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25 Recipes to Celebrate Sukkot

Before pumpkin spice everything signified the start of fall, Jews had Sukkot! The third in the trifecta of Jewish High Holidays, Sukkot is a celebration of the autumn harvest. It is traditional to build an outdoor hut called a Sukkah to use for eating, celebrating and even sleeping during the week-long festival. The Sukkah has a thatched roof so you can see the stars, and it resembles the shelters farmers used to dwell in during harvest season. We welcome friends and family over for festive meals in the Sukkah and to give thanks for food and housing. Seasonal ingredients of the harvest inspire the menu, and we traditionally eat stuffed foods, such as cabbage rolls, to symbolize a bountiful yield.

By Amy Kritzer Becker

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Tzimmes

Tzimmes is a traditional sweet Ashkanazi stew of carrots, root vegetables and prunes or other dried fruits. It’s perfect paired with a classic braised brisket. Tzimmes means “a fuss” in Yiddish, but there is nothing fussy about this side dish.

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Matzo Balls

Matzo balls are dumplings made from matzo meal, eggs and oil. Pro tip: sub the oil for schmaltz (AKA chicken fat) for an even richer flavor. Make sure not to overwork the balls or they will be dense instead of light and fluffy. Traditionally served for Passover, they are a welcome addition at any Jewish holiday.

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Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Since grape leaves were not available in Europe, dolmas evolved into stuffed cabbage. Cabbage with rice and ground beef simmered in a tangy tomato sauce is the quintessential Ashkenazi Sukkot meal. The comforting food tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld, so it’s the perfect make-ahead meal.

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Persian Pomegranate & Pistachio Meatballs

Spiced lamb meatballs with a sweet pomegranate molasses-based glaze are garnished with pistachios and pomegranate arils for extra texture and color. If you can’t find pomegranate molasses, you can make it by reducing pomegranate juice, lemon juice and sugar. Use leftover pomegranate molasses in salad dressings or as a glaze for vegetables.

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Famous Challah

You can’t have a Jewish celebration without challah (except during Passover, of course). From Rosh Hashanah through Sukkot we nosh on round challah instead of a long braided loaf to symbolize the circle of life. This recipe makes two large challot (plural of challah), so you can feed a crowd or save extra for challah French toast.

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Apple or Pear Crisp for One

If you aren’t feeding a crowd in your Sukkah, you can create a simple sweet treat for one. Use just one seasonal apple or pear for a comforting quick dessert.

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Baked Acorn Squash With Spicy Maple Syrup

This unassuming side is full of fall flavors: squash, cinnamon, nutmeg and maple syrup. It pairs perfectly with any Sukkot menu.

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Lacy Potato Kugel

This Eastern European side dish is a warm addition to your meal. Grated potatoes are mixed with eggs and baked until the top is crispy while the interior stays creamy. This version has caramelized onions for a sweet touch. Don’t skip the oil in the pan, which helps develop a crunchy crust.

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Pumpkin & Spinach Salad

A hearty fall salad is a welcome supplement to all the carbs on the Sukkot table. The roasted pumpkin is a nod to the fall harvest, with a touch of honey to symbolize a sweet new year.

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Stuffed Zucchini With Walnuts & Feta

You can never have too many stuffed foods on your Sukkot table. In this simple recipe, zucchini are filled with feta, breadcrumbs, walnuts and spices, making for an easy side dish or vegetarian main.

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Orange Poppy Seed Cake

Poppy seeds are a popular addition to Jewish desserts (and bagels), and orange compliments them perfectly. Topped with a sweet syrup for extra flavor, moisture and shine, this pareve (not containing dairy or meat) cake uses oil, making it a good choice for a sweet finale after a meal of brisket or roasted chicken. Although it’s complete on its own, try topping the cake with a cream cheese frosting for another variation.

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Eggplant With Pomegranate Molasses

Another great use for pomegranate molasses, this eggplant salad is served at room temperature and topped with fresh herbs and pomegranate arils. It’s a bright addition to your Sukkot spread.

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Moroccan Beet Salad

Earthy beets make a simple make-ahead side salad. If you are not a fan, sample these and you just may become a beet believer! Try adding a little feta or goat cheese for a tangy bite.

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Wine-Braised Brisket of Beef With Caramelized Pearl Onions

Brisket is a popular beef cut for Jewish celebrations. The tough cut of meat is braised in beef broth and a whole bottle of red wine (not a typo) for hours until you have a tender pot roast. It’s perfect for a crowd due to the large size of the cut. You can also use the leftovers to add to chili, pastas or just eat with a fork.

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Stuffed Grape Leaves

Many believe grape leaves originated in the Ottoman Empire, and many other cultures also claim this dish, including Greeks and Persians. They are a staple in many cultures, including Sephardic cooking. Grape leaves were often left on the vines post-harvest and thus were perfect to fill with rice, pine nuts, herbs and raisins. These are vegan, but there are meat varieties, too.

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Potato & Cheese Bourekas

Sephardic bourekas are flaky round or triangular puff pastry pockets with a variety of fillings, like classic potato and feta. You can form them ahead of time and freeze prior to baking, so you can bake some up fresh whenever a boureka craving calls.

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Vegan Knishes

Knishes are savory flaky dough pockets usually filled with meat, kasha (buckwheat groats), potatoes or something creative. This vegan version has mashed potatoes and a surprise ingredient (it’s tofu!) and is served with a classic mustard dipping sauce.

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Beef Kreplach (Dumplings)

Matzo balls get all the soup dumpling hype, but kreplach are also delicious floating in your chicken broth or as a boiled or fried side dish. Stuffed with classic beef, these soak up all the flavor of your soup for the perfect bite.

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Sweet Gefilte Fish

Love it or hate it, you can’t deny that this poached fish dumpling is a traditional part of Ashkenazi celebrations. Skip the jarred stuff and make your own. This Polish-style version is sweet instead of savory, like other types of gefilte fish.

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Double Mushroom Barley Soup

The fall evenings can get a little chilly in the Sukkah, but soup helps. Mushroom and barley soup is a deli favorite, and this recipe has two varieties of mushrooms for even more umami punch. The recipe calls for a pressure cooker, but a Dutch oven will also work. Just simmer the soup longer (about an hour) so that the flavors can meld.

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Ghormeh Sabzi

The Persian stew is chock full of lamb or beef, beans, lots of greens and spices and is a traditional Shabbat soup. It’s warm and filling, making it a hearty meal to enjoy in the Sukkah, too.

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Yemenite Chicken With Potatoes

One-pot meals are great for transporting from the kitchen to the Sukkah. This chicken dish has potatoes and vegetables with lots of spices including hawaij, a Yemenite mix of cumin, turmeric, cardamom and black pepper.

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Tabouli

This herby chopped bulgur salad pairs great with Persian-style meatballs, or makes a great light lunch all on its own.

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Apple Strudels

Apples are a classic fall fruit, and a simple Ashkenazi strudel using Granny Smiths and puff pastry sprinkled in cinnamon and sugar is a classic way to enjoy them.

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Honey Cake

Honey cake is traditional for Rosh Hashanah and symbolizes wishes for a sweet New Year, but it is also an ideal ending to a Sukkot meal. This rich, dairy-free cake has the addition of slivered almonds for a little crunch. It’s the kind of dessert that just gets better a few days after baking, so feel free to make it ahead of time.

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