Feast of the Seven Fishes: An Italian Seafood Menu
The Italian Christmas Eve tradition of a multi-course seafood dinner — what it is and how to build a menu from pantry and fresh seafood.
An Italian Christmas Eve tradition
The Feast of the Seven Fishes is an Italian Christmas Eve dinner built around seafood — traditionally several seafood courses in place of meat. Seven is the most common number, though families vary it. It's a celebration of the sea, and much of it leans on pantry staples.
A sample seven-course menu
- Antipasto: marinated seafood, olives and anchovy crostini
- Soup or salad: a seafood salad or brodetto
- First pasta: spaghetti with clams or tuna
- Second pasta or risotto: a seafood risotto
- Fried course: calamari or baccalà
- Main: a baked or grilled fish
- Sweet finish: a simple Italian dessert
Pantry stars of the feast
- Anchovies — for sauces, dressings and crostini
- Canned tuna and clams — pasta and salads
- Olives and capers — puttanesca and antipasti
- Tomatoes and passata — for brodetto and sauces
- Olive oil — for frying and finishing
How to plan it
You don't need seven elaborate dishes — mix make-ahead and simple. Build antipasti and salads from the pantry, do one showpiece fish, and let pasta or risotto carry the middle. Spread the work across the day and lean on canned seafood for the courses where fresh isn't essential.
Tips
- Balance rich and light across the courses
- Prep antipasti and sauces ahead
- Keep portions small — there are many courses
- Finish with something simple after all that seafood
The Feast of the Seven Fishes, made simple
With a stocked pantry and one or two fresh fish, a multi-course seafood dinner is within reach at home. Unico anchovies, tuna, clams, olives and tomatoes carry much of the menu.