23 Celebratory Hanukkah Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Are there any special foods for this holiday Hanukkah? ›

The eight days of Hanukkah are observed with the lighting of a menorah after sundown and meals featuring foods challah bread, kugel, potato latkes, jelly doughnuts called sufganiyot, and festive drinks. Fried foods recall the miracle at the Temple of Jerusalem, when a day's worth of oil lasted eight nights.

"Among other rules, eating certain animals, primarily pigs and shellfish, is forbidden; meat must be ritually and humanely slaughtered; and dairy and meat aren't to be eaten at the same meal." Fish and plant foods are "neutral" (parve) and can be eaten with either meat or dairy.

Throughout the eight days of Hanukkah, Jewish families like mine celebrate by eating latkes (fried potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (fried jelly doughnuts).

Fried potato pancakes, called latkes in Yiddish and levivot in Hebrew, are the most popular Hanukkah food. They are shredded potatoes mixed with onion, egg, flour and seasonings, then formed into small pancakes and fried in oil. The crispy latkes are served with sour cream and applesauce on the side.

Traditional foods include potato latkes, applesauce and brisket. Spinning the dreidel (a four-sided top) for “Hanukkah gelt” (gold-wrapped chocolate coins) is another part of the celebration. Your host might appreciate gifts of chocolate, gourmet applesauce, candles, books or board games.

What to wear to any Hanukkah celebration. Go for classic blue, white, and gold when trying to style a Hanukkah dress. Not sure where to find a cute and stylish Hanukkah dress? Opt for a simple blue style like this gorgeous pleated midi dress from Prettygarden.

So many traditional Jewish foods double as brunch favorites, from potato latkes (hash browns, anyone?) to doughnuts and challah. Fried foods are a given, so don't be shy with the olive oil. And no brunch is complete without a champagne co*cktail — we recommend pretty pink cranberry mimosas.

Meaty Main Dishes

The star dish for many Hanukkah dinner tables is brisket. It's a show-stopping centerpiece that's as classic as it gets, which is why we love it. For something a little different but equally as fitting, we also love a wintery braise filled with semolina dumplings.

The largest menorah in the world was designed by Yaacov Agam and is 32 ft (9.7 m) tall, 28 ft (8.5 m)wide, weighs 4,000 lb (1,814 kg) and was unveiled on 29 December 2005 opposite Central park, New York, USA," according to the Guiness World Book of Records.

In America, Hanukkah food typically refers to two things: latkes, Eastern European fried potato pancakes, and sufganiyot, jelly-filled doughnuts that are favored in Israel and increasingly popular here.

What oil is fried on Hanukkah? ›

An important part of the Hanukkah tradition is to serve foods fried in oil, which symbolizes a miracle: After the Maccabee tribe recaptured ancient Jerusalem, the lamp in the temple appeared to hold only enough oil for one night yet continued to burn for eight days.

Symbolic Foods

Most of these traditional foods are fried in oil, symbolic of the oil that lasted eight days. Others contain cheese to celebrate Judith's victory. Three popular foods eaten on the Jewish holidays include loukoumades, pancakes, and latkes.

Traditional foods include potato latkes, applesauce and brisket. Spinning the dreidel (a four-sided top) for “Hanukkah gelt” (gold-wrapped chocolate coins) is another part of the celebration. Your host might appreciate gifts of chocolate, gourmet applesauce, candles, books or board games.

There's no need to fret about all the presents, though: We put together our favorite selection of Hanukkah presents, including pajamas, stylish menorahs, sweets, games, and delightful surprises so that you can spend less time obsessing over what to get everyone on your list, and instead enjoy the holiday.