39 Outrageously Good Hanukkah Recipes That Are Seriously Worth Making Year-Round (2024)

From brisket and matzo balls to babka and rugelach, the gang's all here.

by Hannah LoewentheilBuzzFeed Staff

Can you believe it's Hanukkah already? Whether you celebrate by lighting the menorah and spinning the dreidel — or even if you don't observe Hanukkah at all — we can all agree that this Jewish holiday comes with some seriously delicious food. So here are some festive recipes to make over the next eight crazy nights and beyond.

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1. Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken

39 Outrageously Good Hanukkah Recipes That Are Seriously Worth Making Year-Round (3)

Dinner Then Dessert / Via dinnerthendessert.com

You can find this sweet-meets-savory chicken dish on the table for just about any Jewish holiday. Chicken thighs cook in the slow cooker in a mixture of onion soup mix, apricot preserves, French dressing, and thyme. It's only a few ingredients, but it packs tons of flavor.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken

2. Roasted Beet Hummus

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Half Baked Harvest / Via halfbakedharvest.com

Here's a little something to nosh on while you play dreidel and open Hanukkahgifts.

Recipe:Roasted Beet Hummus

3. Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

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Damn Delicious / Via damndelicious.net

Make a big batch of this slow cooker soup on the first night of Hanukkah, and enjoy it throughout the week. It also freezes like a dream for future lazy nights.

Recipe:Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

4. Air Fryer Potato Latkes

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The Kitchn / Via thekitchn.com

These latkes are crispy as heck, but there's no deep frying in oil required. All the magic happens in the air fryer.

Recipe:Air Fryer Potato Latkes

The Wimpy Vegetarian / Via thewimpyvegetarian.com

Replace Russet potatoes with sweet potatoes for a modern take on classic pan-fried latkes.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Latkes

The Healthful Ideas / Via thehealthfulideas.com

Be warned: This side dish might just steal the whole show. If you can't get your hands on labneh and dukkah, don't worry. Opt for crushed pistachios and Greek yogurt.

Recipe: Harissa Roasted Carrots With Labneh and Dukkah

Salt and Lavender / Via saltandlavender.com

This one-pot meal will nourish the whole family and warm you up from the inside out.

Recipe: Creamy Lemon and Herb Pot Roasted Chicken

8. Matzo Ball Soup With Chicken Meatballs

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Foodie Crush / Via foodiecrush.com

The ultimate comfort food, matzo ball soup is called Jewish penicillin for a reason. This version calls for homemade chicken meatballs instead of more classic shredded chicken breast.

Recipe: Matzo Ball Soup With Chicken Meatballs

9. Sweet Noodle Kugel Muffins

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Kosher in the Kitch / Via kosherinthekitch.com

These sweet and tender egg noodle muffins get their flavor from cinnamon, sugar, applesauce, and pineapple juice. Baked in muffin tins, they're a perfectly shareable appetizer.

Recipe: Sweet Noodle Kugel Muffins

10. Za'atar Roasted Cauliflower Steaks With Green Tahini Sauce

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Feasting at home. / Via feastingathome.com

Serve this melt-in-your-mouth za'atar-dusted cauliflower as a shareable side dish or a plant-based main.

Recipe:Zaatar Roasted Cauliflower Steaks With Green Tahini Sauce

11. Instant Pot Pot Roast

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Spend With Pennies / Via spendwithpennies.com

Pot roast can take all day to make, but thanks to your Instant Pot, it's ready in under two hours. You'll want to take full advantage of the savory gravy.

Recipe:Instant Pot Pot Roast

12. Overnight Brisket

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Jamie Geller / Via jamiegeller.com

Slow cooking this beef brisket at a low temperature for a long period of time ensures that it comes out oh-so-tender. You don't even need a knife to cut it— it's soft like butter.

Recipe:Overnight Brisket

13. Crispy Parmesan and Gruyere Potato Gratin

39 Outrageously Good Hanukkah Recipes That Are Seriously Worth Making Year-Round (12)

Flourishing Foodie / Via flourishingfoodie.com

Because cheesy potatoes should be a fixture on every holiday table.

Recipe:Crispy Parmesan and Gruyere Potato Gratin

14. Fennel and Chickpea Salad

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Platings and Pairings / Via platingsandpairings.com

Say so long to boring salads. This lettuce-free medley is packed with veggies, but it feels totally fresh and exciting.

Recipe:Fennel and Chickpea Salad

Vodka and Biscuits / Via vodkaandbiscuits.com

Think: mac 'n' cheese meets spinach dip meets kugel in this creative take on a Jewish classic.

Recipe: Spinach and Ricotta Noodle Kugel

The Recipe Critic / Via therecipecritic.com

Keep your Hanukkah celebration casual with these comforting, cheesy pastrami sliders.

Recipe: Hot Pastrami Sliders

Life in the Lofthouse / Via life-in-the-lofthouse.com

The hardest thing about making brisket is having the patience to wait and let it get nice and tender. Thanks to your handy slow cooker, that's easier than ever. Just cover beef brisket in your favorite bottled BBQ sauce and some spices, and let dinner cook itself.

Recipe: Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket

18. Challah Grilled Cheese

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The Food Charlatan / Via thefoodcharlatan.com

Buttery, eggy, moist challah bread is the perfect vessel for gooey grilled cheese. Try it once, and you'll never go back.

Recipe: Challah Grilled Cheese

19. Crispy Potato Latkes With Smoked Salmon

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Domestic Gothess / Via domesticgothess.com

A little dollop of sour cream and a slice of smoked salmon turn your average potato latkes into an elevated, crowd-pleasing appetizer. Make these for Hanukkah...or any day.

Recipe: Crispy Potato Latkes With Smoked Salmon

20. Sweet and Spicy Roast Chicken With Carrots, Dates, and Pistachios

39 Outrageously Good Hanukkah Recipes That Are Seriously Worth Making Year-Round (16)

Once Upon a Chef / Via onceuponachef.com

Everyone knows the best things in life are both savory and sweet, and this roast chicken dish is no exception. Serve it with rice pilaf for a delicious meal.

Recipe:Sweet and Spicy Roast Chicken With Carrots, Dates, and Pistachios

The View From Great Island / Via theviewfromgreatisland.com

You can replace potatoes with just about any shredded veggie to make crispy latkes. In this case, beets give veggie pancakes a bright pop of color and, paired with horseradish crème fraîche, a unique and irresistible flavor.

Recipe: Beet Latkes with Horseradish Crème Fraîche

22. Roasted Tomato Soup With Ricotta Matzo Balls

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Little Ferraro Kitchen / Via littleferrarokitchen.com

While not necessarily traditional, these fluffy ricotta matzo balls in tomato-based broth tastes almost like matzo ball soup and lasagna soup had a baby.

Recipe: Roasted Tomato Soup With Ricotta Matzo Balls

23. Slow Roasted Salmon

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Wild Thistle Kitchen / Via wildthistlekitchen.com

Slow-roasting your salmon not only ensures that it's perfectly cooked, but also that the final result is tender and flaky.

Recipe:Slow Roasted Salmon

24. Pizza Latkes

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My Name is Yeh / Via mynameisyeh.com

I'm just wondering why didn't I think of this sooner...

Recipe: Pizza Latkes

25. Jewish-Style Fried Artichokes

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Italian Food Forever / Via italianfoodforever.com

Perhaps the most delicious way to eat artichokes, the hearts are deep fried until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and then they're drizzled with salt and lemon juice.

Recipe: Jewish-Style Fried Artichokes

26. Pumpkin Noodle Kugel

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Overtime Cook / Via overtimecook.com

A Jewish holiday classic gets a seasonal twist with the help of pumpkin puree, maple syrup, graham cracker, and cinnamon.

Recipe:Pumpkin Noodle Kugel

27. Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette

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Joanne Eats Well With Others / Via joanne-eatswellwithothers.com

Use the holiday as the perfect excuse to whip up this savory, veggie-packed tart.

Recipe:Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette

Platings and Pairings / Via platingsandpairings.com

These fall-off-the-bone short ribs taste amazing over polenta, mashed potatoes, rice, egg noodles, or pretty much any starchy base.

Recipe: Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

29. Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

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Food Folks and Fun / Via foodfolksandfun.net

Just like bubbie used to make.

Recipe:Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

House of Nash Eats / Via houseofnasheats.com

Challah bread is easily one of the most wonderful things on the planet. Enriched with eggs and olive oil, it's light and moist, yet rich and buttery at the same time. Plus, you get to make French toast with the leftovers.

Recipe: Homemade Challah Bread

31. Chocolate Babka

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Baking a Moment / Via bakingamoment.com

Making babka from scratch requires some time and effort, but if you're looking for a baking project to keep you busy and yield incredible results, this is the one. It's soft brioche bread filled with dark chocolate swirls, all topped with chocolate streusel crumble.

Recipe: Chocolate Babka

32. Jelly Donuts (Sufganiyot)

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Pretty Simple Sweet / Via prettysimplesweet.com

The Israeli take on deep-fried donuts called sufganiyot are filled with sweet jelly and dusted with powdered sugar. You'll want these on your holiday table.

Recipe: Jelly Donuts (Sufganiyot)

33. Chocolate Chip Challah

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Bakertia / Via bakerita.com

This challah tastes just as good for breakfast as it does for dessert.

Recipe:Chocolate Chip Challah

Cookies and Cups / Via cookiesandcups.com

Imagine an apple pie, a donut, and pound cake all got together to form one mega dessert. It would taste a lot like this.

Recipe: Apple Fritter Bread

Sugar Spun Run / Via sugarspunrun.com

PSA: Rugelach freezes wonderfully, so make a big batch, and you'll be covered for whenever your sweet tooth strikes.

Recipe: Chocolate Rugelach

36. Air Fryer Peanut Butter and Jelly Donuts

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Hungry Couple NYC / Via hungrycouplenyc.com

Jelly donuts are a Hanukkahtradition, so why not air fry them and add creamy peanut butter for good measure?

Recipe:Air Fryer Peanut Butter and Jelly Donuts

Butternut Bakery Blog / Via butternutbakeryblog.com

Olive oil in dessert? You bet. It's the secret to this dense and fudgy chocolate cake.

Recipe: Flourless Olive Oil Chocolate Cake

I am Baker / Via iambaker.net

Grab some Granny Smiths from your local supermarket, and turn them into a seasonal bundt cake.

Recipe: Apple Bundt Cake

39. Raspberry Apricot Rugelach Bars

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The View From Great Island / Via theviewfromgreatisland.com

A riff on the classic Jewish treat, these buttery, flaky bars are filled with a tangy fruity filling.

Recipe:Raspberry Apricot Rugelach Bars

What's your favorite Hanukkah recipe? Tell us in the comments below.

39 Outrageously Good Hanukkah Recipes That Are Seriously Worth Making Year-Round (2024)
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