Chag Sameach! This Hanukkah, don’t stress over dinner. We rounded up eight amazing dishes that you can share with friends and family without breaking the bank or spending hours in the kitchen. Most can be prepped partially or fully in advance! Happy Hanukkah—wishing you a celebration filled with love, happiness, and light.
Balsamic and Brown Sugar Brisket
There are many ways to cook a brisket, but this method from Kitchn results in crispy caramelized edges and a deeply savory flavor. Consider cooking this dish a day in advance to allow the juices to fully permeate the meat!
BA’s Best Matzo Ball Soup
Bon Appétit’s matzo ball soup was designed to serve a crowd! Feel free to pull this recipe together in one sitting or prep the matzo balls a few days in advance—they’ll taste just as good, if not better, two days later.
Chocolate Babka
Babka is a sweet braided bread or cake that originated in the Jewish communities of Poland and Ukraine. Although you can make your babka filling with pistachios, cinnamon, or many other variations, this chocolate version from Once Upon a Chef finds the perfect balance between the sweet dough and the bitter chocolate.
Liz’s Shabbat Apple Cake
Hungry Couple’s apple cake recipe, which comes from the book Food from Our Ancestors: The Ultimate Jewish Shabbat Dinner, may spark childhood memories for Jewish American cooks. Don’t skip step 5 in the directions, which calls for carefully layering the batter in the pan, as this will help your apple pieces remain well-distributed in the cake.
Classic Latkes
Every Jewish family has their own take on latkes, the crispy potato pancakes that are a staple at most Hanukkah celebrations. If you happen to be looking for a new recipe, consider this take from Kitchn, which streamlines the ingredient list and employs chicken schmaltz for frying to produce the crispiest possible final product.
Noodle Kugel
Kugel, or sweet egg noodle casserole, is another Jewish dish that lends itself to endless variations. This dense and rich version from The Mom 100 uses orange zest and juice to keep the flavors balanced and to add a subtle citrusy kick.
Sufganiyot (Israeli Donuts)
During Hanukkah, foods fried in oil symbolize the miracle of oil that burned for eight days instead of one. These pillowy, powdered treats are eaten around the world this time of year. Use Once Upon a Chef’s dough and frying technique as your base, but don’t be afraid to mix up the fillings to suit your family’s taste!
Homemade Hanukkah Gelt
To pull off these homemade chocolate coins from Oh! Nuts, you don’t need any special equipment: A simple muffin tin is all that’s required to create perfectly round candies! We recommend adding orange zest or crushed-up cereal to some of your chocolates for a fun surprise.
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