Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year and the first of the religion’s autumnal High Holy Days. It’s a time to pause and absorb the simple pleasures of family, and, of course, to feast. Slowly braised dishes embrace the meditative nature of the holiday, while crisp fall apples in a variety of desserts and sides conjure the sweetness of the year to come. You’ll also find lots of fish, which serves as a symbol of blessings to come. And there’s always plenty of challah on the table. Scroll down for more of our favorite Rosh Hashanah recipes.
Before frying fish, Bishara gently rubs their skin and inner cavities with salt, then rinses. This trick seasons and cleans the fish, readying them for dredging. Get the recipe for Galilee-Style Whole Fried Fish »
Get the Recipe for Brussels Sprouts with Horseradish and Pomegranate Seeds »
Packed full of glowing winter produce—sweet roasted beets, tart pomegranate seeds—this lentil salad makes a colorful addition to the winter table. Pair it with chicken, beef, lamb, or fish, or serve it as a vegetarian main; it’s hearty enough to stand on its own. Get the recipe for Lentil Salad with Beets and Pomegranate »
This simple salad is lighter and more modern compared to traditionally heavy Norman dishes. It pairs crisp celery root—a vegetable grown in abundance in the region—with raw apples. Get the recipe for Apple, Celeriac, and Carrot Salad »
In Jewish tradition, this hearty braise of beef or chicken, root vegetables, grains, and a lightly sweet sauce is slow-cooked overnight then eaten for lunch on the Sabbath. Today, many cooks prepare their cholent this way in a slow cooker. But if you are not observing the Sabbath, a quicker, stovetop cholent can be ready to eat in a few hours. Get the recipe for Nana Nicky’s Cholent »
Fluffy, brioche-like Challah rolls are traditionally served on Jewish holidays. During Rosh Hashanah, the top is sometimes brushed with honey. Get the recipe for Challah Knots »
True miel de lavande, the honey from Provence produced by bees that feed primarily on lavender blossoms, imparts a creamy texture and distinctive flavor and scent to a simple ice cream. Get the recipe for Lavender Honey Ice Cream »
A delicious way to use leftover rye bread, this sweet pudding enhances the bread’s tangy flavor with the addition of spices and dried fruits. Get the recipe for Maizes Zupa »
Perfumed with honey and citrus, spiced cake made with honey is a classic at Jewish holiday tables. To make this recipe pareve for meat meals, replace the butter for greasing the pan with canola oil. Get the recipe for Lekach »
When former Saveur.com editor Helen Rosner found herself snowed in with no brown sugar, she created a chocolate chip cookie made with honey as the sweetener. A deep, spicy honey like sourwood works best, though any honey will do. Get the recipe for Honey Chocolate Chip Cookies »
This classic room temperature salad pairs sweet roasted beats against the sharpness of creamy blue cheese, bridged by a sprinkled topping of toasted walnuts. Get the recipe for Beet and Walnut Salad »
Slightly bitter when raw, endives develop a complex sweetness when roasted. This seasonal recipe combines them with parsnips, drizzled with a sweet, grassy sauce of olive oil, butter, honey, and thyme. Get the recipe for Honey-Roasted Belgian Endives and Parsnips »
