The Feast of St. Augustine on August 28 falls at one of my favorite times of year for cooking. For me, we would be at the night of summer produce. Tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and zucchini are bursting. But, there is also the first hint that the season is beginning to turn. Grapes, pears and plums are arriving, and meals naturally begin moving from the grill toward soups, breads and slower dinners.

It is a fitting season for St. Augustine.

Short Bio of St. Augustine

Augustine was born in 354 in Tagaste, in the Roman province of Numidia in what is now Algeria. His mother was St. Monica, whose feast the Church celebrates one day before his, on August 27. Augustine received a strong education and eventually became a teacher of rhetoric. Famously, his path toward Christianity was anything but straightforward. After years of searching for meaning in his otherwise chaotic life, he returned to the Christian faith and was baptized in 387. He later returned to North Africa, became a priest, and then Bishop of Hippo. After all of that, he became one of the most influential Doctors of the Church.

In his Confessions, Augustine recalls that his mother Monica followed an African Christian custom of bringing cakes, bread and wine to the shrines of martyrs. When St. Ambrose prohibited the practice in Milan, she obediently stopped. Augustine also notes that she drank the wine very moderately. It is a small detail, but it gives us a wonderful glimpse into the food traditions practiced by those living in Augustine’s time.

You do not need to reproduce a fourth-century Roman African meal to celebrate St. Augustine well. Nor do you need to prepare an elaborate Algerian feast on a Tuesday night.

Make a pot of soup and put bread beside it. Serve chicken with olives. Slice ripe tomatoes from the garden. Put grapes on the table for dessert. Read a few lines about Augustine’s conversion and say a prayer together.

That is enough to turn an ordinary late-summer dinner into a feast-day table.

A Personal Note from My Kitchen

While researching St. Augustine, I was surprised to find food mentioned so plainly in his own writing.

I knew Augustine primarily through his conversion story, his theology and the famous “restless-heart” passage from the Confessions. I wasn’t expecting to find hist mother packing a basket with cakes, bread and wine.

But I love that detail.

It makes these people we read about as saints feel much closer to ordinary family life. Monica wasn’t living the liturgical year with coordinated decorations and a complicated themed menu. She was practicing a custom she had learned at home in Africa. She brought food, remembered the martyrs, and prayed. And when she encountered a different local practice in Milan, she adapted.

Our own family traditions do not have to be elaborate to become meaningful. Sometimes they begin simply because we make the same bread every August, serve a particular meal on a saint’s feast, or tell our children why there are grapes beside their dinner tonight.

Over time, ordinary things become familiar.

And familiar things become traditions.

You may also be interested in…

• Essential Mediterranean Vegetables to Grow in a Summer Garden
• Catholic Feast Day Recipes for September
• Catholic Feast Day Recipes for August
• 11 Recipes for the Feast of St. Monica
• 10 Recipes for the Feast of St. James the Apostle

Save

Warm Lentils with Roasted Late-Summer Vegetables

We don’t have St. Augustine’s recipes, but we do have a remarkable firsthand description of his table. His friend and biographer Possidius tells us that Augustine’s meals included vegetables and legumes, with meat sometimes served for guests or those who were ill. His table was simple, but it was also hospitable.

This recipe begins with that small historical detail and brings it into a modern late-August kitchen. Earthy lentils are tossed with roasted eggplant, zucchini and onion, then finished with olive oil, fresh parsley and a splash of vinegar. The vegetables reflect what is abundant at the end of summer, while the lentils keep the meal simple and substantial.

It isn’t a reconstruction of something Augustine ate. Instead, it’s the kind of feast-day recipe I love most: historically inspired, seasonally practical and completely reasonable to make for dinner on a work night.

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
• 3 cups water
• 1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into half-moons
• 1 small onion, cut into wedges
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus more to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or lightly coat it with olive oil.
   
2. Add the eggplant, zucchini and onion to the pan. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper.
   
3. Roast for 25–30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and browned around the edges.
   
4. Meanwhile, place the lentils and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 20–25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape. Drain well.
   
5. Transfer the warm lentils to a serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables, remaining tablespoon of olive oil, parsley and red wine vinegar.
   
6. Toss gently and taste. Add additional salt, pepper or vinegar as needed.

Serving Suggestion

Serve the lentils warm or at room temperature with rustic bread, olives and fresh fruit for a simple St. Augustine feast. You could also add roasted or grilled chicken if you want a larger family dinner.

For dessert, I’d seriously consider pears—not because they were Augustine’s favorite, but because of his famous account of stealing pears in Book II of the Confessions.

10 More Recipes to Honor Saint Maximilian Kolbe

Tajine Zitoune — Algerian Chicken and Olive Stew

St. Augustine was born in Thagaste and later served as bishop of Hippo, both in what is now Algeria. It is only right that an Algerian main dish connects the table to the landscape of his life. This one-pot Tajine Zitoune combines tender chicken, carrots, green olives, lemon, and warm North African spices for a hearty meal that feels special without requiring difficult techniques.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

This bright Moroccan Carrot Salad brings the flavors of the wider Maghreb to a St. Augustine table with olive oil, lemon, cumin, paprika, herbs, and sumac. It can be prepared ahead of time (and actually benefits from resting), making it an especially practical feast-day side when the rest of dinner is already underway.

Zaalouk — Moroccan Eggplant and Tomato Dip

Late August is an ideal time to make good use of eggplant and tomatoes. Zaalouk turns both vegetables into a flavorful North African side dish mixed with garlic, olive oil, herbs, cumin, paprika, and lemon. Serve it warm or at room temperature with bread as an appetizer or alongside the main meal. It’s a simple way to bring both the season and the flavors of the Maghreb to the table.

Chorba Frik — Algerian Freekeh Soup

For an especially strong connection to Augustine’s Algerian homeland, try Chorba Frik. It’s a hearty North African soup made with lamb, chickpeas, tomatoes, herbs, warm spices, and cracked freekeh. The combination of meat, grain, legumes, and vegetables makes this substantial enough to anchor the meal, while a squeeze of lemon keeps the rich broth bright.

Moroccan Couscous with Lamb and Vegetables

Couscous is one of North Africa’s most recognizable foods. This Moroccan Couscous with Lamb and Vegetables make this version a fitting choice for a feast inspired by Augustine’s homeland. Lamb, chickpeas, couscous, and an abundance of stewed vegetables are turned into a colorful communal meal. Even better, this version is designed for the stovetop without requiring a traditional couscoussier.

Fish Tagine with Chermoula

Fish has deep roots in Mediterranean cooking. This Moroccan-style Fish Tagine with Chermoula offers another way to enjoyr African food culture surrounding Augustine’s homeland. Firm white fish is cooked with potatoes, olives, onions, saffron, lemon, garlic, herbs, and a boldly seasoned chermoula sauce. Serve it with bread for soaking up the fragrant sauce.

Algerian-Inspired Mint Tea

Finish the meal with a simple sweet tea flavored with mint. This particular Mint Tea recipe combines Earl Grey with dried mint and can be served either hot or iced, perfect for St. Augustine’s feast day in late summer. The recipe is a modern take on traditional mint tea of the region, and it gives the meal an easy North African finishing touch.

Kesra — Algerian Semolina Bread

Kesra a fitting addition to a meal inspired by St. Augustine’s North African homeland. Bread would have been a basic part of the Mediterranean diet in the region. This traditional Algerian flatbread is made primarily with semolina and olive oil, with a pleasantly rustic texture that makes it especially good for scooping up stews, soups, and sauces.

Meskouta – Moroccan Orange Cake

For dessert, Meskouta offers a simple North African alternative to a heavily decorated celebration cake. Fresh orange juice gives this Moroccan sponge-style cake its bright flavor and moist crumb, and it is sweet enough to serve without frosting. It is just the kind of un-fussy dessert that works well after a generous feast day dinner.

Makrouts — Semolina, Date, and Honey Cookies

Makrouts are traditional Maghrebi pastries with strong Algerian connections. These tasty morsels are made from semolina filled with cinnamon-scented date paste, then fried or baked and dipped in honey flavored with orange blossom water. To put it simply, it is a combination of grains, dates, and honey that beautifully reflects the ingredients and flavors of North Africa.

FAQ About St. Augustine’s Feast Day

When is the Feast of St. Augustine?

The Catholic Church celebrates St. Augustine of Hippo on August 28. His mother, St. Monica, is celebrated immediately before him on August 27. Her feast makes these two feast days especially meaningful to celebrate together as a family.

Which food is traditionally eaten on St. Augustine’s feast day?

There isn’t one universally established Catholic dish that was widely eaten for St. Augustine’s feast. Therefore, I adopted a historically responsible approach, which was to build the meal around Augustine’s North African homeland, the foods of the Mediterranean world, and details we actually know from his writings.

Wheat and bread, olive oil, wine, legumes, vegetables and other Mediterranean staples belonged to the food culture surrounding Roman North Africa. Augustine himself mentions ordinary foods including bread, vegetables and wine in his writings.

Why include bread for St. Augustine?

Bread is one of the strongest food connections we have. Augustine records in the Confessions that his mother Monica brought cakes, bread and wine to the shrines of martyrs according to a custom she practiced in Africa. A homemade loaf or flatbread therefore makes a simple, historically grounded addition to the feast.

Why are there Algerian recipes in this roundup?

Augustine was born in Tagaste and later became Bishop of Hippo in Roman North Africa. Both places lie within modern Algeria. St. Augustine did not actually eat these meals you see above. Instead, they honor the geography of his life and introduce families to the food traditions of the region that now encompasses his homeland.

What produce is seasonal around August 28?

Late August is an abundant time for tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, beans and other summer vegetables. Grapes, pears and plums also begin appearing around this time in many regions. That makes a produce-heavy Mediterranean meal both seasonally sensible and appropriate for the feast.

Can I celebrate without making any of these recipes?

Absolutely. Buy bread. Put olives and grapes in two bowls. Make whatever dinner you were already planning.

The point is not to recreate Augustine’s kitchen. The point is to remember a saint in the life of the Church and let that remembrance enter your family’s ordinary day.

Prayer for the Feast of St. Augustine

Lord, thank You for bringing us together around this table.

Today we remember St. Augustine and the many years he spent searching for You.

Help us to keep looking for what is true and good, especially when the answers do not come easily.

Give us hearts that are willing to change, courage to follow You more closely, and patience with one another as we grow.

Bless this food, the hands that prepared it, and everyone gathered here.

St. Augustine, pray for us.

Amen.

Save

Buy me a coffee