The Best Sephardic Rosh Hashanah Recipes to Start off the Jewish New Year

Kosher.com Staff September 6, 2018

add or remove this to/from your favorites

Sephardic Rosh Hashanah meals are rich with beautiful tradition. The menu might include roast chicken or lamb cooked with dried fruits; festive rice or couscous fresh or roasted beet salad; and sweet potato, pumpkin, or leek patties.

Of course, the dinner meals begin with a Rosh Hashanah seder, the eating of symbolic foods along with the recitation of short blessings for sweetness, peace, prosperity, and other good things we hope to enjoy in the new year. (Click here for your own printable simanim card that includes all the blessings and explanations behind this meaningful Rosh Hashanah tradition. Some families enjoy incorporating these symbolic foods into the foods they serve for the meal.

Whether your heritage is Sephardic – or it’s not, but you enjoy preparing recipes from other cultures – read on for our roundup of delectable Sephardic-style additions to your Rosh Hashanah menu.

 

Appetizers

 

  1. Beef Pizza with Sausages and Tahini Drizzle by Chef Yisrael Doudex

  2. Charred Eggplant Dip with Maple Drizzle by Kim Kushner

  3. Syrian Pumpkin Patties (Kibbet Yatkeen) by Gil Marks

  4. Moroccan Carrot Chickpea Salad by Dahlia Abraham-Klein

  5. Yemenite Pumpkin and Carrot Soup by Amelia Saltsman

  6. Crispy Mini Meatless Pies by Ruth Fox and Vicky Cohen

  7. Sephardi Saffron Chicken Soup with Fragrant Matzo Balls by Tracey Fein

 

 Mains (It’s All About the Meat)

 

  1. Rosh Hashanah Plov with Barberries, Pomegranate, and Quince by Caroline Eden and Eleanor Ford

  2. Lamb Shoulder Roast by Jennifer Chetrit

  3. Tagine of Veal, Dried Prunes and Squash with Cardamom by Jennifer Chetrit

  4. Brisket with Date Syrup by Jennifer Chetrit

  5. Pomegranate Roasted Cornish Hens by The Peppermill

  6. Persian Meatballs with Beet Sauce by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook

  7. Moroccan Chicken by Naomi Nachman

  8. Baharat and Fig Top of the Rib by Shifra Klein

  9. Khoresh-e Fesenjān (Fesenjoon) by Mike Benayoun

  10. Gondy: The Persian Matzo Ball by Reyna Simnegar

     

 

Sides

 

  1. Couscous with Dried Fruits by Sabrina Ovadia

  2. Tahdig- Rice Pilaf with Dried Apricots and Crispy Potato Crust by Janna Gur (follow directions for the non-dairy version)

  3. Braised Fennels by Jennifer Chetrit

  4. Moroccan-Style Couscous by Estee Kafra

  5. Syrian Spinach Salad (Salata Sabanigh Ma Rumman) by Gil Marks

  6. Leek Patties by Yael Dagan

  7. Artichoke Halves Stuffed with Ground Meat (Medias Shawki) by Poopa Dweck

  8. Rice with Vermicelli (Riz wa Sha’riyya) by Poopa Dweck

  9. Classic Tahdig by Charlene Aminoff

 
Dessert
 
  1. Melt-Away Moroccan Cinnamon Cookies by Ruth Fox and Vicky Cohen

  2. Moroccan Almond Cigars by Sabrina Ovadia

  3. Simple Phyllo Pastry with Nut Filling (Baklava) by Yael Dagan

  4. Easy Baklava Cups by Rachel Kor

  5. Baghlava Cake by Naz Deravian

  6. Persian Halvah by Reyna Simnegar

 
 
Check out our complete collection of Rosh Hashanah recipes for mains, sides, soups, desserts, and more inspiration for the holiday.
 
 
This article has been updated and improved. Originally published September 7, 2018.

Article Tags

lamb Mediterranean menu Moroccan persian plov pumpkin Rosh Hashana rosh hashanah Rosh Hashanna Rosh Hashannah Sefardi sephardi sephardi flavors sephardi food sephardic food syrian tagine tahdig Uzbek

Related Articles

New Year, New Start- Helping Our Children (and Ourselves) Succeed at Good Deeds

New Year, New Start- Helping Our Children (and Ourselves) Succeed at Good Deeds
How to Start the New Year on the Right Foot

How to Start the New Year on the Right Foot
11+ Cocktails to Start the New Year Right

11+ Cocktails to Start the New Year Right