Rosh HaShana Recipes

Rosh Hashanah. The Jewish New Year. This time of year conjures up so many memories and images: New shoes and new clothes for the holiday. Apples and honey. Pomegranate seeds. New fruits. Blowing shofar. Time with family. Time with old friends, and often, making new friends. Good times for everyone, right? Well, almost everyone. Holiday time can be very stressful for the person (let’s be honest – usually the “woman of the house”) who has to cook all that food for all those people. And this year is an added exception: 2 days of Rosh Hashanah + 1 day of Shabbat = never ending preparation for this three-day-fest. By the time the holiday begins, most of us are ready to drop. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can bake our cake and stay up long enough to enjoy it too. 

This recipe is from Levana Kirschenbaum’s new cookbook, The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen.
I developed this wonderful recipe to accommodate kosher diners after a meat meal as well as dairy intolerant diners. Although it is delicious as is, feel free to substitute dairy ice cream for the sorbet, keeping the color scheme monochromatic: vanilla, coffee, chocolate. I tried with a red layer (berry) and found it disrupted the earthy color and flavor theme.
 

The short and dazzling flavor lineup does its magic with practically no work. You will never say you are bored of salmon again! Bluefish will be suitable here, as well as any thick white fish (bass, mahimahi, halibut, etc.).

This recipe is from Levana Kirschenbaum’s new cookbook, The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen.

Spend a wonderful evening with a few French classics and some wine to go with dinner! By the way, my bourguignon has been included in Joan Schwartz’s charming book, deceptively innocent, called Meat and Potatoes. My secret ingredient here is crème de cassis, the wonderful black currant liqueur. To peel tiny onions, throw them in a pot of boiling water for just one minute: The skins will slip right off. Better yet, get frozen tiny onions (also called cocktail onions). This dish reheats very well and improves with age, so go ahead and make it a day or two ahead.
 

Serves 12-15

Here's a confession. When I first got married, I was terrified of making chicken soup. Everyone's mother made "the best" -- and I never thought I could measure up! I finally watched a good friend make a pot of soup, made a couple of my own adaptations, and ta da! Success! It's a dish that gets better the longer you cook it, and freezes well. This soup is so rich that for me, it is often a meal on its own.

Serves 8.

The picture of this dish doesn't do it justice! The apple butter and the wine give the chicken a lastingly sweet taste -- a great way to start the New Year. This apple butter chicken recipe takes almost no time to prepare. It tastes best when it is freshly made. Because you are using chicken thighs, this dish will retain its moist texture even when it is reheated. For even results, divide this recipe between 2 skillets rather than reusing a single pan. When I tested this recipe out on my husband and some friends, there wasn't a morsel left!

Makes 3 loaves or one 9x13 pan.

The honey cake served at my childhood home was generally brick-like, left untouched by children, and gobbled up by the older generations. This cake is sweet, light and fluffy, with a delicious honey coating, and my kids gobbled a loaf of it in a single sitting. Wrapped tightly, it freezes very well.

Serves 6

Here's what I love about this dish: With the exception of the fresh pomegranate seeds, I keep all of these ingredients in my fridge/freezer/pantry. This recipe is great for making ahead, or just throwing together if you have last-minute company. Just don't forget to keep basting the chicken, or your dried fruit will scorch.

Yields 8-12 slices

I'm actually embarrassed to call this a "recipe." All you need is a loaf of your favorite brand of frozen gefilte fish. You have the option to sprinkle this dish with seasoning if you prefer, but it tastes great on its own. It's so easy to make and is always a crowd pleaser.

There are certain desserts that automatically elicit that gasp from the crowd. Pomegranate Chocolate Mousse Tart is a holiday-friendly, gorgeous showstopper. Sprinkling pomegranate seeds across the top of the tart, makes it perfect for Rosh HaShana.

Serves 8.

Apples, apples everywhere! Here’s another way to toast the New Year and to enjoy apples – without getting honey all over your tablecloth! Note: even though this drink’s color is right out of your crayon box, it is NOT for little hands.

Serves 8

Who says pomegranates are just for eating? One of these days I hope to become a certified mixologist. Still, I'm pretty good with putting together delicious cocktails. Here's one that's sure to please your adult crowd on Rosh HaShanah (and all year round)! 

Makes 24 muffins.

I decided to play around with a couple of my muffin/kugel recipes and came up with this delicious side dish. Your kids can help with this recipe: the big kids and measure and mix and the little ones can line the muffin tins with cupcake liners. Wrapped tightly, these muffins freeze well.

The debate rages on: Is apple cobbler a side dish or a dessert? I grew up in a home where sweet dishes were strictly for dessert. If you're saving this apple cobbler for the end of your meal, consider serving it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. But why not serve it as a side dish? Either way, this apple cobbler is the perfect complement to your Rosh HaShana meal.

Makes two challahs.

Just in time for Rosh HaShana our winning challah recipe! Congratulations to Lori Gerson, the winner of ChallahPalooza.

A great twist on the standard cheesecake recipe. The cream cheese in the batter gives this cake lots of moisture!

This moist and simple recipe serves up apples and honey!

Makes One Challah

Surprise your family and guests by infusing your challot with sweetness!

A no fail cake is the way to go when you are cooking for a crowd.

Serves 5

A healthy version of southern fried chicken with a hint of honey.

Serves 4

A little bit of honey adds Rosh HaShana to this delicious salmon dish!

Serves 5

Children and adults all love this sweet chicken. It’s a family hit.

Serves 6

This simple salad gives us two Rosh HaShana favorites in its ingredient list: apples and pomegranate seeds.

Serves 6.

This dish truly embodies Rosh HaShana ingredients. This is the recipe mentioned in our YouTube video on seeding a pomegranate.

Serves 8

A lighter version of the standard zucchini kugel. A great addition to Shabbat or holiday meal.

Serves 6

A Syrian dish traditionally made on Rosh HaShana, makes a delicious latke on Chanukah!

Serves 6

The Hebrew word for many is similar to the Hebrew word for black-eyed peas. This blessing asks that our merits be as plentiful as the black-eyed peas.