40+ Recipes for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Meggan Hill

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Celebrate the Jewish New Year and High Holy Days with this collection of recipes for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Start with apples dipped in honey to ensure a sweet new year, then move on to brisket and chicken, challah, latkes, and more.

A plate of apples and honey for Rosh Hoshanah.


 

Rosh Hoshanah means “Head of the New Year” and celebrates the birthday of the universe, the day God created Adam and Eve. This the first of High Holy Days which ends 10 days later with Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashanah Celebrations include lighting candles, prayer services, blowing the shofar (ram’s horn), and renewing one’s spiritual relationship with God. Feasting includes foods such as challah, Matzo ball soup, brisket, and apples dipped in honey.

Yom Kippur is a fasting day, so the menu involves no food or drink and also no work, bathing, or other worldly pleasures. In the evening, it’s customary to break the fast with light dairy foods, eggy dishes, or fish.

As I mention in my Passover and Hanukkah guides, I am not Jewish, but food is always a fun way for the curious to learn about other cultures. Here are the best Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur recipes on Culinary Hill.

Table of Contents

  1. Cut Apples and Honey
  2. Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
  3. Challah
  4. Cinnamon Apple Cake
  5. Roasted Carrots
  6. Apple Cider
  7. Bagel Bar

Cut Apples and Honey

Perhaps the most symbolic of all Rosh Hashanah foods is apples dipped in honey. Eat the sweets to ensure a sweet year!

On the second night of Rosh Hashanah, it’s traditional to eat “new fruit,” as in fruit that is new for the season and hasn’t been enjoyed before. Pomegranates are the most popular “new fruit” (and they make an appearance in other cultures as a Lucky New Year’s Food, too).

Apple slices on a cutting board.

1

How to Cut Apples

Learn how to cut apples like the pros: It's easy, efficient, and guaranteed to be your new favorite culinary trick.
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A plate of apples and honey for Rosh Hoshanah.

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket

This easy Beef Brisket recipe is kosher and made right in a slow cooker. The simple marinade adds layers of flavor and then brisket is braised until it’s meltingly tender.

An actual “head of the fish” is often served for Rosh Hashanah, although smoked salmon works too. Just avoid pork and shellfish which aren’t kosher. Be sure to avoid mixing meat and dairy, too.

Slow cooker beef brisket slices on toast on a metal serving platter.

2

Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket

Swap your usual pot roast recipe for Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket and smother it in your favorite barbecue sauce, no smoker required.
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More Rosh Hashanah Dinner Recipes

Challah

For Rosh Hashanah, Challah should be braided in a round shape to symbolize the “eternal circle of life.” Sometimes, it is studded with raisins or other dried fruits or drizzled with honey to amp up the sweetness for a sweeter new year.

A loaf of Challah with some Challah slices on a wood cutting board.

3

Challah

Challah is a traditional Jewish bread made every week for the Sabbath and for most Jewish holidays.
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More Rosh Hashanah Bread Recipes

Cinnamon Apple Cake

Sweet desserts, especially round cakes, are also popular for Rosh Hashanah. Honey Cake is the most traditional (honey for sweetness!), but any apple dessert will do.

Cinnamon Apple Cake on a cooling rack surrounded by apples.

4

Cinnamon Apple Cake Recipe

This cozy fall cake recipe is a family heirloom. I adapted my grandma's Cinnamon Apple Cake for modern bakers, then added a powdered sugar glaze. I bet she would be proud of the delicious results!
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More Rosh Hashanah Dessert Recipes

Roasted Carrots

There are several popular vegetables for Rosh Hashanah including carrots, leeks, spinach, and chard. These are due to linguistic meanings of Hebrew words. There is also a popular couscous dish called Couscous with Seven Vegetables which features cabbage, turnips, summer squash, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, and chickpeas.

Roasted carrots on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

5

Roasted Carrots

This easy Roasted Carrots recipe showcases the best of spring's new, tender carrots. They look so pretty roasted whole with the green tops attached and the optional yogurt sauce is the perfect complement.
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More Rosh Hashanah Side Dish Recipes

Apple Cider

To toast the New Year, look for sweet, fruity beverages featuring apples, honey, pomegranates, and grapes. Apple Cider is a great cozy beverage that can be enjoyed by the faithful of all ages.

Sangria and other wine beverages are popular, too.

Apple cider in a clear glasses.

6

Apple Cider Recipe

Invest 10 minutes of prep time and you can transform fresh apples into a classic Apple Cider. This big-batch homemade cider is sensational party drink idea.
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Bagel Bar

After a day of fasting on Yom Kippur, it’s customary to break the fast in the evening with dairy and egg dishes, smoked fish, bagels, and salads.

A Bagel Bar is a great way to feed the family and let everyone customize their own bagel.

A Bagel Bar stocked with bagels, smoked salmon, cream cheese, avocado, tomatoes, watermelon radishes, cucumbers, caviar, and fresh herbs and spices.

7

Bagel Bar

For bridal or baby showers, holiday brunches, and beyond, assemble a Bagel Bar so guests can get creative with their bagel recipe creations. This interactive Bagel Bar is beautiful, customizable, and a cinch to share with a crowd.
Read More

More Yom Kippur Break-Fast Recipes

L’Shana Tovah tikatevu!

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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. Hello, i disnโ€™t see MatO brei mentioned. Matzos soaked in eggs and milk until the matzo breks up. Into a frying pan and tossed about until cooked. Served with syrup or apple sauce. Delicious.

    Reply

    1. That sounds delicious, Ellen! ๐Ÿ˜Š Thank you so much for sharing, I’ll have to try it! – Meggan

  2. Great thanks Doctor food Meghan for such a creative mind you have. You beat my understanding about yom kippur history especially turning it to be a menu. Its amaizing….! Thanks Jehoshaphat.

    Reply