Nativity Fast Recipes: Orthodox Meals for the 40 Days Before Christmas
24 warming fasting recipes for the Nativity Fast, also called St. Philip's Fast. Soups, mains and Christmas sweets, all without meat, dairy or eggs.
New Calendar
Nov 15 – Dec 24
Nativity: December 25, 2026
Old Calendar
Nov 28 – Jan 6
Nativity: January 7, 2027
What you can eat during the Nativity Fast
The Nativity Fast is gentler than Great Lent. Meat, dairy and eggs are set aside for all 40 days, but fish, wine and olive oil are allowed on many days.
- Every dayNo meat, dairy or eggs. Build meals on vegetables, beans, lentils, grains, fruit and nuts.
- Wednesdays and FridaysStrict fast days: no fish, and traditionally no olive oil or wine.
- Fish daysFish is commonly allowed on Saturdays and Sundays and on the Entry of the Theotokos (November 21). Some traditions allow it on most days except Wednesdays and Fridays.
- The last days before ChristmasThe fast becomes stricter, and most traditions stop eating fish.
- Christmas EveA strict fast day. Many families eat nothing until evening, then share a meatless supper. See Christmas Eve dishes
- If you need to fast more lightlyChildren, older people, pregnant or nursing mothers and anyone who is ill usually keep a lighter fast.
Practices differ between jurisdictions and parishes. Follow your parish calendar and ask your priest what is right for you. On the Old Calendar, every date falls 13 days later.
Warming soups
Lentil Soup (Fakes)
The classic Greek lentil soup with carrots, tomato and a splash of vinegar. Cheap, filling and ready in 35 minutes.
Bean Soup (Fasolada)
Greece's national dish: white beans slowly braised with carrots, celery and tomato. Made for cold December evenings.
Chickpea Soup (Revithia)
Creamy chickpeas brightened with lemon and rosemary. A protein-rich bowl for winter.
Mushroom & Barley Soup
Earthy mushrooms and pearl barley in a hearty broth, much like the mushroom soups of Slavic Christmas Eve.
Potato & Leek Soup
Velvety and creamy with no dairy at all. The creaminess comes from the potatoes.
Chickpea & Spinach Stew
Chickpeas, spinach, garlic and lemon in one pot. Dinner on the table in 20 minutes.
Hearty main dishes
Lenten Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Cabbage leaves wrapped around rice, mushrooms and dill. A Christmas Eve favorite in Romanian and Slavic homes.
Mashed White Beans (Fasole Bătută)
Creamy Romanian mashed beans topped with golden fried onions. Serve with pickles and fresh bread.
Smoky Eggplant & White Bean Casserole
Smoky roasted eggplant and white beans baked in a paprika tomato sauce. Easy to make for a crowd.
Roasted Cauliflower with Chickpeas
Golden cauliflower and chickpeas roasted with cumin and turmeric, finished with lemon and tahini.
Tofu and Carrot Tagine
Golden tofu, sweet carrots and apricots with cinnamon and ginger. A cozy one-pot dinner.
Stuffed Onions with Rice
Whole onions filled with spiced rice and herbs, baked until sweet and soft. Pretty enough for a feast.
Eggplant & Tomato Bake (Imam Bayildi)
Eggplant filled with slow-cooked onions, garlic and tomato. Even better the next day.
Stuffed Peppers with Rice (Gemista)
Peppers filled with herbed rice, pine nuts and currants, baked until golden.
Lemon Herb Rice with Vegetables
Light one-pot rice with vegetables, lemon and dill. An easy side or a simple supper.
Winter salads & sides
Cabbage, Apple & Walnut Salad
Crisp winter cabbage with tart apple and toasted walnuts in a light vinaigrette.
Lentil, Beetroot & Apple Salad
Earthy lentils, roasted beetroot and crisp apple. Colorful enough for the holiday table.
Bulgur & Herb Salad
Fluffy bulgur with parsley, mint, tomato and lemon. Fresh and filling.
Roasted Eggplant with Tahini
Smoky eggplant with creamy tahini, herbs and pomegranate seeds, which are in season all winter.
Christmas sweets without eggs or dairy
Walnut, Fig & Date Tart
A festive tart with a walnut crust and a filling of dried figs and dates.
Dark Chocolate & Date Truffles
No-bake truffles of dates, dark chocolate and almonds. A lovely homemade Christmas gift.
Orange Almond Semolina Cake
A moist almond and semolina cake soaked in orange syrup, made while oranges are at their best.
Carrot and Walnut Cake
Spiced with cinnamon, packed with carrots and walnuts, and made without eggs or dairy.
Coconut Semolina Pudding
Silky semolina pudding made with coconut milk and topped with toasted coconut.
Christmas Eve supper
On Christmas Eve (December 24, or January 6 on the Old Calendar), many Orthodox families end the day's strict fast with a meatless supper once the first star appears. In Ukrainian and other Slavic homes it is the Holy Supper, traditionally 12 dishes, one for each Apostle.
- KutiaWheat berries with honey, poppy seeds and walnuts, served first.
- Cabbage rollsHolubtsi in Ukraine, sarmale de post in Romania. Lenten stuffed cabbage rolls recipe
- BeansSimple bean dishes are part of most Christmas Eve tables. Mashed white beans recipe
- Mushroom soupMushroom soups and broths are a Christmas Eve tradition in many Slavic homes. Mushroom & barley soup recipe
- UzvarA drink of dried fruit gently stewed together.
- Something sweetIn Greece, melomakarona (honey walnut cookies made with olive oil and orange) are baked all through the fast. Walnut, fig & date tart recipe
See every fast day on the calendar
Our Orthodox calendar marks each day's fasting rule: strict fast, wine and oil, or fish allowed. Here are November and December 2026.
Keep the Nativity Fast with the app
Daily readings, prayers and every fast day, for all forty days. The Orthodox Bible App is free to download.
Download free
Nativity Fast questions
When does the Nativity Fast start in 2026?
On the New (Revised Julian) Calendar, the Nativity Fast runs from November 15 to December 24, 2026, and Christmas is December 25. On the Old (Julian) Calendar it runs from November 28, 2026 to January 6, 2027, and Christmas is January 7, 2027.
What can you eat during the Nativity Fast?
Meat, dairy and eggs are set aside for all 40 days. Meals are built on vegetables, beans, lentils, grains, fruit and nuts. Wednesdays and Fridays are strict fast days. On many other days, olive oil, wine and fish are allowed. Rules differ between jurisdictions and parishes, so follow your parish calendar and ask your priest.
Can you eat fish during the Nativity Fast?
Yes, on many days. The Nativity Fast is gentler than Great Lent: fish is commonly allowed on Saturdays and Sundays and on the Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos (November 21), and some traditions allow it on most days except Wednesdays and Fridays. In the final days before Christmas, most traditions stop eating fish.
Why is it called St. Philip's Fast?
The fast begins the day after the feast of the Holy Apostle Philip on November 14, so it is also known as St. Philip's Fast or the Philippian Fast.
Is the Nativity Fast the same as Advent?
They prepare for the same feast, but they are not the same. Western Advent covers the four Sundays before Christmas. The Orthodox Nativity Fast lasts 40 days and includes fasting from meat, dairy and eggs.
What do Orthodox Christians eat on Christmas Eve?
Christmas Eve is a strict fast day. Many families eat nothing until the evening, then share a meatless supper. In Ukrainian and other Slavic homes this Holy Supper traditionally has 12 dishes, such as kutia, cabbage rolls, beans, mushroom soup and dried-fruit compote.