Our Christmas Eve Dinner Menu
You have asked so I deliver! Let’s talk about My Christmas Eve Family Dinner Menu. Love that topic since Christmas meal was something I always looked into. Our tradition calls for 12 traditional courses to be served during the Polish Christmas Eve. I was told that this number is a symbol of wealth, the 12 Apostles and a representation of the 12 months of the year.
Are you ready to explore our Christmas Eve Menu that we call Wigilia
Wigilia is our Super Star meal that is the main focus of our Christmas celebrations. We usually begins after the first star appears in the sky on the evening of December 24th… or we pretend star is out ..lol
Our Christmas eve meal is always meatless to honor the animals that kept Jesus warm when he was born. Fish is served as the main course at this holiday dinner.
Christmas Eve Dinner Must haves
There are variation to that menu depending what family feels like but I will try to get over each to my knowledge and provide you with some recipes as I go along.
Before our dinner starts we share OPLATKI. Oplatek (plural – oplatki ) is a thin wafer made from flour and water similar in taste and consistency to the hosts that are used for communion during Mass. Our oplatki are embossed with a Christmas scene and are shared among family members before Christmas Eve dinner. Christmas Eve marks the end of Advent. That also means fasting was over.
You can read more about this HERE
Soup
Beet soup is usually that we started with in my house but at times will will make Mushroom Soup that I will share at the separate post. It is cooked on the base of vegetable broth with big chunks of mushrooms.
Our beet soup for Wigilia is cooked the same as the one I have on my blog but for Christmas dinner all is strained and served with croquet or dumplings that are usually filled with something like sauerkraut or mushrooms. Get my Mom’s beet soup Recipe HERE
Here is a recipe that I found on line that looks super similar to the one we make
Pierogi
There are so many kinds we serve at our Christmas Eve dinner. At my house they are usually filled with sauerkraut mixed with mushrooms, potatoes … Yumm We usually have all 3 kinds . Check recipe HERE
Get HERE your easy pierogi recipe
Sauerkraut
It is sooooo delicious !! Again dont have recipe on my blog but will! I love my Momma version!
Here is another recipe that sounds good too. I may actually try it
Fish
There are so many fish dishes that were served at my table but unfortunately some of them were not my favorite so I will only mention them ..lol I promise I did try but they just didn’t fit my palette
- Herrings are my all time favorite!! I am drooling writing about it ..lol As with pierogi’s there are so many ways you can prep them. In my house we had them marinated couple days before Christmas with good quality oil with some vinegar and some sliced onions or straight vinegar with sliced onions .. topped of course with some chopped dill … yum!!!!
My Mom also made them rolled up. Check recipe HERE
I have tried so many recipes of herrings prepped for Christmas over the years but my favorite is simple way. Not going to lie Herring salad is good too. Check Recipe HERE
- Scrod fish made in the Greek like sauce. It is another one of my favorite dishes served at Christmas Eve dinner. I don’t have that recipe on my blog but promise will have one soon. Some people like it sweet but I am old school .. Meat can’t be sweet ..lol
- Carp is a fish dish that I am not a fan of but love its tradition. READ MORE HERE .. I swear i still see it swimming in our tub …lol I also get it because I like its scales to keep in my wallet for GOOD LUCK …LOL
- There were other fish on our table prepped in its jelly but as you can see I am not a fan of it again so dont even know …lol I blocked it all
Condiments
- Mashed potatoes
- Bread is a big deal on our Christmas eve dinner table. We often make it ourselves. Check recipe below
HERE is my Momma easy bread recipe
Sweets
There will be no Christmas dinner completed without noodles with poppy seeds
Check recipe that is similar to the one my Grandma was making HERE
It was so hard to squeeze desserts after all that food but when it comes to poppy seeds and sweets i just give up
Check full recipe HERE. It is simply delicious and super moist.I usually buy one but I know I will try this one soon
Read more HERE about Polish menu option
As with everything all is modified. My kids that were born in USA are only looking forward into pierogies and mashed potatoes. So simple spaghetti with shrimps is added to our table since my kids have saying to make them happy.
I promise all will be added to my blog as cooking will start. I am super pleased to be able to share another part of me with you.
Cant wait to hear from you and learn about your Christmas traditional meals. I cant wait to talk about more Christmas traditions in my house
