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ByTiffany Dahle Published:
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Celebrate St. Joseph's Feast Day with these delicious citrus and lemon recipes with plenty of pasta and shrimp to make them Lent friendly.
An Italian-American priest I follow on social media shared a photo of his mom proudly displaying her St. Joseph's Altar for his feast day this morning.
I couldn't believe the amazing display of Italian foods she had set out to welcome her friends and family to the celebration.
Growing up in a very German and Irish Catholic area, I was completely unaware of this beloved Catholic celebration among the Italian-American community.
A little research later and I couldn't believe my luck in seeing that photo! There is a whole feast day celebration that centers around pasta and lemon recipes?! Where has this been all my life?
Starting now, my family will be honoring St. Joseph's Feast Day on March 19. If you're new to the celebration like I am, all your questions are about to be answered!
P.S. Don't miss the other wonderful Catholic feast days for families to celebrate with kids.
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- What is St. Joseph's Feast Day?
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What is St. Joseph's Feast Day?
St. Joseph, Mary's husband, was the earthly father and guardian of Jesus. Commonly known as a carpenter by trade, he has been venerated as a saint in the Catholic church.
Saints are each assigned a special feast day, St. Joseph is celebrated on March 19.
Since his feast day falls during the Lenten season, the celebratory meal traditionally involves fish instead of meat.
Since St. Joseph is the Patron Saint of Sicily, the Italian-American traditions for this holiday incorporate plenty of lemon and citrus fruits for their dishes.
Initially, St. Joseph's feast would be large events where families would invite their friends and neighbors to share in the meal. Now, it is more often celebrated as a smaller family event.
Recipes for St. Joseph's Feast Day
Celebrate St. Joseph's Feast Day on March 19 with these recipes featuring lucky lemon and orange citrus flavors.
Macadamia Crusted Halibut with Lemon Butter Sauce
This make-ahead halibut is the perfect St. Joseph Feast recipe because:
- Fish: Perfect for the Lenten season.
- Lemon: In the yummy butter sauce drizzled over the top.
- Bread Crumbs: To mimic St. Joseph's saw dust, bread crumbs are a traditional ingredient for his feast.
Serve it with a side of roasted spring vegetables for an easy dinner.
This sheetpan shrimp recipe features all the flavors of your favorite shrimp scampi with lots of lemon and garlic.
Serve the shrimp and vegetables over a salad for a healthy dinner or over a big plate of your favorite pasta.
Gnocchi Soup with Lemon and Dill
Looking for a super-easy dinner to pull together on a busy night? You can still celebrate St. Joseph with this 5-ingredient lemon soup recipe.
Mediterranean Shrimp and Rice
An easy Instant Pot alternative for your feast menu, this Mediterranean shrimp is perfect for families that want just a little heat to the spices in their dish.
The lemon butter rice has baby spinach and fresh dill for tons of flavor.
Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
If St. Joseph's Feast doesn't fall on a Friday and you want to enjoy chicken, this lemony chicken scampi is a real winner.
However, you could always swap the chicken tenderloins for sauteed shrimp if you prefer!
Lemony Orzo Pasta Salad
Another simple shrimp recipe, this lemon orzo pasta salad can be served cold so it is the perfect make-ahead recipe for adding to your table.
Serve it vegetarian style with plenty of feta cheese or top it with cooked shrimp.
Lemon Butter Pasta with Chives
Another simple pasta sauce, you can prepare your favorite cheese tortellini or any filled pasta your family loves with this light and delicious lemon butter with fresh chives.
Lemon Parmesan Vinaigrette
Drizzle this 3-ingredient lemon parmesan vinaigrette over any simple green salad to add a boost of lucky lemon for your menu!
Simple Citrus Salad
Focus on citrus with this amazing orange salad featuring goat cheese or feta and chopped pistachios.
Hot Cross Biscuits
While technically an Easter recipe, these hot cross biscuits would be a wonderful way to incorporate the Sign of the Cross for your St. Joseph feast menu.
Strawberry Lemonade Cake
This lemon sheet cake has a pretty pink color from the strawberry lemonade used to make it.
It tastes even better cold from the fridge, so it is a great make-ahead dessert you can make the day before.
Orange Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
Serving a crowd? This orange chocolate chip bundt cake has plenty of citrus flavor and a gorgeous chocolate ganache.
Lickety Split Lemon Torte
This super easy lemon dessert has both regular and sugar-free instructions if you want a treat for a special dietary need.
Lemon Meringue Tart
This stunning lemon meringue tart is absolutely party perfect and a special dessert to cap off your family feast.
Rosemary Peach Lemonade
Want a special mocktail for your dinner/ This rosemary peach lemonade has lovely Italian flavor from the rosemary infusion. Spike the drink with a splash of prosecco to make it extra special.
More Catholic Recipes
Looking for more delicious family recipes to serve during the Lenten season?
- 40 Meatless Meals for Lent Your Kids Will Actually Eat
- Easy Fish Recipes for Kids
- 30 Easy Easter Recipes Kids Will Actually Eat
