The Feast of St. Nicholas arrives on December 6, just a few days into Advent, exactly at the point when many families are beginning to feel the holiday season speeding up.

Nicholas was a fourth-century bishop of Myra in Lycia, on the Mediterranean coast of what is now Turkey. We do not know much about his life considering how famous he eventually became. Later Christian tradition tells us that he was born at Patara, inherited wealth from his parents, gave generously to the poor. He suffered during the Christian persecutions under Diocletian, and became known for protecting children, travelers, sailors, and people in need.

The story most closely associated with Nicholas tells of a poor father unable to provide dowries for his three daughters. Nicholas secretly provided bags of gold, protecting the family from having to take other desperate measures. Over the centuries, that small act of generosity became connected with coins, small gifts, stockings, and shoes filled overnight with treats. In the Netherlands and other parts of northern Europe, children still leave out shoes on his feast day and receive fruit, nuts, sweets, or small gifts.

But celebrating his feast day does not have to be limited to the Hallmark traditions we see every year. There are numerous food traditions around the world that honor St. Nicholas, and many of them are below!

A Personal Note from My Kitchen

What surprised me most while researching St. Nicholas was how little we actually know about what he personally ate—and how enormous the food tradition surrounding him eventually became.

Did the fourth-century Bishop of Myra spend Advent eating cinnamon cookies in the Netherlands? Most likely not.

I think the real history is more interesting.

Nicholas belonged to the eastern Mediterranean world. His ordinary food would have included grain, olive oil, legumes, vegetables, fruit, and whatever fish or animal foods were locally available. Centuries later, his relics arrived in Bari. His devotion spread through Europe. Different families and cultures then brought their own ingredients to his feast.

The food changed, but the saint remained.

You may also be interested in…

• Catholic Feast Day Recipes for September
• Catholic Feast Day Recipes for August
• 11 Recipes for the Feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe
• 11 Recipes for the Feast of St. John Paul II
• Simple Pantry Chicken Soup

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Lycian-Inspired Barley, Lentil & Leek Soup

This soup brings traditional Late Roman ingredients into a modern December kitchen.

Pearled barley makes it hearty, lentils add protein, and leeks and cabbage keep it firmly within winter cuisine. A generous finish of olive oil and a small splash of vinegar give an otherwise humble pot of soup considerably more life.

It also happens to be inexpensive, meatless, make-ahead friendly, and completely reasonable to cook on a weekday during Advent.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large leek, white and light-green parts thinly sliced and thoroughly washed
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
• 1/2 cup pearled barley, rinsed
• 8 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 cups finely shredded green cabbage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1–2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley, optional

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add the leek and onion. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not deeply browned.
3. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the lentils, barley, water or broth, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, salt, and several turns of black pepper.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for about 30 minutes.
6. Add the shredded cabbage and continue cooking for another 10–15 minutes, or until the barley and lentils are tender.
7. Remove the bay leaves. If the soup has thickened more than you prefer, stir in a little additional hot water.
8. Add the red wine vinegar, beginning with 1 tablespoon. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and vinegar.
9. Ladle into bowls and finish each serving with a drizzle of the remaining olive oil and chopped parsley if using.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this soup with rustic bread, olives, and sliced pears or mandarins.

For a larger St. Nicholas dinner, add baked fish alongside the soup. For an extremely simple celebration, make the soup the entire meal and put a few chocolate gold coins at each place setting.

The soup also keeps well for several days, although the barley will continue absorbing broth. Add a little water when reheating.

10 More Recipes for the Feast of St. Nicholas

Kırmızı Mercimek Çorbası (Turkish Red Lentil Soup)

St. Nicholas lived in Lycia, part of modern-day Turkey, so Kırmızı Mercimek Çorbası is a natural soup to enjoy on his feast day. This version is especially practical because red lentils soften quickly and create a velvety soup without cream. Carrots, onion, spices, and a squeeze of lemon turn inexpensive pantry ingredients into something substantial enough for a cold December dinner. In 30 minutes, the soup is ready and makes an excellent feast-day option for a working family. Serve it with purchased flatbread (or any bread) and dinner is done.

Tiella Barese (Puglian Mussels, Rice & Potatoes)

St. Nicholas is known not only as Nicholas of Myra but also as Nicholas of Bari because sailors from Bari brought his relics there in 1087. The Basilica di San Nicola remains his great Italian shrine. Tiella Barese layers mussels, rice, potatoes, tomatoes, herbs, olive oil, and cheese into one baking dish. Everything cooks together once the ingredients are assembled. Save this one for a Sunday St. Nicholas celebration or prepare the ingredients ahead for an impressive one-dish supper.

Baked Carp with Tomato and Oregano

In Bulgaria, the most traditional centerpiece for St. Nicholas’ Feast Day is carp. This Baked Carp with Tomato and Oregano is a simpler version than the traditional stuffed ribnik that is sometimes enjoyed. A whole carp is baked with tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, lemon, salt, and pepper. For families curious about celebrating the feast through Eastern European custom, making this recipe is one of the clearest (and more manageable) way of doing so.

Erwtensoep (Dutch Split Pea Soup)

Erwtensoep is the wonderfully thick Dutch split pea soup sometimes called snert. It is traditionally packed with peas, vegetables, pork, and sausage. Dutch St. Nicholas celebrations have long included hearty winter foods alongside the better-known sweets, and pea soup appears among the dishes served for St. Nicholas gatherings. This is cold-weather food in the most practical sense: inexpensive ingredients, a pot large enough to feed everyone, and leftovers that taste even better after the flavors have had time to settle. It also gives the feast-day table some needed balance if you plan to bring out speculaas or almond pastry afterward.

Rode Kool met Appeltjes (Dutch Red Cabbage with Apples)

This traditional Rode Kool met Appeltjes balances sweet apples with cabbage, warming spices, and acidity. Cabbage and apples are also both excellent winter ingredients, making this one of the recipes here that works especially well for families trying to cook with the season. Andrea’s version takes about half an hour and adds balsamic vinegar for a slightly modern twist. Serve it with roast pork, sausages, beef, or even a simple baked chicken.

Weckmänner (St. Nicholas Bread Men)

These little bread figures go by a remarkable number of names depending on the German-speaking region: Weckmanner, Stutenkerl, Klausenmann, Grittibänz, and others. Made from a lightly sweetened yeast dough and decorated with raisins, the breads are both food and family activity. They do require rising time, so I would not put them on the same evening agenda as three other homemade dishes. Mix the dough earlier in the day, bake them the night before, or make the bread itself the feast-day project. Children can help shape the figures, and any slightly lopsided bishops will still taste perfectly good

Dutch Speculaas Cookies

Few foods are as closely associated with St. Nicholas in northern Europe as Speculaas. These crisp Dutch spice cookies are traditionally made with warming spices and often pressed into carved molds, including figures of St. Nicholas himself. Curious Cuisiniere’s version is particularly useful for a home cook because you do not need an antique wooden St. Nicholas mold to make it work. The dough can simply be rolled and cut, with sliced almonds added for decoration. Better still, the dough can be refrigerated ahead of time.

Banketstaaf (Dutch Almond Pastry Log)

Banketstaaf is one of those recipes that looks considerably more ambitious than it actually is. Laura’s version requires only puff pastry, almond paste, and eggs. The almond filling makes this richer and more festive than an everyday pastry, while store-bought puff pastry keeps the actual work minimal. Almonds also fit beautifully with the nuts commonly given among traditional St. Nicholas treats. Serve thin slices with coffee or tea after dinner.

Kruidnoten (Dutch St. Nicholas Spice Cookies)

Kruidnoten are the small, round, crisp spice cookies many people casually call pepernoten, although the two are technically different Dutch treats. They are deeply tied to the Sinterklaas season and are traditionally scattered or handed out to children along with other small sweets. The Dutch Table gives a straightforward recipe flavored with cinnamon, anise, white pepper, and ginger. Their small size is part of what makes them fun for families: children can roll the dough into little balls, and a finished batch can be mixed with chocolate coins for a simple St. Nicholas treat.

Bisschopswijn (Dutch Bishop’s Wine)

Bisschopswijn is a Dutch mulled wine traditionally associated with Sinterklaas Eve. It combines red wine with warming spices and citrus. Older versions commonly include a clove-studded orange or lemon, cinnamon, sugar, and sometimes mace or saffron. The Winter Cocktail version keeps the method especially simple: everything warms gently together on the stove, so the preparation is closer to making tea than mixing cocktails individually. This is obviously an adults-only addition to the feast, but it can be lovely if St. Nicholas Day becomes an evening meal shared with grandparents or friends. Frequently Asked Questions About the Feast of St. Nicholas

When is the Feast of St. Nicholas?

The Catholic Church celebrates St. Nicholas on December 6.

Because the feast falls early in Advent, it can be a wonderful first seasonal tradition before Christmas itself arrives. In many European countries, celebrations begin on the evening of December 5, when children leave out shoes to be filled with treats overnight.

What foods are traditionally eaten on St. Nicholas Day?

There is no single universal St. Nicholas meal.

Dutch and Belgian celebrations are especially associated with speculaas, kruidnoten or pepernoten, almond pastries, chocolate, fruit, nuts, and warming drinks. German-speaking regions have shaped breads such as Weckmann or Stutenkerl. Bulgarian Nikulden traditions center on fish, particularly carp. Different Catholic and Orthodox cultures developed their own foods as devotion to St. Nicholas spread across Europe.

What did St. Nicholas himself probably eat?

We do not know what Nicholas personally enjoyed eating.

He lived in fourth-century Lycia in the eastern Roman Empire. The wider Mediterranean diet of that period depended heavily on grain, bread, olive oil, legumes, vegetables, fruits, wine, and, particularly in coastal areas, fish and seafood. Meat was available but was generally less central to ordinary diets than grain and plant foods.

That is why lentils, barley, bread, olives, vegetables, and fish make historically responsible inspirations for the feast even though we cannot claim Nicholas ate a particular recipe.

Why is fish eaten for St. Nicholas?

St. Nicholas has been honored for centuries as a patron of sailors, fishermen, travelers, and people in danger at sea.

That devotion became particularly visible in places with strong maritime traditions. In Bulgaria, December 6 is Nikulden, and carp became the traditional center of the meal. Some versions are stuffed with rice, onions, walnuts, and herbs or wrapped completely in dough.

A family does not have to prepare carp specifically. Any simple fish dinner can make the connection accessible.

Prayer for the Feast of St. Nicholas

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for St. Nicholas
and for the generosity he showed to people who needed help.

Teach us to notice the needs around us,
to give without always needing recognition,
and to be generous with what You have given us.

Bless this food,
the hands that prepared it,
and everyone gathered around our table.

During this Advent season,
help our family prepare not only our home,
but our hearts for Christ.

St. Nicholas, pray for us.

Amen.

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