17 Classic Polish Recipes to Make For Wigilia Supper On Christmas Eve (2024)

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17 Classic Polish Recipes to Make For Wigilia Supper On Christmas Eve? ›

The Wigilia supper

A Christmas Eve dinner excludes meat, as abstinence is required, and should comprise twelve distinct dishes in memory of the twelve Apostles. It begins with a soup, either borscht with uszka (tortellini), or wild mushroom consommé (grzybowa), followed by herring in different forms.

The Wigilia supper

A Christmas Eve dinner excludes meat, as abstinence is required, and should comprise twelve distinct dishes in memory of the twelve Apostles. It begins with a soup, either borscht with uszka (tortellini), or wild mushroom consommé (grzybowa), followed by herring in different forms.

There are 12 dishes to represent the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ, the 12 months in a year, and also because the number is considered financially lucky in Polish culture. Calling it a feast may be misleading, though, because this isn't a typical dinner where everyone eats until they're full.

In Poland we eat Christmas Eve supper, in Polish called Wigilia (pronounced Vee-ghee-lee-uh), which consists of twelve dishes. This number has symbolic meaning, referring to the twelve months of the year and the twelve apostles.

Items that would normally be included in a traditional Wigilia menu include mushroom soup, boiled potatoes (kartofle), pickled herring (sledzie), fried fish, pierogi, beans and sauerkraut (groch i kapusta), a dried fruit compote, babka, platek, assorted pastries, nuts and candies.

Opłatek is a flavorless sheet cracker, similar to communion at church, that symbolizes Jesus Christ's body. Family members each hold their own opłatek and take turns breaking off pieces of others' crackers while wishing each other good fortunes for the coming year.

Wigilia is a time of symbolic restraint and sacrifice, and people tend to eat a little of each dish and then stop. Notably, the twelve dishes are all meat-free except for fish.

You'll notice that meat is missing – during the Wigilia dinner, we don't eat meat (besides fish). This is a Polish pagan tradition, not a Catholic tradition, which reminds us of the fruits of the earth, forests, and water that primarily fed our ancestors (Dziura 38).

Merry Christmas – Wesołych Świąt Bożego Narodzenia, the short version of this is simply – Wesołych Świąt (Happy Holiday) and you can say it while sharing the wafer, but also in your workplace, shop, etc. Other wishes you can say during Wigilia (wafer sharing): All the best – Wszystkiego najlepszego.

Wigilia, the centuries-old Christmas Eve vigil marked in Poland and by Christians of Polish descent everywhere, is a celebration steeped in symbolism. First, dinner must consist of 12 dishes, all of them meatless. Second, an extra chair should stand at the table.

What is the Polish tradition of not eating meat on Christmas Eve? ›

Wigilia, the Christmas Eve supper. In Poland, Christmas Eve is a day first of fasting, then of feasting. The Wigilia feast begins at the appearance of the first star. There is no red meat served but fish, usually carp.

The latter method is a tradition surrounding Christmas Eve carp in Slovakia, Poland, and Czechia. A symbol of good luck and classic meat-free meal for Christians, common carp makes a popular holiday dish in Central Europe.

Among popular Polish national dishes are bigos [ˈbiɡɔs], pierogi [pʲɛˈrɔɡʲi], kiełbasa, kotlet schabowy [ˈkɔtlɛt sxaˈbɔvɨ] (pork loin breaded cutlet), gołąbki [ɡɔˈwɔ̃pkʲi] (stuffed cabbage leaves), zrazy [ˈzrazɨ] (roulade), zupa ogórkowa [ˈzupa ɔɡurˈkɔva] (sour cucumber soup), zupa grzybowa [ˈzupa ɡʐɨˈbɔva] (mushroom ...

Borscht, or beet soup, are on the menu, along with mashed potato–stuffed dumplings called pierogi. You'll also find cabbage every which way, from stuffed rolls to a speedy egg noodle and bacon sauté. Kielbasa, the king of smoked sausages, is also a must.

Wigilia, the Christmas Eve supper. In Poland, Christmas Eve is a day first of fasting, then of feasting. The Wigilia feast begins at the appearance of the first star. There is no red meat served but fish, usually carp.

You'll notice that meat is missing – during the Wigilia dinner, we don't eat meat (besides fish). This is a Polish pagan tradition, not a Catholic tradition, which reminds us of the fruits of the earth, forests, and water that primarily fed our ancestors (Dziura 38).