Traditional and Not-so-Traditional Rosh Hashanah Menus to Try This Year

There’s something so satisfying about crafting a Rosh Hashanah menu—or any menu, for that matter—particularly one that’s full of not-so-ordinary, somewhat-out-of-the-box Rosh Hashanah recipes. Even as a little girl, I’d love helping my mom piece together appetizers, main courses, side dishes, and desserts, arranging and rearranging until we decided on something thoroughly original and special. (Okay, truth be told, my mom actually hates cooking with a fiery passion, so she’d end up ordering most of the dishes we decided on. But we’d still have so much fun picking out each of those special Rosh Hashanah recipes together.)

Here, I’m sharing dozens of traditional Rosh Hashanah recipes and not-so-traditional Rosh Hashanah recipes to get your own creative wheels turning in advance of the Jewish new year. Whether you’re looking for Ashkenazi Rosh Hashanah recipes, Sephardic Rosh Hashanah recipes, Mizrahi Rosh Hashanah recipes, or symbolic Rosh Hashanah seder ideas, I’ve got you covered. I’m hoping each and every one of these Rosh Hashanah recipes will excite you and remind you of the endless possibilities offered by this and all Jewish holidays; that they’ll encourage you to be more inclusive and globally minded in your offerings, and that they’ll simply make your guests happy. If I’ve missed any of your favorite recipes or dishes, definitely leave me a comment or drop me a line on Instagram and let me know—I’d love to learn what else you love eating on this holiday. Shana tova!

P.S. I also have posts dedicated to Rosh Hashanah cocktails, place cards, table decorations, quotes, and poems, plus Rosh Hashanah desserts (that one’s very fun to wander through) and tons of other holiday ideas. I hope you find some truly valuable inspiration here!

Traditional Ashkenazi Rosh Hashanah Recipes and Menu Ideas

ON THE TABLE

• Easy Brown Sugar Cinnamon-Raisin Rosh Hashanah Challah via Rebekah Lowin
• Apples & Honey Board via Rebekah Lowin

SIDES & STARTER IDEAS

• Kasha Varnishkes via NYT Cooking
• Smoked Trout Canapés via Leah Koenig
• Brisket Hand Pies via Leah Koenig
• Fish Quenelles with Two Sauces (Gefilte Fish!) via Haaretz
• Kreplach Soup via Saveur
• Celery Salad with Dates & Almonds via Cookie & Kate
• Beet Borscht via Taste of Home
• Roasted Carrot and Sweet Potato Tzimmes via Jewish Food Experience

MAIN COURSE IDEAS

• Honey-Roasted Chicken with Garlic and Lavender via Food 52
• My Grandmother’s Brisket Recipe via Rebekah Lowin
• Melt-in-Your-Mouth Oven-Cooked Brisket via Girl and the Kitchen
• Red Wine Braised Brisket via Bon Appetit
• Sweet and Spicy Roast Chicken via The New York Times

DRINK IDEAS

• Chai Spiced Apple Cider Cocktail via Vegetarian Ventures
• Apple Bourbon Smash via Zestful Kitchen
• Sparkling Fig & Honey Cocktail via Hello Glow
• Apple Crisp Cocktail via Sugar and Charm
• Caramel Apple Sangria via The Sweetest Occasion

DESSERT IDEAS

• Apple Raisin Kugel via Simply Beautiful Eating
• Rosh Hashanah Apple Cake via Leah Koenig
• Majestic & Moist New Year’s Honey Cake via Epicurious
• Teiglach via Cooking & More

Traditional Mizrahi and Sephardic Rosh Hashanah Menu Ideas

ON THE TABLE

• Sephardic Challah with Whole Spices via The New York Times

SIDE & STARTER IDEAS

• Keftes de Prasa via Rebekah Lowin
• Zucca Sfranta in Forno (Baked Mashed Squash) via Centropa
• Pumpkin Borekas via The Global Jewish Kitchen
• Carrots With Tahini Dressing via Food & Wine
• Leek and Celery Root Soup via Goop
• Israeli Couscous Salad with Feta, Chickpeas, and Herbs via The Kitchn
• Sephardic Jeweled Rosh Hoshanah Rice via May I Have That Recipe
• Roasted Beet Salad with Cumin and Cilantro via The Nosher
• Prassa Quajado (Leek and Potato Bake) via The Global Jewish Kitchen
• Lubiya (Black-Eyed Pea Stew) via Jewish Women’s Archive

MAIN COURSE IDEAS

• Moroccan-Style Lamb Shanks via Chicago Tribune
• Roast Chicken with Saffron, Hazelnuts, and Honey via Yotam Ottolenghi Sami Tamimi for Epicurious
• False Mahshi (Layered Swiss Chard, Beets, Rice and Beef via Joan Nathan for The New York Times
• Khoresht Fesenjan (Persian Pomegranate Walnut Stew) via My Jerusalem Kitchen
• Roast Chicken in Pomegranate and Date Molasses via Washington Post

DRINK IDEAS

• Sephardic-Inspired Sangria-Two Ways via The Nosher
• Pomegranate Tequila Coolers with Fresh Date Syrup via With Food + Love
• Pomegranate Grapefruit Paloma via Smitten Kitchen
• Pomegranate Honey Coolers via Martha Stewart
• Cardamom Blush Cocktail via Food Republic

DESSERT IDEAS

• Honey-Drenched Travados via Stella’s Cookbook
• Date Honey Nut Cake via Tori Avey
• Apple Tarts with Goat Cheese and Honey via My Jerusalem Kitchen
• Persian Saffron Pudding via Tori Avey
• Sephardic Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Rings via Chabad

Vegetarian Rosh Hashanah Recipes

ON THE TABLE

• Potato Challah via My Name Is Yeh
• Rainbow Apples and Honey Board via Rebekah Lowin

MEAL IDEAS

• Roasted Delicata Squash, Pomegranate and Arugula Salad via Cookie & Kate
• Green Beans With Brown Butter, Crispy Shallots, and Hazelnuts via Two Peas & Their Pod
• Stovetop Tzimmes via Tori Avey
• Holishkes (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls) via Epicurious
• Israeli Couscous with Root Vegetables via The Global Jewish Kitchen
• Roasted Beet & Arugula Salad via Lion’s Bread

DRINK IDEAS

• The Whiskey Rose Cocktail via Anne Sage
• Red Apple Cider Sangria via How Sweet Eats
• Honey Bourbon Cocktail via Our Salty Kitchen
• Harvest Apple Ginger Spritz via Half Baked Harvest

DESSERT IDEAS

• Honey Cake Infused with Black Tea via Season of Baking
• Apple Cobbler via A Cozy Kitchen
• Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake via Pinch of Yum
• Tahini Caramel Apples via My Name Is Yeh
• Halva Buckeyes via Lion’s Bread

Apple-Inspired Rosh Hashanah Recipes and Menu Ideas

ON THE TABLE

• Apple & Honey Challah via Smitten Kitchen
• Apples & Honey Board via Rebekah Lowin
• Rainbow Apples and Honey Board via Rebekah Lowin

SIDE & STARTER IDEAS

• Herby Green Apple Farro Salad via Leah Koenig
• Apple Butternut Squash Soup via Martha Stewart
• Apple & Sweet Potato Tzimmes via Joy of Kosher
• Apple Raisin Kugel via Simply Beautiful Eating
• Stuffed Matzo Ball Soup with Chicken and Apples via Epicurious

MAIN COURSE IDEAS

• Autumn Apple Chicken via Taste of Home
• Roasted Apple Brisket via Joy of Kosher

DRINK IDEAS

• Long Island Apple Iced Tea via Jennifer Meyering
• Autumn Apple and Pear Sangria via Home Cooking Memories
• Apple Mojito via Cake ‘n’Knife
• Apple Pie Moscow Mule via The Cookie Rookie
• Apple Crisp Cocktail via Freutcake
• Apple Brandy Fizz via Sugar and Cloth

DESSERT IDEAS

• Apple-Shaped Thumbprint Cookies via Rebekah Lowin
• Apple Butter and Honey Shortbread Sandwich Cookies via Leah Koenig
• Apple Cider Layer Cake via Frosting & Fettucine
• Apple Cornbread Crisp via Taste of Home
• Rosh Hashanah Apple Cake via Leah Koenig
• Mini Apple Pies via Elisabeth & Butter
• Mini Apple Cakes for Rosh Hashanah via Rebekah Lowin

Southwestern Rosh Hashanah Recipes and Menu Ideas

ON THE TABLE

• Roasted Jalapeño Hummus via Minimalist Baker
• Sephardic Salsa via Tori Avey
• Pita Chips With Cumin, Pepper, and Lime via Sweet Paul Magazine
• Cast-Iron Skillet Latke via Food52

SIDE & STARTER IDEAS

• Jewish Texan Black-Eyed Pea Hoppin’ John via Food52
• Tex-Mex Sweet Potato and Corn Kugel via Jamie Geller
• Mexican Matzo Ball Soup with Chipotle and Lime via Food52
• Classic Cole Slaw via Bon Appetit
• Sandra’s Mexican Israeli Salad via Tori Avey
• Mexican Chicken Soup via Dinner at the Zoo
• Spicy Gefilte Fish Balls via Kosher.com

MAIN COURSE IDEAS

• Cowboy Brisket via Country Living
• Kosher Barbecue Chicken via Joy of Kosher
• Pomegranate Brisket Tacos via Melinda Strauss

DRINK IDEAS

• Spicy Honey Margarita via Bushwick Kitchen
• Chile Pomegranate Paloma via Saveur
• Spiced Apple Margaritas via Cookie & Kate

DESSERT IDEAS

• Hot Honey Churros via National Honey Board
• Sweet Potato Pie via Taste of Home
• Classic Apple Pie via All Recipes

New England-Style Rosh Hashanah Recipes and Ideas

ON THE TABLE

• Harvest Apple Challah via King Arthur Flour
• Apples & Honey Board via Rebekah Lowin
• Pumpkin Challah Rolls via Rebekah Lowin

SIDE & STARTER IDEAS

• Kosher New England “Clam” Chowder with Oyster Mushrooms via Joy of Kosher
• Matzo Ball Potato Chowder via What Jew Wanna Eat
• Maple-Roasted Carrot Tzimmes via Two Kooks in the Kitchen

MAIN COURSE IDEAS

• New England Boiled Dinner (Brisket and Cabbage) via Simply Recipes
• Roast Chicken with Maple Butter via The New York Times

DRINK IDEAS

• Homemade Apple Cider via Sally’s Baking Addiction
• Slow Cooker Mulled Wine via Delish
• Hot Apple Cider via Inspired by Charm

DESSERT IDEAS

• Mason Jar Apple Pie Kugel via Rebekah Lowin
• Apple Blueberry Cake via A Latte Food
• Chocolate Egg Cream via The Nosher
• Apple Butter Rugelach via Bakerita
• Caramel Apple Ice Box Cake via Life Love and Sugar
• Maple Apple Pie via Kitchen Heals Soul
• Apple Cider Whoopie Pies via The New York Times