Lent is a time of reflection and prayer- and for many Catholic households, it also means switching up the menu and getting creative in the kitchen. Going meat-free doesn't have to mean boring! We're diving into some seriously tasty Lenten recipes that'll keep your taste buds happy and might just surprise you with how delicious simplicity can be. So, let's get cooking and make this Lent a time of culinary adventure as well as spiritual reflection. Trust us, your stomach (and soul) will thank you!
Halluski (Cabbage and Noodles)
Ingredients
8 ounces egg noodles, I used homemade style. Gluten free linguine is excellent too
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more during saute'
4-6 ounces mushrooms, white or cremini, sliced
2 Tablespoons butter, divided
1 large onion, diced or sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, smashed and rough chopped
½ head green cabbage, sliced into ½" slices (more if desired)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt, plus more during serving if needed
¼ teaspoon black pepper, more if desired
½ cup peas, frozen or fresh
2 Tablespoons flat leaf parsley, minced
Instructions
Heat water in a large pot and cook 8 ounces pasta according to directions. See recipe note #1 regarding different pasta choices. The pasta should cook while you prepare the other ingredients in next step. But watch the timing on the pasta if using gluten-free noodles as they'll be done before you're ready to add them into the cabbage mixture.
Cook's Note:
Save about one cup of your pasta water when you drain the noodles!
In a large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add sliced 4-6 ounces mushrooms and sautĆ©' until golden, about 5 minutes. If needed, add ½ Tablespoon butter to help with browning. Add thinly diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add 2 chopped garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
Start with ½ of the cabbage and stir into the mushroom, onion mixture. Add 1 Tablespoon the butter and cook until the cabbage begins to brown. See recipe note #2 if wanting to add less oil. Add remaining cabbage and additional Tablespoon butter. Add ½ teaspoon garlic powder and ½ teaspoon onion powder at this time and continue to cook, stirring until the cabbage has softened and browned around the edges.
Once the noodles are al dente and drained (remember to save some of that pasta water), add the noodles a little at a time until you are happy with the ratio of noodles to cabbage. Add 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, less if desired, taste and add more if needed. Add ½ cup peas and stir to combine. If you want the dish to be a little "creamy", add some of the pasta water, about ¼ cup at a time until desired wetness is achieved.
At this point, the recipe is delicious and may be served right out of the skillet. The cabbage and noodles are tasty for sure but to infuse even more flavor, place the mixture into a buttered large casserole dish or roasting pan, add up to ½ cup pasta water, cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300F degree oven for 10 minutes, remove the foil and continue to bake 15 minutes more. Baking in the oven helps to tenderize the noodles and cabbage a little more and infuses the onion and garlic flavors into the noodles. I highly recommend the baking step.
Just before serving, whether you serve from the skillet or after baking in the oven, drizzle extra olive oil over the dish and sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons parsley just before serving. See recipe note # 4 regarding leftovers.
Creamy Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
3 medium to large peeled carrots
2 medium to large celery stalks
1 medium white or yellow onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
8 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
6 cups veggie stock
2 (12 oz) cans of evaporated milk
2 (8 oz) packages dried tortellini
5 oz fresh spinach
Instructions
Dice carrots, celery and onion evenly into about 1/4" pieces
Place a large heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil to the pan
After the oil warms slightly, add the carrots, celery and onion and cook until softened and onions are slightly translucent
Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper, then add garlic powder and Italian seasoning and stir until well combined (remember you can always add more salt and pepper later to suit your palate)
Add butter and allow it to melt, stirring as it melts to coat all of the veggies
Once the butter is melted, sprinkle flour over top, then stir it into the veggie mixture until the veggies are well coated and gummy in consistency
Pour in the veggie stock and whisk well to combine then continue to simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes
Whisk in the evaporated milk and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes
Add in the dried tortellini and bring very briefly to a boil, then reduce heat again and simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes until the soup has thickened
Taste test and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary
Add in the fresh spinach and use a spoon to push it down int the soup, then simmer for a final 3 minutes, stirring occasionally
Serve hot with a side of crusty bread
Linguine with White Clam Sauce
Ingredients
¼ cup Extra-Virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon pesto sauce
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (4 or 5 sprigs stripped or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried)
1 cup clam juice
15 ounces chopped or diced clams
1 pound linguini
¼ cup parsley leaves (chopped)
Black Pepper (and some coarse salt)
Instructions
Heat a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil. Add garlic and pesto and cook until garlic golden. Add thyme and clam juice. Stir in clams. Drain pasta. Add to skillet and toss with sauce 2 to 3 minutes, until pasta is al dente and has absorbed some of the sauce and flavor. Add parsley, pepper and salt, to your taste and serve with bread for mopping up remaining juices.
Penne Primavera
Ingredients
Penne pasta
Salt
Olive oil
Fresh veggies including red onion, carrot, broccoli, bell pepper, yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes and garlic
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup shredded parmigiano, divided
Instructions
First you’ll bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, then cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
While the pasta is boiling cook the veggies so they will finish at the same time as the pasta.
To do so, heat olive oil in a 12-inch (and deep) skillet over medium-high heat. Add red onion and carrot and sautƩ 2 minutes.
Add broccoli and bell pepper then sautĆ© 2 minutes. Add squash and zucchini then sautĆ© 2 – 3 minutes or until veggies have nearly softened.
Add garlic tomatoes, and Italian seasoning and sautƩ 2 minutes longer.
Pour veggies into now empty pasta pot or a serving bowl, add drained pasta, drizzle in lemon juice, season with a little more salt as needed and toss while adding in pasta water to loosen as desired.
Toss in 1/4 cup parmigiano and parsley then serve with remaining parmesan on top.
Feel free to add and/or substitute any vegetables you'd like.
Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
Kosher salt
12 ounces linguine
1 1/4 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup dry white wine
Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus wedges for serving
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
Meanwhile, season the shrimp with salt. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is just golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp to a plate. Add the wine and lemon juice to the skillet and simmer until slightly reduced, 2 minutes.
Return the shrimp and any juices from the plate to the skillet along with the linguine, butter and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Continue to cook, tossing, until the butter is melted and the shrimp is hot, about 2 minutes, adding more of the reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt; stir in the parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.