With most holiday meals, you’re under pressure to get everything out in a single day. Hanukkah has the advantage of lasting eight days, giving you more than a week to eat your fill. After the crazy stress of Thanksgiving (and this year), it’s nice to slow down and try a variety of recipes. To keep you satisfied all eight nights of Hanukkah, we’ve gathered 12 delicious recipes, from festive main dishes like rack of lamb and whole roasted fish to parve soups and sides.
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Red Wine-Braised Beef Short Ribs
For a restaurant-quality meal on your Hanukkah table, turn to this short ribs recipe. We slow cook the beef in the oven to ensure juicy results. The less port wine gives a boost to the sauce, which deepens the wine’s flavor while balancing the acidity of the dry red wine. A packet of gelatin helps the sauce achieve shiny results. You’re left with shiny, fork-tender meat that’s perfect with a bed of mashed potatoes. And if you’re looking for a way to speed up the process, try our pressure cooker version,
Sous Vide Rack of Lamb
Lamb is a fairly lean meat, making it susceptible to overcooking. Rather than risk ruining a nice rack of lamb on the stove, we recommend cooking it thoroughly to guarantee it comes out perfectly medium-rare. Don’t have a sous vide circulator? You can get just as good results with beer cooler and a thermometer,
Slow Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb with Garlic, Rosemary and Lemon
Serious Eats / Jen Causey
We are big believers in reverse sear. One of the most surefire ways to cook a large piece of meat properly is to roast it at a very low temperature until it is cooked through and then put it in the oven as hot as you can get it. This technique is perfect for a leg of lamb seasoned with garlic, rosemary and lemon juice.
Chicken Cutlet
Serious Eats / Mateja Zwirotik Andrijanic
If you’re not in the mood to make lamb, our Chicken Schnitzel is always a crowd pleaser, and it’s so simple. All you have to do is shred chicken breasts, put them in salted water for maximum juiciness, and fry them in a coating of homemade breadcrumbs. You may be tempted to deep-fry the chicken, but pan-frying is easier, and turning the schnitzel more than once ensures that the chicken gets uniform browning.
Whole Roasted Fish with Oregano, Parsley and Lemon
Whole roasted fish is a Hanukkah classic that sounds much scarier to prepare than it actually is. Choose a fresh fish and have your fishmonger clean it – then simply pop it in salt water, fill the cavity with aromatics and roast for about 25 minutes. Take a look at our carving guide To ensure that the fish tastes as good as it looks.
Lemon-Spicy Tuscan-Jewish Fried Chicken
Hailing from the Jewish community of Tuscany, this recipe offers a bright, lemony flavor to balance the rich juiciness of the typical fried chicken. A quick brine with garlic and spices in lemon juice helps enhance the flavor of the meat without making it tough from the acidity of the lemon. Then, the chicken is coated with a simple coating of flour and egg before frying. This is an easy Hanukkah main that still feels bright and special.
Jewish-Style Braised Brisket with Onions and Carrots
There’s no need to choose between Jewish brisket that’s tender Or Moist—our recipe gives you both. This technique involves first browning the brisket, then slicing the meat into thin pieces and braising it covered, making sure the meat is completely submerged in the liquid – this helps trap the moisture and juices in the brisket. Fills up again. Our Pressure Cooker Brisket Provides similar results while cutting down on braising time.
Parve Soup and Sides
old fashioned latkes
You just can’t celebrate Hanukkah without a latte. An ideal latke should have a thick center that tapers to thin edges and a dark brown crust. This classic recipe is made with russet potatoes, onions, eggs, and matzo meal. If you’re willing to break tradition, try some of our Unusual Latke Variations,
Best Applesauce
You’ll need some applesauce to serve with those latkes. You can get the stuff from the jar, but the perfect latte deserves the best homemade applesauce. Cinnamon and orange peel complement the apple flavor without interrupting, and optionally a splash of rose water enhances the floral flavor of the sauce.
Roman-Jewish Fried Artichokes (Carciofi Alla Giudia) Recipe
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
These crunchy, golden-brown fried artichokes are a gorgeous, festive appetizer or side dish that highlights the ingenuity and cooking skills of Rome’s Jews, who lived in the city’s ghetto between the 16th and 19th centuries. were limited. Serve them hot with a slice of lemon.
Roasted Sweet Potato Soup with Pistachios, Orange and Mint Salsa
The secret of this soup is a sauce similar to gremolata that we make with crushed pistachios, orange peel, green onion, mint and olive oil. It adds brightness and lots of depth to an already delicious sweet potato soup. The soup can be made with chicken or vegetable stock – if you go with the latter, the recipe is parve.
Roasted Carrots with Black Sesame Dressing
These sweet roasted carrots are mixed with black sesame paste to give them a nutty, earthy flavor. Carrots are boiled before roasting to help achieve a sweeter and more tender result. Meanwhile, turning black sesame paste into a dressing requires little more than lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle over roasted vegetables and garnish with parsley and grated lemon peel before serving.
