8 Meatless Meals To Get You Through Lent

Now that Mardi Gras has come to a close and Ash Wednesday is past us, Lent — aka the countdown to Easter — is in full swing, and so are meatless meal Fridays. Lent is a Christian practice that is observed for 40 days before Easter to prepare for the religious holiday, with a focus on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. When it comes to fasting, it’s typical for participating Christians to “give up” something they enjoy in everyday life, such as sweets, caffeine, or even hitting the snooze button on a morning alarm. Another aspect of fasting is the tradition of abstaining from meats, including beef, chicken, lamb, and pork, on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays in Lent. (Some people choose to give up meat for the whole 40 days, which is not obligatory.) Going quasi-meatless for six weeks can be pretty tough if you’re not used to a pescatarian diet, so here is a round-up of delicious and easy meatless meals for Lent that you won’t be tired of come Easter.

1. Mediterranean Wraps

@benrebuck
🌯 Chopped Mediterranean wrap 🇬🇷 lol I think using the song from grease was funny. Anyway, chop all this stuff and and wrap it up. Easy as anything and bloody delish. Handful of chickpeas * 1 wrap * 2 tbsp hummus (I used a spicy red pepper one) * 100g jarred roasted red peppers * 1/2 cucumber * 10 olives * Handful of spinach * Lemon juice * Seasoning Instructions: Chop it all up. Put it in a wrap. #vegan #wrap #mediterranean #chopped #lunch #plantbased
♬ Grease – From “Grease” – Frankie Valli

If you love the flavors of Greek food, this wrap is a perfect lunch or dinner to easily make during Lent. TikTok user @benrebuck shows how you can take all these yummy vegetables, chop them all up together, and stuff them into a wrap. It’s really that simple and it’s the perfect quick recipe for college students eating meat-free for the next few Fridays.

2. Miso Dumpling Soup

@lottie_julia
Let’s make this Miso Ginger Veggie Dumpling Soup! so easy to make and all the ingredients are from Trader Joe’s! made it with the queen of TJ @Natasha Rochelle Miso Ginger Veggie Gyoza Soup Ingredients • 1 onion, chopped • 4 scallions, chopped • 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped (or 2 frozen ginger cubes) • ½ cup chopped kimchi • Dash of coconut aminos • Dash of toasted sesame oil • 1 bag frozen mushrooms (Trader Joe’s) • 1 can light coconut milk • 1 container miso broth (Trader Joe’s) • 1 bag spinach • 1 bag vegetable gyoza (Trader Joe’s) Instructions 1. In a large pot, sauté onion, scallions, and ginger in a little oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. 2. Add a dash of coconut aminos and toasted sesame oil and cook for another minute. 3. Stir in the chopped kimchi and let it cook for 2–3 minutes to deepen the flavor. 4. Add the frozen mushrooms and cook until softened. 5. Pour in the miso broth and coconut milk, then bring to a gentle simmer. 6. Add the gyoza and let them simmer in the broth until soft and heated through, about 10 minutes. 7. Stir in the spinach and let it wilt into the soup. 8. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with a little more aminos or sesame oil. To serve: top with additional chopped scallions and a drizzle of chili crunch oil. #traderjoes #misosoup #soupseason #dumplings #health
♬ Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! – Dean Martin

One of the best places to grocery shop for cheaper ingredients is Trader Joe’s, and this miso dumpling soup recipe is quick and easy. This one also rocks because it’s arguably even better the next day. TikTok user @lottie_julia walks through how to find every ingredient at TJ’s and boasts that the soup is easy enough to prep in just 15 minutes. Adding dumplings to soup also makes it more filling, creating a perfect staple to add to your rotation during Lent.

3. Baked Spinach Tortellini

@allieskitchentable
5 ingredients, one pot? Sold! This recipe was a HIT and so easy for those busy weeknights! Full written recipe – allieskitchentable.com search one pot baked tortellini #dinner #recipes #cooking #easydinner #onepotmeals
♬ chef – home alone.

One thing about me is I’ll be making tons of pasta recipes as my Lent Friday meals. Bonus for this recipe is that your roommates will love you if you whip this one up to share. Instead of eating veggies and pasta normally, this dinner is a bit more fun because you’re baking it. TikTok user @allieskitchentable explains her version that requires only 5 ingredients and one pot. Add lots of mozzarella on top to create the cheesiest, most perfect Lent Friday dinner.

4. Sushi Bites

@franccescasevillaa
I’ve eating this every Friday for lent!😭 #salmon #sushibites #lent #lentmeals #catholic #healthyfood #Jesus #christian
♬ TURiSTA – Bad Bunny

This is one of those recipes that feels gourmet, but is really super simple to make. It’s also a great way to make sure you’re keeping your protein up even without the meat. Fish is a great staple to cook with during Lent, and @franccescasevillaa claims she made this meal every Friday during Lent last year. All you’re going to need is the fish, cucumber, and avocado all seasoned to your liking. Wrap them up with seaweed crisps and enjoy.

5. Elevated Goodles

@lindsnhercats
Tonight’s dinner : @GOODLES #macncheesehack #goodles
♬ You Can’t Hurry Love – Live At Jools’ Annual Hootenanny – Olivia Dean & Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra

GOODLES are a vegetarian’s dream because they are a boxed mac-and-cheese that’s still high in protein. The best way to elevate your classic mac recipe is to add a vegetable and extra, fresh cheese. These can be easily customized to your own spice liking and veggies of choice, but the best combination according to @lindsnhercats is broccoli, parm, and red pepper flakes. Another thing I love to add to my GOODLES is pepper and cottage cheese, which makes them extra creamy and gives a bit of a cacio e pepe feel.

6. Buffalo Cauliflower Bowls

@kiramukerji
buffalo cauliflower bowls w/ a tahini “ranch” 🌿 #dinneridea #vegetarianrecipes #easymeal #mealideas #kiwikira @franksredhot healthy vegetarian meals easy dinner for 2 quick vegetarian recipes vegetarian dinner ideas no breading buffalo cauliflower recipe
♬ original sound – kiwi.kira

Any recipe with lots of spice will taste just as good with or without meat. These buffalo cauliflower bowls are a prime example, and you can totally mix and match ingredients to customize it to your liking. Season and roast your cauliflower and chickpeas as the base for the bowl, but don’t skimp on a fun sauce like TikTok user @kiramukerji‘s suggestion of tahini “ranch”. You have the freedom to spice these bowls up however you want, but the buffalo flavor is definitely a must.

7. Veggie Sheet Pans

@gilliehouston
Weeknights 🤝 Easy, healthy, and (most importantly) delicious sheet pan dinners 😌 #easydinner #vegetarianrecipe #roastvegetables #couscous #mediterraneandiet
♬ I Don’t Want to Know (2004 Remaster) – Fleetwood Mac

There are about a billion ways to make a delicious, healthy, and satisfying dinner during Lent using just one pan. This example from @gilliehouston packs in so many veggies and flavors, but you can even make it easier by picking a few staple ingredients and roasting them on a pan. Adding a grain to the base like couscous or rice also helps creates more filling meals even when you’re opting for no meat.

8. Tofu Rice Bowls

@aykayay_morgan
My current hyperfixation meal 🙏 this rice bowl is so easy to make, tastes amazing, healthy, and vegetarian but you can sub the tofu for any other protein! #vegetarianmealideas #easyvegetarianrecipes #easyrecipe #recipe #highprotein #lazygirldinner #healthyrecipes #easymeal #mealprep
♬ Background Music – chill supply

My favorite dinner as a college student has and always will be a different variation of a rice bowl. I love how you can customize the flavors with different dressings and switch out the vegetables each week to avoid boredom. Seasoning tofu with coconut aminos, Soyaki, or other Asian-flavored sauces like @aykayay_morgan creates the best protein for a meat-free Lent lunch or dinner, and can be paired with so many different veggies to mix up a staple meal.