Healthy Recipes Healthy Holiday & Occasion Recipes More Healthy Holiday Recipes Healthy Hanukkah Recipes 15 Festive & Delicious Hanukkah Recipes for Your Holiday Table By Leah Koenig Leah Koenig Leah Koenig is the author of six cookbooks, including The Jewish Cookbook and Modern Jewish Cooking. Her writing and recipes can be found in The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Food & Wine, Epicurious and Food52, among other publications. She also writes a weekly newsletter, The Jewish Table, which includes recipes and stories from the world of Jewish food. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on December 6, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player When it comes to traditional Hanukkah cooking, it’s all about the oil. The story of Hanukkah commemorates the Maccabees—a small Judean army that recaptured the Holy Temple in Jerusalem from the ancient Greeks in the 2nd century B.C. As the story goes, when the Maccabees attempted to relight the Temple’s menorah, they could only find enough olive oil to kindle it for one night—but the oil miraculously lasted for eight days and nights. So today, Jewish communities around the world celebrate Hanukkah by lighting menorahs at home and eating delicious foods fried in oil. The two most common Hanukkah foods—fried potato latkes and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts)—are absolutely delicious, but they are only the beginning. This collection of Hanukkah-friendly recipes shares both traditional and creative takes on Hanukkah fritters along with a variety of satisfying main dishes, bright and crunchy salads, air-fried treats that bring the crunch without the excess oil, and festive holiday desserts. Whether you celebrate the Festival of Lights (as Hanukkah is known) at home, or are simply looking for some cozy fare to light up a winter evening, these dishes have you covered. 01 of 15 Crispy Air-Fryer Pickle Chips If you love Hanukkah foods, but don’t love cooking with (and then disposing of) all that oil, the air fryer is your best friend. These crispy, briny fritters feature dill pickle chips coated with panko, then they’re blasted in the air fryer for a satisfying crunch without excess oil. Serve them with a smoky mayo dip for maximum flavor effect. View Recipe 02 of 15 Parsnip-Celery Root Latkes Swap grated parsnips and celery root for potatoes, and you’ve got Hanukkah latkes with extra flavor. (And fiber too!) Serve them hot and crispy with a dab of sour cream or crème fraîche. View Recipe 03 of 15 Fennel & Grapefruit Salad There’s nothing like a fresh and crunchy salad to balance out Hanukkah’s fried food indulgence. This simple and colorful combination pairs winter-friendly fennel and grapefruit for a burst of bright sweetness. View Recipe 04 of 15 Baked Potato Latkes These baked latkes are fried in just a bit of oil and then finished in a hot oven. They are crisp on the outside, tender within and have all the traditional taste of fried potato latkes without the excess oil. View Recipe 05 of 15 Braised Brisket with Tomatoes & Onions Eric Wolfinger This saucy brisket is fork-tender and loaded with layers of umami, thanks to the combination of tamari, dried mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce and red wine. Pair a few slices of meat with crispy latkes, and spoon a bit of the sauce over everything for an unbeatable Hanukkah combo. View Recipe 06 of 15 Apricot Rugelach Some Ashkenazi Jewish families follow the tradition of serving rugelach—twisted and filled crescent-shaped cookies—on Hanukkah. Apricot jam is a very common rugelach filling, but this recipe also includes ground ginger and softened dried apricots for extra flavor. View Recipe 07 of 15 Zucchini Pancakes with Tatbila Sauce Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Skyler Myers, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco While zucchini is typically associated with late-summer cooking, it also makes a delicious base for Hanukkah latkes. These fritters are seasoned with Parmesan cheese and served with a vibrant chile sauce. View Recipe 08 of 15 Raspberry Sufganiyot Hanukkah’s most beloved doughnut, sufganiyot, fills puffy rounds of fried dough with jam or other delicious fillings. This recipe is made with whole-wheat pastry flour and seasoned with cardamom and orange zest. Seedless raspberry jam piped into the centers after frying adds the perfect touch of sweetness. View Recipe 09 of 15 Berbere-Spiced Chicken & Lentil Stew Like all Ethiopians, members of Ethiopia’s Jewish community use a lot of berbere (a complex, chile-forward spice mix) in their cooking. In this hearty stew, tender lentils and chicken are seasoned with a generous amount of bebere, as well as the holy triumvirate of Ethiopian cooking: ginger, garlic and onion. It would make a gorgeous complement to a pile of latkes. (Note: Kosher cooks can keep this recipe dairy-free by subbing additional olive oil in place of the butter.) View Recipe 10 of 15 Air-Fryer Zucchini Chips Cornstarch and panko combine in the coating for these cute and crunchy zucchini chips. Serve them with creamy dill and chive sauce on day four or five of Hanukkah, when you’ve had your fill of latkes and doughnuts. View Recipe 11 of 15 Cheesy Spinach-&-Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Some families have the tradition of serving dairy dishes on Hanukkah, and these cheesy stuffed squash, filled with cream cheese and Parmesan along with briny artichoke hearts and earthy spinach, fit the bill perfectly. They make a satisfying main dish to pair with latkes and other fried goodies. View Recipe 12 of 15 Beet Salad Photographer / Victor Protasio, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke Enhance your Hanukkah menu with a ruby-red beet salad. This one features roasted beets seasoned with vinegar, mustard and honey. It is simple to put together and makes for a jewel-toned showstopper at the table. View Recipe 13 of 15 Air-Fryer Gingerbread Churros Photographer: Brie Passano, Food Stylist: Greg Luna, Art Director: Stephanie Hunter Gingerbread may be more closely associated with Christmas than Hanukkah, but churros, which are traditionally deep-fried, are a fitting Hanukkah dessert. These churros get their crispy exterior in an air fryer, but have all the sugar-coated, crunchy appeal of the original. Serve them as is, or dunked into melted dark chocolate. View Recipe 14 of 15 Eggplant Schnitzel with Plum Slaw Greg DuPree Bring the crunch of latkes to the main course with this vegan (baked, not fried) eggplant schnitzel. The panko-and-sesame-seed coating gives the fried eggplant extra crispness, while a bright and punchy slaw lends freshness to your Hanukkah meal. Substitute persimmons or pears for the plums for a more seasonal take. View Recipe 15 of 15 One-Bowl Vegan Chocolate Cake Jennifer Causey There’s no bad time to serve chocolate cake, but a Hanukkah party is a particularly wonderful time. This dairy- and egg-free version melts chocolate chips in hot brewed coffee, to give the cake a deep chocolaty flavor. For an extra-festive presentation, decorate the top of the cake with small rounds of chocolate gelt. View Recipe EatingWell.com, December 2023 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit