Mexican Recipes for Lent
Growing up Catholic, Fridays meant Meatless Fridays even when it wasn’t the Lenten season.
Although I have not committed to that tradition year round, I still give up meat on Fridays during Lent. Following is a collection of my favorite Lent recipes which make me long for Lenten Fridays early in the week.
If you take part in Lent, remember you don’t have to substitute sabor during this time of reflection.
Red Enchiladas (Enchiladas Rojas)
Every Friday we all gathered at our grandma’s house for lunch or dinner for her famous Red Enchiladas. These homemade red enchiladas are full of authentic Mexican flavor!
Recipe: Red Enchiladas (Enchiladas Rojas)
Tuna Salad
Nostalgic, comforting and packed with protein, my Mom’s simple and delicious Tuna Salad made with egg and dill pickles is a family favorite.
Recipe: Mom’s Best Tuna Salad
Tortitas de Camarón con Nopales
Tortitas de Camarón con Nopales – a traditional Mexican Lenten dish. Slightly spicy guajillo chile sauce is combined with cooked nopales served on shrimp patties!
Recipe: Tortitas de Camarón con Nopales
Refried Bean and Guacamole Tostadas
A dollop of guacamole spread over a crunchy corn tostada makes this the ideal go to meal in a hurry. If you have beans try frying them and spreading them over the other tostada. These two compliment each other like two peas in a pod.
Recipe: Refried Bean and Guacamole Tostadas
Camarones a la Diabla
Camarones a la Diabla are juicy large shrimp cooked in a flavorful and spicy red chile sauce.
Recipe: Camarones a la Diabla
Lentil Soup
My grandma made lentil soup often, especially during the Lenten season. This earthy soup is healthy and hearty with the addition of carrots, celery, tomatoes, and spinach.
Recipe: Lentil Soup
Nopales con Huevo
Nopales con huevo is a classic Mexican dish made with cactus paddles and scrambled eggs.
Recipe: Nopales con Huevo
Calabacitas con Elote (Zucchini with Corn)
This has to be one of the oldest dishes in Mexican homes. According to my Grandma, everyone used to have a garden in their yards, even a small one, and, along with corn, squash was one of the staples harvested.
Recipe: Calabacitas con Elote (Zucchini with Corn)
Breakfast Migas Tacos
Its food for the soul folded in half and stuffed with eggs, fresh ingredients, and crunchy tortilla chips. Try this easy recipe for a taste of a Tex-Mex breakfast.
Recipe: Breakfast Migas Tacos
Sopa de Fideo
Sopa de fideo is an incredibly simple yet flavorful soup made with a tomato-based broth and toasted vermicelli noodles. Its simple and comforting but also because of the warm, fuzzy nostalgic feelings it brings!
Recipe: Sopa de Fideo
Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas
This shrimp ceviche is served on tostada shells with a creamy, spicy, and flavorful avocado crema, and sprinkled with pepitas, making this the perfect dish for the Lenten season.
Recipe: Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas
Caldo de Pescado y Camaron (Fish and Shrimp Soup)
Excellent for a Lenten meal this fish stock and shrimp in a chipotle-tomato broth is slightly spicy and easy to prepare.
Recipe: Caldo de Pescado y Camaron (Fish and Shrimp Soup)
Beer-Battered Fish Tacos
Mexican beer-battered cod, fried to perfection topped with chipotle cream sauce and garnished with red cabbage, thinly sliced jalapeños and radishes, pico de gallo, and avocado.
Recipe: Beer-Battered Fish Tacos
Coctel de Camarones (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail)
My mom used to make this spicy shrimp cocktail for Christmas Eve or New Years Eve parties, and during the Lenten season.
Recipe: Coctel de Camarones (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail)
Elote en Vaso (Corn in a Cup)
Street food in a cup. The lime juice, cheese, crema, and corn are a surprisingly little treat any time of day.
Recipe: Elote en Vaso (Corn in a Cup)
Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding)
My favorite dessert during Lent — This bread pudding tastes amazing warm or cold. The sweet notes of the piloncillo with the cinnamon give it its signature aroma.
Recipe: Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding)
Do you practice meatless Fridays during Lent? You can find many more Mexican Lent Recipes on the blog and in my new cookbook, Muy Bueno Fiestas.
Originally published: February 2012.
19 Comments on “Mexican Recipes for Lent”
Thank you for posting! All these recipes remind me of my childhood. This year we are doing no meat for all days of lent and was trying to find recipes and get ideas.
No pues wow
Do you have a recipe for “chacales”?
Thank you so much for posting this blog. This Lenten season reminds me so much of my mom, this was her favorite season and mine too because of all the cooking she would do and I got to enjoy every meal with her. Only memories of my mom I have with me these days. I definitely time traveled with your blog. Thank you and God bless you.
My grandmother used to make that egg and shrimp patties with that tomato based soup with potatoes..the soup almost like gravy And make Papa labas they were a potato enchilada so good
A lot of choices for LENT. My favorite, green or red enchiladas, yum. Don’t forget the capirotada.
Thank you for the great recipes for lent. My mom would make egg tortas with dried shrimp. She would beat the eggs and add the dried shrimp. She would then fry them into these little round tortas and make mole to pour over them. Delicious!
Putting it up in my house menu…Friday is the day fro this
My mother use to make a soup mostly water base with tomatoes and garlic onions and then make a breaded potato and shrimp fried to add also added fresh ciliantro to the soup me and my sisters have been searching for the recipe and would appreciate your help if possible I have a culinary back ground and feel I could make the soup/dish just want to see if anyone could help me to make this more authentic! We’re from south central Texas! Thanks!
We are not religious folks but do love mexican food and respect others who do the religious thing.I love chile rellenos and was raised just north of the mexican border so love most things mexican.Make my own pinto beans and freeze them after they are cooked so I can make homemade soups plus other things with them.
I love ALL the recipes you’ve posted for Lent Season…would you happen to have one for Tortas de Camaron with nopales?? Please share if you do…I’d like to make them for this coming Friday. 🙂 Thanks
Hola Alicia! I know this reply is a few years late, but I now have a recipe for Tortas de Camaron with nopales. The recipe has now been added to this blog post. Happy Lenten season.
What a great picture of my tia! Love your blog!
This is great!! My fiancé is Mexican and am always looking for awesome authentic recipes to make for him! Even though we’re working the Fish Fry at our church every Friday, these will be great recipes to use anytime! Especially the Chile Rellenos! His favorite! Thank you!!
I’m always looking for good meat-free meals, and all of these sound wonderful!
I’ll take the green enchiladas please! It all looks wonderful Yvette. Really nice to see you yesterday.
Just the type of post I was looking for! Thanks for the awesome meal ideas. Yesterday i ate fish(sticks) for the 5 time in my life. Needless to say i wasn’t happy but i wasn’t going to against my beliefs and eat meat 🙂
In my house we love flautas de papa during this time
Thanks so much for posting this. I think I’ve got all 7 Fridays of Lent covered! 😀 Those chile rellenos (mmm, my faves!) look amazing!!