20 Rosh Hashanah Recipes to Celebrate the New Year

By Kelly Vaughan
Updated August 18, 2020
Anna Williams
Have a sweet and prosperous new year with our collection of recipes for Rosh Hashanah. You'll find traditional Jewish holiday favorites including honey cake, brisket, roast chicken, matzo ball soup, and latkes.
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Credit: Anna Williams

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, and the holiday falls in September or early October. Our recipes for the Rosh Hashanah feature essential foods and ingredients that are symbolic and meaningful in Jewish culture such as leeks, pomegranates, carrots, honey, and apples. It wouldn't be Rosh Hashanah without a showstopping tender brisket recipe. We have two delicious versions that everyone will love—sweet-and-sour brisket featuring chile sauce and brown sugar, and orange-braised brisket which stays moist by soaking up Triple Sec liqueur and chicken broth while it cooks.

Roast chicken and roasted salmon are other popular main courses for Rosh Hashanah. For beet-and-dill roasted wild salmon, cooked and grated purple beets are layered on top of the salmon which marinates for at least 30 minutes. Over time, the fish takes on an intense purple hue and makes a truly incredible centerpiece for a holiday dinner.

Of course, the celebration calls for some stellar desserts, too. Given the importance of apples on Rosh Hashanah (they are traditionally dipped in honey and eaten to symbolize the promise of a sweet New Year), what would the day be without the spiced apple cake, which is seen here, or a photo-worthy apple membrillo tart? Honey—a symbol of sweetness and the many blessings from God—also appears in many of these recipes for Rosh Hashanah. Whether it's used as a glaze on roasted carrots or as a sweetener in a festive cocktail, there are delicious ways to make good use of this important ingredient.

Prepare any of these recipes for Rosh Hashanah and your entire family will ask for seconds.

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Sweet-and-Sour Brisket

Credit: Lennart Weibull
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Rosh Hashanah is all about bringing family and friends together for a celebration of the New Year. This brisket recipe transports Sarah Carey, our editorial director for food, back to her childhood, as the sweet and sour flavors in this brisket were her grandmother's signature.

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Raisin-Challah Apple Betty

Credit: Justin Walker
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One of the main ingredients associated with Rosh Hashanah is apples. Traditionally they're dipped in honey and eaten, bringing the promise of sweet days to come. This challah bread pudding is sure to bring warm wishes to your family.

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Matzo Ball Soup

Credit: Jonathan Lovekin
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For many people, a Jewish holiday dinner would not be complete without chicken soup with matzo balls. This easy version, with carrots and parsnips, calls for homemade stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth.

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Pomegranate-Honey Coolers

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Celebrate Rosh Hashanah with this easy white wine-based cocktail, which is made with two ingredients traditionally served on the Jewish New Year. It has a healthy dose of pomegranate juice—which comes from the many seeds that represent a fruitful year—and a taste of honey, a symbol for sweetness in the year to come.

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Honey Cake with Caramelized Pears

Credit: Charles Schiller
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An iconic dessert for the Jewish New Year, this is a particularly luscious version of honey cake, topped with caramelized pear slices.

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Roasted Vegetables with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

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Romanesco and regular white cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts are roasted together for a colorful holiday side dish that serves 12. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the vegetables and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds just before serving.

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Beet Latkes

Credit: Julia Gartland
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Try this colorful take on the latke where red beets replace the usual potatoes.

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Walnut Honey Cake

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This delightful autumn dessert combines two traditional Rosh Hashanah foods—apples and honey—with freshly ground toasted walnuts. The baked cake is glazed with honey and served warm. Enjoy slices after your holiday meal with hot tea.

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Onion and Leek Focaccia

Credit: Mike Krautter
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Leeks are an important ingredient on Rosh Hashanah. They symbolize the need to cut ties with individuals who may otherwise hurt us in the New Year. This gorgeous bread layers leeks and sliced onions on top of the dough, then is finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and rosemary leaves for an earthy, savory flavor.

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Braised Fennel with Pomegranate

Credit: Yunhee Kim
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Pomegranates are traditionally served on the second night of Rosh Hashanah. The ruby-red seeds add a stunning color and crunch to this dish of braised fennel flavored with anise. It's a delicious side to serve with brisket or roasted salmon.

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Orange-Braised Brisket

Credit: Johnny Fogg
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A tender, rich brisket is truly the centerpiece of every Jewish holiday, from Rosh Hashanah to Passover. Cooking it with plenty of liquid—here with a combination of chicken broth and orange-flavored liqueur—is key to preventing the brisket from drying out while cooking.

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Brown-Butter Honey Cookies

Credit: Mike Krautter
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In Jewish culture, honey is a symbol of the gifts and favors offered by God. We're making sweet use of this favorite ingredient in these nutty cookies. While the woven pattern looks intricate and complex, it's simple to create using an embossed rolling pin before cutting and shaping the dough.

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Roast Chicken with Meyer Lemons and Potatoes

Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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Always a showstopping main course, this fragrant roast chicken is a dairy-free recipe and makes a delicious centerpiece for a Rosh Hashanah celebration.

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Miso-and-Honey-Glazed Carrots

Credit: Aya Brackett
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Carrots are a classic side dish to serve on Rosh Hashanah. Here, we've dressed them up with miso paste, honey, Meyer lemons, and butter.

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Salmon and Cod Gefilte Fish

Credit: Chris Simpson
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Gefilte fish is the Yiddish term for  stuffed fish. This refined version is quenelles made with salmon and cod, plus matzo meal, diced vegetables, Dijon mustard, and aromatics. They're lightly poached, then served alongside flavored horseradish. Our version is free of shellfish so it keeps kosher.

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Apple-Membrillo Tart

Credit: Justin Walker
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An absolute stunner, this apple tart is a spectacular way to end a Rosh Hashanah dinner. Quince paste, called membrillo in Spanish, is spread over pate brisee, then sliced apples are shingled on top for a gorgeous look.

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Pomegranate Relish

Credit: Louise Hagger
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Pomegranates symbolize love, fertility, and the removal of negativity during the Jewish New Year. To celebrate the power of pomegranates, serve this sweet and tart relish as an accompaniment to your main course.

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Seeded Marble Rye Bread

Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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Rye bread is a staple at Rosh Hashanah celebrations, among other Jewish holidays. Whether you spread chopped liver on a slice, crumble it on a salad, or eat it as a side, this gorgeous, earthy bread is an essential.

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Beet-and-Dill Roasted Wild Salmon

Credit: Anson Smart
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Beets are a key ingredient to cook with on Rosh Hashanah. Here, we let a mixture of grated beets, horseradish, dill, lemon zest, and olive oil rest on top of an entire side of wild salmon. This crowd-ready main takes on a vibrant purple hue and develops an earthy, spicy flavor after marinating.

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By Kelly Vaughan