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Hanukkah is the Jewish festival of lights, a holiday that commemorates the Maccabean revolt and the rededication of the Jewish temple in the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days (and eight crazy nights!), in honor of the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight full nights in the Holy Temple.This means you’ll need to plan for eight Hanukkah celebration dinners. That’s a lot of good eating! Of course, having a lot of delicious Hanukkah recipes to choose from makes it easier.
In the roundup below, you’ll find an assortment of unique and flavorful kosher Hanukkah recipe options, including appetizers, salads, entrees, sides, and desserts. There are plenty of ideas to inspire you as you plan your holiday menu. I’ve gathered some tried-and-true favorite Hanukkah recipes, including some dishes I’ve recently updated. Additionally I’ve added some less traditional dishes that would be right at home on a Hanukkah menu. Scroll down for over fifty delicious recipe ideas!
What Foods are Traditional for Hanukkah?
For a lot of Jews, Hanukkah means latkes – or potato pancakes. And yes, there are latke recipes here. LOTS of them, including traditional recipes and some more unique takes on the latke concept. Of course there are also plenty of recipes for loved ones who are gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian that everyone will love.
This list includes traditional Ashkenazi Hanukkah recipes like sufganiyot, kugel, brisket, and chopped liver. Furthermore, I’ve included Sephardic Jewish Hanukkah dishes like keftes and buñuelos. All of the recipes on this list are kosher. However, the list includes both dairy recipes and meat recipes. If you’re planning a kosher holiday meal, you’ll want to make sure to serve meat dishes and dairy dishes separately – so choose your menu accordingly.
New to the Hanukkah holiday and wondering what it’s all about? You can read more here, or watch my Hanukkah video above.
HANUKKAH RECIPES
Classic Potato Latkes
A classic Hanukkah recipe! Learn to make crispy, flavorful Jewish potato latkes for Hanukkah with potato shreds, schmaltz or vegetable oil, onions, and matzo meal. Don't forget the sour cream and homemade applesauce!
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Sufganiyot
Fried and delectably sweet, these jelly doughnuts are traditional Hanukkah fare. Since they can be a bit tricky to make, here you'll find all the steps and troubleshooting tips you'll need to cook up perfect sufganiyot.
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Holiday Brisket
Inspired by Ashkenazi-style sweet and sour brisket, this tender and aromatic brisket is always a a favorite.
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Gluten Free Crispy Yukon Gold Latkes
Latkes for all of your gluten free loved ones! Made bite-sized and extra crispy with just six simple ingredients.
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Oven Roasted Root Vegetables
This beautiful side dish is perfect for a holiday table. Roasting root vegetables brings out their natural sweetness, giving them a flavor and texture that is irresistible.
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Chopped Liver
This classic Jewish spread is very popular during the holidays. Learn to make it the traditional way at the link below.
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Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes
Rosemary chicken pieces roasted on a bed of potatoes, fresh rosemary, garlic, and lemon. Easy, healthy and delicious roasted chicken recipe.
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Kartoffelpuffer – Baked Vegan Latkes
These vegan and gluten free potato patties are baked, not fried, making them a slightly healthier alternative to the classic Hanukkah latke. They are bound by tahini, which gives them a wonderful flavor.
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Jewish Sweet and Sour Meatballs
This simple appetizer recipe is popular during Hanukkah and so simple to make. It also makes a great entree option and works well for any holiday celebration.
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Kale Caesar Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
A delicious kale Caesar salad with creamy roasted garlic dressing, Parmesan, panko breadcrumbs and crushed red pepper flakes on massaged kale.
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Savory Slow Cooker Brisket
Free up your oven by making this easy, tender, and delicious brisket in the slow cooker. A combination of spices, onions, and garlic lend a wonderful savory flavor to this holiday entree.
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Smoked Salmon Crostini
Recipe for a delicious smoked salmon holiday appetizer with a light Greek yogurt cream cheese spread, fresh dill, and capers.
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Latke Waffles
Wondering what to serve for breakfast during Hanukkah? While you could certainly serve traditional latkes, it's much more fun to prepare them as waffles.
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Buñuelos with Warm Chocolate Sauce
Sephardic-inspired sweet buñuelos, also known as bimuelos or levivot, are small fried doughnut fritters. Serve them with warm chocolate sauce for a totally decadent Hanukkah dessert.
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Jewish Fried Artichokes
Follow this recipe and step-by-step photo tutorial to make crispy and savory Jewish Fried Artichokes. You'll also find all of the necessary steps for cleaning and prepping artichokes.
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Aunt Bev’s Vegetarian Chopped Liver
Learn to make delicious vegetarian chopped liver with sautéed onions, hard boiled eggs, peas, and walnuts.
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Fig Salad with Kale and Halloumi
This nutritious and delicious fig salad recipe features fresh figs, halloumi cheese, walnuts, massaged kale, and a flavorful balsamic dressing.
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Uri Buri’s Lemon Turmeric Salmon
An easy, delicious salmon recipe from Chef Uri Jeremias of Uri Buri Restaurant in Acre, Israel.
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Eggnog Gingerbread Kugel
An easy, decadent, sweet noodle kugel dessert inspired by the flavors of the winter holiday season – eggnog and gingerbread. It can be made ahead and makes a great addition to any holiday potluck.
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Crispy Panko Potato Latkes
A slight variation on classic latkes. Make perfectly crispy panko potato latkes with a fluffy, flavorful center using this step-by-step tutorial with photos.
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Jeweled Black Rice Salad
A beautiful and healthy side dish, fit for a fancy occasion and even better when made ahead. The colorful mixture of black rice, squash, and fruit is dotted with jewel-like pomegranate arils and filled with layers of flavor.
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Sweet Potato Latkes with Brown Sugar Syrup
All of the flavors of traditional marshmallow topped sweet potato casserole in a sweet and savory sweet potato latke. You'll love them, trust me.
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Kale Pear and Cranberry Salad
A simple and healthy massaged kale salad with olive oil, lemon juice, pears, dried cranberries, and pine nuts.
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Curry Vegetable Latkes
A crispy, tasty, and healthier alternative to potato latkes, made from vegetables with a wonderful curry spice flavor.
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Spicy Roasted Carrots and Fennel
The perfect dish to add some color to your holiday table. Roasting carrots and fennel gives these vegetables a sweet touch that pairs well with a pinch of spicy heat.
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Keftes de Espinaca
My late friend and food historian Gil Marks shares how to make keftes de espinaca – fried patties made with spinach, mashed potatoes, egg, and breadcrumbs.
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Sweet Potato Coconut Chremslach
These crisp and fluffy sweet potato pancakes are made with coconut and spiced with garam masala for a delish holiday treat.
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No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Parfaits
This simple and decadent no-bake dessert features dark chocolate, ricotta, and Greek yogurt. It's fast, easy to make ahead, and so delicious.
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Cheese Latkes
Learn the history of latkes, dating back to 13th century Italy, and a recipe for Italian-style ricotta cheese latkes.
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Keftes de Prassa
A recipe for Sephardic fried leek patties from my late friend and food historian, Gil Marks.
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Roasted Cauliflower Gratin
A gratin made from creamy cheese sauce and caramelized roasted cauliflower. I've also provided an easy, gluten-free modification.
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Red Rice and Beet Cakes with Honey Mustard
A unique vegetarian appetizer or entree from Maria Speck's Simply Ancient Grains. These beet and oat cakes are fried until crispy and served with a tangy-sweet sauce that balances the savory flavor perfectly.
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Spicy Panko Chickpea Patties
Make a crispy, crunchy, and tasty vegetarian snack with this simple falafel-like recipe.
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Middle Eastern Roasted Vegetable Rice
Fluffy basmati rice with turmeric & Middle Eastern spices, roasted eggplant and carrots, chickpeas, and pine nuts.Makes a fabulous vegetarian entree or side dish.
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Israeli-Style Fish Cakes
Seasoned fishcakes, known in Israel as ktzitzot dagim. Fried fish patties with pine nuts, breadcrumbs, & seasonings served with tahini sauce.
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Yemenite-Style Matzo Ball Soup
A Middle Eastern take on an Ashkenazi classic, this traditional Passover soup takes on a new personality with Yemenite spices and fresh cilantro. The chicken is slowly simmered with turmeric and black pepper, an anti-inflammatory powerhouse combination. The result is a deep golden, richly spiced broth with fluffy herbed matzo balls.
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Roasted Vegetable Moussaka
A Mediterranean recipe that takes a bit of time and preparation to put together, but the effort is well worth it. The finished dish is a layered vegetarian casserole with loads of flavor, impressive enough for a holiday table.
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Portobello Mushroom Schnitzel
A deliciously crunchy, vegan, beer-battered mushroom schnitzel recipe made with panko breadcrumbs. Can also be made with seltzer instead of beer.
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Rum and Coffee Brisket
A unique recipe for rum and coffee infused beef brisket cooked with onions, garlic and red bell peppers. Savory and perfect for the holidays.
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Hummus Baked Vegan Moussaka
A crave-worthy vegan casserole with layers of flavorful roasted vegetables, a lentil-mushroom filling, and a delectable baked hummus topping.
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Saffron Chickpea Risotto
Golden, creamy saffron-infused vegetarian risotto with added chickpeas for complete protein. This hearty and filling entree is irresistible!
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Smoky Panko Schnitzel Bites
Recipe for bite-sized chicken schnitzel pieces coated in smoky, crispy panko breadcrumbs with sesame, served with warm honey sriracha sauce.
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Challah Bread Pudding with Kahlua Cream Sauce
A rich and decadent bread pudding recipe featuring eggy challah, raisins or chocolate chips, and luscious Kahlua cream sauce. My “famous” family recipe!
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Savory Grass Fed Pot Roast
My favorite way to prepare an organic, grass fed roast. Recipe contains anti-inflammatory turmeric and a few other Middle Eastern spices to add depth of flavor. Serve over your favorite vegetables for a complete meal.
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Hanukkah Holiday Sugar Cookies
I made lots and lots of sugar cookies decorated with royal icing so that I could share my tips and tricks with all of you! These tender crisp cookies are the perfect canvas for all of your holiday designs. Includes tutorials for royal icing and decorating.
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Polish Chicken Patties
A traditional Ashkenazi Jewish family recipe for Polish chicken patties also known as ktzitzot.
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Hanukkah Fritter Sundaes
Simple Hanukkah holiday sundaes made with fresh whipped cream, luscious chocolate sauce, and crisp warm fritters.
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Mediterranean Olive Chicken
This healthy, marinated roast chicken recipe is packed with Mediterranean flavor thanks to a marinade of green olives, lime, honey, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. It's great anytime of year, but special enough for Hanukkah.
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Date Glazed Orange Chicken
Sweet, flavorful recipe for orange and thyme-marinated roasted chicken glazed with date honey. Lovely holiday recipe.
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Braised Lemon Chicken with Dill and Turmeric
Simple braised chicken dish flavored with lemon juice, fresh dill, and healthy anti-inflammatory turmeric spice. The flavors are some of my family's favorites and the 45 minute prep time has made it a popular dinner recipe year round.
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Vegan Panko Fried Mushrooms
A delicious vegan appetizer made with mushrooms coated in vegan "buttermilk" and crispy panko breadcrumbs. Serve them with a creamy cashew dipping sauce and treat your vegan loved ones.
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Sriracha Salmon Cakes
These spicy, delicious salmon cake recipe with herbs, Greek yogurt and Sriracha can be baked or fried for a healthy and delicious twist on classic salmon cakes.
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Sopapillas
Kelly Jaggers shares her family recipe for fried pastries topped with cinnamon, sugar, and a drizzle of honey.
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Candy Dreidels
Hanukkah holiday food craft tutorial with detailed instructions and step-by-step photos.
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Nutritional information should be considered an estimate only; please consult a registered dietician, nutritionist, or your physician for specific health-related questions. Read more here. Please note that the recipe above is published using a recipe card plugin, with preexisting software which can auto-calculate metric measurements, as well as change the number of servings. Metric conversions and changes to the number of servings (resulting in different ingredient amounts) will only appear in the ingredient list, and are not changed within the step-by-step directions of the recipe.
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