Lenten meals are a gastronomic tradition that goes far beyond religion: stews, cod in all its forms, torrijas (French toast), and fasting dishes that have been on Spanish tables for centuries. We present traditional Lenten recipes featuring cod as the star, a complete fasting menu, and the history behind this cuisine of restriction turned into celebration.
What is Lent and why is meat not eaten
Updated March 2026. What we share here comes from serving thousands of customers in Barcelona.
Lent is the 40 days leading up to Holy Week, a period when Catholic tradition prescribes abstinence from meat on Fridays, and especially on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. This prohibition has centuries of history and shaped gastronomy across Europe.
The restriction on meat does not include fish (medieval theologians considered fish not to be "meat" in the strict sense). This made fish the absolute star of Lenten cuisine, and salted cod in particular, because it was the only fish that could be preserved and transported to the interior of the peninsula before refrigeration.
What's fascinating is that a religious restriction created a rich culinary tradition. The Lenten stews, cod fritters, bacalao al ajoarriero (cod with garlic), torrijas (French toast)... These are dishes born out of prohibition that became a celebration. Today, many people prepare them during Lent without religious motivation, simply because they are extraordinary dishes.
Cod: the undisputed king of Lent
Why cod and not other fish? For three converging historical reasons:
- Preservation: salted and dried cod can be stored for months without refrigeration. In a rural Spain without refrigeration, it was the only accessible fish protein in the interior.
- Price: until the mid-20th century, salted cod was one of the cheapest foods. It was the "people's protein."
- Versatility: it can be stewed, fried, roasted, confited, shredded, gratinéed. One ingredient, dozens of different dishes.
- 400 g chickpeas (soaked 12 hours)
- 300 g desalted cod, cut into pieces
- 300 g fresh spinach (or Swiss chard)
- 3 hard-boiled eggs
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- Cumin (a pinch)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Garlic soup (Castilian soup): stale bread, garlic, paprika, broth, and poached egg. A dish of extreme simplicity and deep flavor.
- Judiones with clams: large beans from La Granja stewed with clams. Hearty and festive.
- Soldaditos de Pavía: battered cod strips with saffron, fried. A Madrid tradition.
- Cod empanada: Galician tradition. Bread dough filled with cod, onion, and pepper.
- Marinated sardines (sardinas en escabeche): fried sardines marinated in vinegar, onion, and bay leaf. A humble dish that improves with age.
- Huevos rotos with asparagus: vegetarian alternative (with egg) for fasting days.
In present-day Spain, cod is no longer cheap (good cod is a premium product), but the tradition remains. Lent and Holy Week continue to be the highest sales peaks of the year in cod and fish shops.
Lenten Stew: the essential recipe
Lenten stew (or fasting stew) is probably the most representative dish of this period. Chickpeas, spinach, cod, and hard-boiled egg: the four pillars.
Ingredients (6 people)
1. Cook the chickpeas. In a large pot, cover the chickpeas with cold water, add the bay leaf, and cook over medium heat for 1.5-2 hours until tender. (If using a pressure cooker: 30-40 minutes.)
2. Prepare the sofrito. In a frying pan, sauté the chopped onion in olive oil for 10 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat, add the sweet paprika (off the heat so it doesn't burn) and a pinch of cumin. Stir well.
3. Integrate. Add the sofrito to the pot of chickpeas. Incorporate the washed and chopped spinach. Cook for 5 minutes until the spinach wilts.
4. Add the cod. Add the pieces of desalted cod. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes. The cod doesn't need more: it would overcook.
5. Serve. Divide into deep plates and top each serving with half a hard-boiled egg. Drizzle with a little raw olive oil.
Result: a hearty, comforting, and nutritious dish. The broth gains body from the chickpeas, flavor from the sofrito, and a subtle silkiness from the cod. It's a complete meal that needs nothing else.
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Complete fasting menu (starter + main + dessert)
For a proper Good Friday or Lenten dinner, here's a complete menu:
| Dish | Recipe | Time | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | Cod fritters | 30 min | Easy |
| Main | Lenten Stew | 2 hours | Easy |
| Dessert | Torrijas with honey | 40 min | Easy |
Starter: Cod fritters
Shred 200 g of desalted cod and mix it with a batter of flour (150 g), egg (2), milk (100 ml), minced garlic, and parsley. The batter should have the consistency of a thick porridge. Fry spoonfuls of batter in hot oil (170 °C) until golden on all sides. Drain on absorbent paper.
Fritters are the perfect Lenten appetizer: crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, with pieces of cod that surprise in every bite.
Dessert: Torrijas with honey
Soak thick slices of day-old bread in hot milk flavored with cinnamon and lemon peel. Dip in beaten egg and fry in olive oil. Drain and douse in hot honey or sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
Torrijas are the dessert most associated with Lent and Holy Week. They originated as a way to use stale bread during a period of austerity and became one of Spain's most beloved sweets.
5 cod recipes for Lent
1. Bacalao al ajoarriero
A hearty Navarran dish: shredded cod stewed with tomato, peppers, plenty of garlic, and scrambled egg at the end. Garlic is the absolute star. Ideal for main meals on fasting days.
2. Cod in green sauce
Cod loins confited in oil with garlic, parsley, peas, and clams. The green sauce is formed from the cod's gelatin, parsley, and a touch of flour. An elegant dish for Lenten dinners.
3. Cod with patatas a lo pobre (poor man's potatoes)
Sliced potatoes, onion, and green pepper gently fried in olive oil, topped with baked cod loins. A humble dish in origin that turns out spectacular. Economical and satisfying.
4. Cod croquettes
Thick béchamel with shredded cod, breaded and fried. Cod croquettes are a Lenten classic that works as a starter, tapa, or main course accompanied by a salad. They can be prepared in advance and frozen.
5. Esqueixada (raw cod salad)
For warm late-Lenten days: desalted cod shredded by hand with tomato, onion, olives, and olive oil. A cold, uncooked dish, perfect as a light starter or fasting dinner.
Other fasting recipes without cod
Lent is not just about cod. These dishes are also part of the tradition:
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Lenten traditions by regions of Spain
| Region | Emblematic Lenten Dish | Particularity |
|---|---|---|
| Castile and León | Lenten Stew | With chickpeas and spinach (the classic) |
| Andalusia | Tagarnina Stew | With wild thistles and cod |
| Basque Country | Bacalao al pil-pil | The quintessential Good Friday dish |
| Catalonia | Bacalao a la llauna | Baked with garlic and paprika |
| Galicia | Cod Empanada | Taken to processions |
| Madrid | Soldaditos de Pavía | Cod strips with saffron |
| Navarre | Bacalao al ajoarriero | With abundant garlic and egg |
| Murcia | Pastel de cierva | Sweet-savory empanada with cod |
| Extremadura | Zorongollo with cod | Roasted pepper salad with cod |
| Valencia | Pumpkin Fritters | Sweet, not cod (different tradition) |
What all traditions share is ingenuity: turning restriction into celebration. Each region took available ingredients (legumes, seasonal vegetables, cod) and created dishes that today are part of Spain's gastronomic heritage.
Frequently asked questions
On which exact days is meat not eaten during Lent?
According to Catholic tradition, abstinence from meat is observed every Friday of Lent, Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday. In modern practice, many families only maintain the tradition on Good Friday. Ecclesiastical law is flexible: it allows substituting abstinence with acts of charity or prayer.
Can Lenten stew be made the day before?
Yes, and in fact, it improves. Chickpeas absorb more flavor from the broth as it rests. Prepare the complete stew except for the cod, which you will add when reheating the next day (10 minutes over low heat). Hard-boiled eggs are also added when serving.
What kind of cod is best for Lenten stew?
Pieces of desalted cod from the central part. You don't need loin (it's expensive for a stew) or tail (it falls apart). Central pieces maintain their shape during cooking and add gelatin to the broth. About 50-70 g per person is sufficient.
Do children have to abstain during Lent?
According to canon law, abstinence from meat is obligatory from the age of 14. Younger children are exempt. That said, many families treat it as a culinary tradition (not an obligation), and children participate by enjoying fish dishes without pressure.
Can Lenten stew be frozen?
Chickpeas and spinach freeze well. Cooked cod also freezes, although it loses some texture. The ideal is to freeze the base (chickpeas + sofrito + spinach) and add fresh cod when reheating.
Why are torrijas eaten during Lent?
Torrijas originated as a way to use stale bread during a period of austerity. Milk, eggs, and honey (ingredients that were allowed) transformed leftover bread into a comforting sweet. Over time, they went from a food of necessity to a sweet Holy Week tradition.
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Conclusions
Lenten meals are much more than a religious obligation: they are an extraordinary chapter in Spanish gastronomy. Potaje de vigilia, cod fritters, bacalao al pil-pil, torrijas... These are dishes born from restriction that became favorites of many families, believers or not.
Cod is the common thread of this entire tradition. Its ability to be preserved, its versatility in cooking, and its unmistakable flavor made it the king of Lent centuries ago, and it remains so today.
If this year you want to revive the tradition (or discover it), potaje de Cuaresma is the place to start. It is easy, economical, comforting, and connects with a culinary tradition that deserves to be celebrated.
Marc González Sáez has been selling cod for Lent and Holy Week since 1990 at the Mercat del Ninot, Barcelona. At Bacalalo.com, we offer desalted cod in all cuts and formats to ensure your vigil table lives up to tradition.
