Christmas Eve fish

What it is

Fish is one of the twelve dishes of the Holy Evening, as on this day meat and dairy are not consumed, but fish is allowed. In mountain villages, it was not mandatory: Ivan Franko, describing a Boyko dinner, wrote 'fish (when available)'. Sea fish was bought in the town, so herring was most often on the table.

Today in the Carpathians, two dishes are mainly prepared for Holy Evening: herring, cut into pieces, with rings of onion and oil, and fried fish — carp or trout from local farms, coated in flour. In Bukovina, stuffed fish is also baked, for which we have a separate page.

There are no identical fish dishes across all of the Carpathians: the composition depends on the family and what was available for purchase. Therefore, this is a general page, not a recipe from one village.

History and name

In the Bukovinian folk calendar of Hryhoriy Kupchanko (1875), fish is listed among the Holy Evening dishes alongside wheat kutia, beans, and plums. According to modern records from 'Holos Ukrainy', in the Hutsul village of Dovhopillia, fish is prepared for Holy Evening, while in Zavoloka near Chernivtsi — fried fish and herring.

Galician culinary researcher Marianna Dushar lists 'several fish dishes — herring, fried or stuffed fish' for Holy Evening. The book 'Boyko Cuisine' (2020) presents the local 'herring a la Lyshnyansky', but marinates it with sour cream — this recipe is not for a Lenten dinner.

Ingredients and allergens

Variant: herring with onion and oil

Salted herring2 salted herringsSalted sea fish from the store; in the mountain villages, it is the most accessible fish for Christmas Eve.Contains allergens: fish

Onion1–2 pcs.Fried onion in lard or oil is a common seasoning in Carpathian dishes.

Also: sunflower oil (3–4 tbsp.), vinegar (1 tsp., optional), black pepper (to taste, optional)

Contains allergens: fish
Diet: lenten · gluten-free · no cooking

Variant: fried fish (carp or trout)

carp, wheat flour, sunflower oil, salt, black pepper, rainbow trout

Contains allergens: gluten, fish
Diet: lenten

Ingredients of the traditional recipe; every cook and every place may do it differently — please ask when ordering. We cannot guarantee the absence of allergens or traces.

How it is traditionally made

Serves: 6–8 servings

• Salted herring — 2 salted herrings
• Onion — 1–2 pcs.
• Sunflower oil — 3–4 tbsp.
• Vinegar — 1 tsp.
• Black pepper — to taste

1. Herring: gut the fish, remove the skin, separate the fillet from the bones, and cut into pieces. Very salty herring should be soaked in cold water for 1–2 hours.
2. Place the pieces on a long plate, top with thin rings of onion; drizzle with oil, optionally sprinkle with vinegar and pepper. Let it sit for at least an hour.
3. Fried fish: clean the carp, gut it, and cut it into pieces 2–3 cm thick; fry the trout whole or in halves. Salt and let it sit for 20–30 minutes.
4. Coat the fish in flour and fry in well-heated oil for 5–7 minutes on each side until golden brown.
5. Serve the fish warm or cold: on Holy Evening, it is often fried during the day and placed on the table along with other dishes.

How it is served

Herring — cold, with onion; fried fish — warm or cold. Without sour cream or mayonnaise sauces, as the dinner is Lenten.

Variants

Stuffed fish is a separate Bukovinian dish. The Boyko 'herring a la Lyshnyansky' is marinated with sour cream, so it is not served for the Lenten dinner.

The traditional method as described by our sources; every family does it its own way. We have not tested this recipe in a professional kitchen.

Where it is eaten

The area is approximate and based on the sources below. The dish is cooked outside it too, and ethnographic borders are blurred.

Boykivshchyna, Bukovina, Hutsulshchyna, and Galicia; fish is prepared for Holy Evening throughout Ukraine, the area is not limited to the mountains. The villages on the map are places of records.

When it is eaten

Occasions: Christmas Eve

In tradition

Fish is the only dish of animal origin allowed on the Lenten Holy Evening; in the mountains, it was served when there was something to serve. The traditions of Holy Evening and Christmas in Ukraine have been included in the National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage (No. 105 and 106 of the ICH), with a separate element — the Tradition of Holy Evening in Bukovina (No. 107 of the ICH; order of the Ministry of Culture dated 24.04.2025 No. 268).

Safety

Fish is one of the 14 major allergens. Salty herring contains a lot of salt. Wild stream trout is not caught and is not recommended: for the dish — fish from local farms.

FAQ