If you thought your family Christmas dinner was big, just wait until you hear about the Feast of the Seven Fishes!
For Italian Americans, this Christmas tradition is celebrated with a Christmas Eve dinner fit for a crowd. It typically includes a spread of seven (or more) different types of seafood, from Christmas appetizers to main courses—and it can last for hours! But where did the custom come from? And is it actually celebrated in Italy? Ahead, we’ll share everything you need to know about this holiday feast, including what types of fish to serve and how to host your own Feast of the Seven Fishes.
So, what is the Feast of the Seven Fishes, exactly? This traditional dinner, celebrated on December 24 by many Italian-Americans, gets its roots from the Roman Catholic Church where it’s customary to eat fish (and abstain from meat) on the eve of feast days. But you don’t need to be Italian to host this celebration. Anyone can make a Feast of the Seven Fishes as long as your menu consists of—you guessed it—fish!
There are no set rules for which types of fish to serve and the menu often varies from family to family. Try starting with a few of The Pioneer Woman's best seafood recipes, like foil-packet shrimp pasta, sheet pan salmon puttanesca, bacon-wrapped scallops, crab-stuffed mushrooms, grilled lobster tails, and sea bass with lemon-garlic butter. Add a few salads, pasta recipes, and vegetable sides—then say, Buon Natale, or Merry Christmas!
Where did the Feast of the Seven Fishes originate?
The origins are a bit murky: It's thought to have started in Sicily, where fish is abundant. Along with the custom of avoiding meat before a holy holiday, this special dinner (also known as La Vigilia) became popular in the United States when many southern Italians were immigrating to the U.S. during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Do they celebrate the seven fishes in Italy?
While many people in Italy enjoy a big meatless Christmas Eve dinner, the feast of the seven fishes is mostly an American tradition. In fact, many Italians have never even heard of the feast!
Of course, anyone who loves seafood can try it out! Simply, pick and choose a few of your favorite seafood recipes to add to your holiday table.
What is the significance of the Feast of the Seven Fishes?
There's no real consensus on what the seven fishes signify—some people claim the number seven symbolizes the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church while others say it's meant to represent the seven days of the week or the seven hills of Rome. In fact, there are even families who choose to go all out with 12 fishes (in honor of the 12 apostles). Either way, the tradition of preparing a feast of the sea was considered a way for Italian-American immigrants to reconnect to their home country.
In deciding which fishes are served, that's really up to you! Most families have a traditional lineup of dishes and stick to that, but if you're trying out the feast for the first time, you can incorporate any type of seafood into your menu. Some of the most traditional dishes include stuffed clams, cold seafood salads, shrimp scampi, stuffed calamari, fritto misto (fried seafood and vegetables), mussels marinara, baccalà (salt cod) and many more!
What do you serve for dessert during the Feast of the Seven Fishes?
If you still have room for a Christmas dessert after a feast like this, something light consisting of Italian classics is your best option. Try a platter of Italian Christmas cookies and biscotti. Or opt for a scoop of gelato to finish off the meal. Another classic dessert: panettone (a festive Italian Christmas bread).
