Holy Week is right around the corner, and that means the time is coming for us to reflect on the pivotal events leading up to Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday.  Holy Week provides the opportunity not only for spiritual reflection but also for enjoying mindful meals that help deepen our connection to the profound symbolism of each day.

I love creating menus that convey a story or deeper meaning through symbolism. So here’s a guide for dinner ideas that blend tradition, symbolism, and delicious flavors for Holy Week.

Palm Sunday:

To kick off Holy Week, this is a simple but delicious dinner for Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday marks Jesus’s joyous entrance into Jerusalem. The symbolic dish in this menu is a Hearts of Palm Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette. To pair with the salad, either garlic butter steak bites or lemon garlic chicken will be a great protein. Then, you can choose to serve it all with pita bread or mashed potatoes.

• Main Dish Option 1: Garlic Butter Steak Bites. These steak bites are super quick and easy to throw together. The garlic butter over the steak is a wonderful addition.
• Main Dish Option 2: Lemon Garlic Chicken. This is a super flavorful method to cooking chicken and pairs wonderfully with the heart of palm salad with a citrus vinaigrette. 
• Salad: Hearts of Palm Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette.  Inspired by the house salad at Bonefish Grill, this salad is fresh, bright, crunchy, and the perfect palm-focused dish for your Palm Sunday dinner. 
• Side 1: Pita Bread. You can chose to make your own pita bread or you can use store-bought. This is an excellent option for a light side as well. 
• Side 2: Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Mashed Potatoes are the perfect carb base to soak up the sauce from either the garlic butter steak bites or the lemon garlic chicken. Whichever protein you choose, these creamy potatoes are a welcoming addition.

Spy Wednesday:

Spy Wednesday marks Judas’s betrayal. Judas received 30 pieces of silver in exchange for Jesus’ arrest. To symbolize this deception, you can serve hot and sour soup, money bag dumplings, and an Asian cucumber salad along with a side of rice.

• Soup: Hot and Sour Soup. This Hot and Sour Soup symbolizes the sourness and bitterness of Judas’ betrayal. 
• Main Course: Money Bag Dumplings. These dumplings represent the bags of silver or 30 silver pieces Judas received for Jesus’ arrest.
• Side 1: Asian Cucumber Salad. Crisp, cool cucumbers paired with a tangy, savory dressing make for a refreshing, zesty side. 
• Side 2: Rice. This perfectly cooked rice is fluffy, tender, and the perfect base for any meal

Holy Thursday:

Some families on Holy Thursday (or Maundy Thursday) have the tradition of reflecting on the Eucharist and the Last Supper with a Seder meal with a Christian emphasis. The meal involves traditional and symbolic Jewish Passover foods but can be easily tied to the Last Supper.  This meal can become a great tradition to start in your family to remember and reflect on the night before Christ’s Passion.

• Bitter Herb Salad/Maror: This salad represents the bitterness of Christ’s suffering.
• Unleavened Bread: This recipe represents the bread Jesus shared at the Last Supper and the Eucharist.
• Charoset: Try this sweet, spiced blend of apples, nuts, and wine for a deliciously rich and flavorful addition.
• Main Dish Option 1: Roasted Leg of Lamb. The lamb represents the Passover lamb that was sacrificed in the Old Testament. In Christianity, as Christ fulfills God’s covenant, the lamb symbolizes Jesus, the Lamb of God.
• Main Dish Option 2: Roast Beef.  Or, if you’re not a fan of lamb, you can opt for this roast beef.
• Side Dish 1: Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan and Lemon. This dish‘s flavors create a light and refreshing side that complements the spirit of renewal during Holy Week.
• Side Dish 2: Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes.  These crispy, golden potatoes coated in garlic and Parmesan are the ultimate comfort food.
• Wine or Grape Juice: Represents the blood of the Passover Lamb and, in Christianity, the blood of Christ.

Good Friday:

On Good Friday, we spend the day in fasting and abstinence as a way to further reflect on the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Something light, such as minestrone soup and some focaccia, is a great small meal that will satisfy both kids and adults.

• Main Dish: Minestrone Soup. This soup is a healthy, simple option for your Good Friday dinner. 

• Side Dish: Foccacia. Soft, airy, and lightly crispy on the edges, this herby, olive-oil drenched bread is the ideal side to soak up soup

Holy Saturday:

Holy Saturday is another day of solemn remembrance and anticipation of Our Lord’s Resurrection. This can be another day of fasting and abstinence if you choose, or you can have a bit more of a substantial meal while abstaining from meat.

• Blackened Broiled Fish. This method uses the broiler for quick, foolproof cooking of salmon or white fish. Coated in a blackening seasoning, it pairs well with any side. I suggest making salmon to pair with the Caesar salad. 
• Side 1: Caesar Salad. The creamy Caesar salad is a wonderful salad to pair with the blackened fish.
• Side 2: Garlic Bread. Crispy, buttery, warm, and garlicky, it’s the perfect addition to complete the blackened broiled fish and Caesar salad.

I hope these dinner ideas inspire you for Holy Week and help you add symbolism through meals as we anticipate Christ’s Resurrection. Share any Holy Week traditions you have in the comments. 

Happy cooking!