayo and mustard

3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Hand full of shredded cheddar cheese

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Mix ingredients together and chill.

Delmyra Meeks

Heber Springs

Baked Catfish

4 (6 oz) catfish fillets or 2 whole catfish

3/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine paprika, onion powder, basil and black pepper in a small bowl; sprinkle herb mixture over fish. Arrange fish in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Mix lemon juice, butter and garlic powder in another bowl; drizzle butter mixture over fish. Bake in oven until fish is easily flaked with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Marilyn Joyner

El Dorado

Crawfish Fettucine

1 pound crawfish tails

½ bell pepper and parsley

1 ½ stalks celery or celery salt

1 ½ sticks butter or margarine

1 pint half and half

1 pound Velveeta cheese cut in small pieces (can use jalapeno as well)

1/8 cup flour

1 pound fettucine noodles

Saute onions and other vegetables. Add garlic, parsley and crawfish. Cook for 10 minutes. Add flour, half and half and cheese. Cook for 30 minutes. Boil fettucine with small amount of oil in water. Mix everything together. Place ingredients in dish and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Danette Brunet

Bella Vista

Breakfast Pizza

1 can (8) crescent rolls

2 cups Ore-Ida frozen Potatoes O’Brien (with onions and red and green peppers)

1/2-1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup shredded cheese

8 eggs

1/4 cup milk

In an 8-inch greased pie plate, make crust out of the crescent rolls. In a large bowl, mix the eggs and milk: whisk well. Spread the hash browns, peppers and onions on top of the crust. Sprinkle the mushrooms on top of hashbrowns. Pour in the egg mixture. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 for about 45-50 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve.

David and Judy Peters

The Gables Inn Bed & Breakfast

Hot Springs

Stuffed Blueberry French Toast

8 pieces bread, cut into cubes

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese

1 cup milk

1 3/4 cups blueberries

1 cup sugar

8 eggs

1 cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

French toast: Line the bottom of greased baking dish with half of the cubed bread. Cut pieces of cream cheese and place on top of the bread. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of blueberries on top of the cream cheese and place the remaining pieces of bread cubes on top. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, maple syrup and milk; whisk well. Pour the mixture over the bread and bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Serve with blueberry sauce.

Blueberry sauce: Mix sugar, water and cornstarch well and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup of blueberries and stir until sauce thickens.

Cut French toast into squares and top with the blueberry sauce. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Try this recipe with strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc. You can use fresh or frozen fruit and can prepare this the night before, refrigerate and then bake the following morning.

David and Judy Peters

The Gables Inn Bed & Breakfast

Hot Springs

Fasting and abstinence

As the season of Lent begins next week, it is helpful to recall the discipline of the Church with regard to fasting, abstinence and other forms of penance.

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting and abstinence. The law of fasting allows one full meal and two smaller ones that do not together equal one full meal. The law of abstinence prohibits the eating of meat.
The Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence in the United States.
The obligation of abstinence begins at age 14. The law of fasting obliges all between the ages of 18-59.
Pastors and parents are to see to it that minors, though not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are educated in the authentic sense of penance and encouraged to do acts of penance suitable to their age.
All members of the Christian faithful are encouraged to do acts of penance and charity during the Lenten season beyond what is prescribed by the law.

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Click for the Lent 2023 index