My food story is enmeshed with Holiday Traditions and symbolic foods. Rosh Hashanah Recipes that have been handed down for generations help us feel connected to our ancestors and our heritage. A festive meal, loaded with traditional foods is an integral part of how we celebrate the Jewish holidays.
Although I do feel that recipes that hold a certain nostalgia are crucial to our holiday experience, I have no problem taking liberty with some of my grandmothers Traditional Rosh Hashanah Recipes and updating them to represent a more modern Rosh Hashanah Menu. Many traditional dishes have been replaced with vegetable-forward dishes…and guess what? Nobody is complaining…even when I put out an entirely vegan rosh hashanah meal.
Tzimmes is a good example. My Grandma made sweet potato tzimmes that included ingredients like brown sugar and flanken…I use some chopped prunes in my delicious vegan tzimmes recipe instead, along with sweet potatoes and other root vegetables and find that it’s a perfect combination.
If this is your first time hosting a Rosh Hashanah Celebration, Mazal Tov! The high holidays are the perfect time to take on a new Jewish tradition. Keep calm, Happy Rosh Hashanah and just know that you got this…and I’m here to help!
This post has been updated from the original published in September 2015. This post may contain Affiliate Links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Rosh Hashanah is one of my favorite holidays to cook for. I love to put my unique spin on the festive meal, bringing my vegan holiday kitchen into the equation along with a delicious vegetarian recipe or two (EVERYTHING is dairy-free, but there are occasionally eggs in my recipes). Oh, just wait until you taste my version of Jeweled Rice with pomegranate seeds….heavenly and so much easier than the original.
Healthy food has no season, no occasion and it definitely NEVER goes out of style. Rosh Hashanah Recipes to celebrate the Jewish New Year are no exception….healthy doesn’t mean any compromise. Let me show you how healthy food can taste incredible, look beautiful and have everyone raving.
Why do we eat sweet foods on Rosh Hashanah?
Sweet foods symbolize our hope for a sweet life, filled with blessings, in the coming year.
HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES TO SUGAR: Date syrup, date paste, (whole foods plant based sweetener) honey, pure maple syrup.
Processed white and brown sugar are known to have negative effects on overall health and well being. Sugar consumption is associated with higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, fatty liver disease, cancer, fatigue, acne, wrinkles and many other health ailments.
Sweet recipes for a sweet year that don’t include sugar:
Rosh Hashanah Recipes: APPLES
On Rosh Hashanah it is customary to eat apple slices that have been dipped in honey. With so many delicious recipes that feature apples, I decided to dig a little deeper.
Apples symbolize the many blessings that Jacob received. I love this association and think about all the good things available to us while I make a blessing over the apples every year.
Now that I live in the “apple-belt” I will add seasonality to that list! Timing….what great timing to have the apple eating holiday show up just as the apples are being harvested! Although sukkot is notoriously the harvest festival, I’m adding Rosh Hashanah onto that list! Plus there are so many amazing fall recipes that use apples!
Apple Recipes for Rosh Hashanah
Delicious and healthy apple recipes for Rosh Hashanah. We eat apples dipped in honey on the Jewish New Year to express our hopes for a sweet and fruitful year ahead. Apples, specifically, symbolize good health and intellectual prowess and are therefore incorporated into many Rosh Hashanah Recipes. Here are a few of my favorites for the holiday:
Healthy Apple Honey Cake
This Healthy Apple Cake Recipe is moist and delicious, an absolute must for fall baking. Making this dairy-free apple cake recipe from scratch is easy and it's the perfect honey cake for Rosh Hashanah.
Healthy Baked Apples
Healthy Baked Apples with Oatmeal are easy to make with this vegan recipe. They're juicy, tart, sweet and comforting. Baked cinnamon apples are perfect for a simple gluten-free dessert, breakfast or snack.
Apple Noodle Kugel
A healthier version of noodle kugel. No oil or sugar! Avocado provides a creamy yet dairy-free texture while apples and honey take care of the sweetness. This delicious gluten-free kugel is both light and satisfying. This kugel is perfect for Rosh Hashanah or Break Fast.
Healthy Apple Muffins
Apple Muffins are easy to make and perfect for snacks and breakfast during the holiday season. Be prepared with this easy and healthy recipe.
Gluten-free Apple Galette
Grain-Free Galette is less fussy than a pie. It's nutritious, delicious and beautiful too. Almond flour dough is easy to work with and fun to make.
5-Minute Healthy Applesauce
I love this super easy, no cook applesauce recipe. It takes 3 minutes (literally) to make and actually tastes like fresh apples. Perfect for serving as is, or using in vegan baking when you'd like to use something with no oil, no sugar and no fuss.
Apple Vinaigrette
This homemade salad dressing is made with apple cider and walnuts...it's creamy, vegan and absolutely delicious...you'll want to make it all year round.
Side Dishes for Rosh Hashanah
I don’t know about you, but when the veggie side dishes are good, I don’t need a main meal. You know what I’m saying? Yeah, I start with the sides when I make my rosh hashanah menu too….what about you?
Rosh Hashanah Side Dish Recipes
Here you'll find side dish recipes that are perfect for Rosh Hashanah, or any holiday meal. Here you'll find veggie sides that are sure to compliment your main dish.
Jeweled Rice
A beautiful, tasty, colorful side dish that is perfect for holiday meals. Basmati rice is cooked with saffron for a gorgeous color and sprinkled with pomegranates, dried fruits, nuts and veggies. An ideal Rosh Hashanah Side Dish. Plus it tastes great the next day....awesome for a mulit-day holiday.
Quick and Healthy Tzimmes
A simple and healthy version of a classic Rosh Hashanah recipe. Wholesome ingredients, one pan roasting, delicious cold or hot. If you're looking for sides that can be made ahead, here's the perfect one!
Cauliflower Kugel
This delicious kugel recipe has a traditional taste in a modern, healthier version. Cauliflower kugel is the perfect low carb side dish for Rosh Hashanah or year round.
Moroccan Carrots
The easiest way to make Moroccan Carrot Salad. Super tasty, never soggy, time efficient and compliant for Paleo and Whole30. The perfect side dish or salad for Rosh Hashanah, since it can be made ahead and tastes better after the spices have had time to absorb into the carrots.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts: Sweet & Spicy
Falls veggie poster child Brussels Sprouts....so we've just gotta make something with them! Crispy roasted brussels sprouts with a delicious honey-lime-sriracha sauce. An incredibly easy to make side dish that is delicious and nutritious.
Oven Roasted Broccoli Recipe
Simple recipe for roasted broccoli that is so delicious, they'll be begging for more. This healthy veggie side dish will go well with whatever you're making.
Roasted Spiced Carrots
Carrots are a traditional Rosh Hashanah dish Whole roasted and spiced carrots are super easy to make, absolutely delish and can be served at room temperature too.
Cold Sesame Noodles with Tahini
Cold Sesame Noodles with Tahini Sauce and crunchy vegetables is a simple recipe that's ready in just 20 minutes. This sesame noodle recipe is perfect for a holiday because you can make it ahead and it's even better the next day or two!
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Fresh Herbs
When Rosh Hashanah falls early in the calendar year, and fresh tomatoes are plentiful, this is a must make recipe. These roasted tomatoes are delicious, perfect for spreading on challah and will round out your menu!
Simple Cauliflower Rice
This simple cauli-rice recipe is a great way to round out a heavier menu. It's a low carb, delicious, vegan and gluten-free healthy side dish that's made in one pan for easy clean up.
Mashed Potatoes and Roots
A healthier Mashed Potato. Dairy-Free and creamy garlic mashed potatoes and root veggies are Vegan, Gluten-Free and Delicious. An easy Rosh Hashanah Side Dish.
Roasted Root Vegetables + Oranges
Root Veggies + Citrus for a delicious roasted vegetable side dish. Tangy, tasty, colorful...and super easy to make. You'll love this versatile side.
Rosh Hashanah Salad
I know, not everyone will want to take up valuable plate real estate with salad….but, there will be plenty of folks that appreciate a good salad on Rosh Hashanah. Afterall, it’s the greens and the veggies that will help keep our guts healthy and our bowels regular during this season of indulgence. This is (no surprise here) my favorite category and I bet you’ll be surprised how many take you up on the offer for tasty, beautiful salads.
Rosh Hashanah Salad Recipes
It's the beginning of a new year....let's all vow to make sure we don't serve BORING salad anymore! Special occasions call for special salads....and these are all easy enough for everyday as well.
Whole Roasted Beets with Vinaigrette
Wedges of whole roasted golden beets and red beets with balsamic vinaigrette. This roasted beet salad is easy to make, looks beautiful, is highly nutritious and tastes incredible.
Grain-free Tabbouleh with Pomegranate
Gluten-Free Tabbouleh uses a combo of riced cauliflower and broccoli for a grain-like texture. Fresh herbs and lots of greens make this delicious salad nutrient dense. It takes a bit of work to wash and chop everything, but it will also last a few days without getting soggy and tastes incredible----totally worth the work, if you ask me.
Lemony Arugula Salad
This simple lemony arugula salad with avocado and artichoke hearts is tangy, refreshing, tasty and satisfying. It will take you under 5 minutes to make and have you begging for more. Sprinkle on some pomegranate seeds for a pop of color and an impressive Rosh Hashanah Salad.
Butternut Squash Salad
Delicious and colorful roasted butternut squash salad is filled with greens, beets, toasted pumpkin seeds and a crave-worthy creamy, dairy-free, balsamic dressing. This one gets my vote for most beautiful!
Vegan Kale Caesar Salad
Most popular salad on the blog....ALWAYS...and there's a reason for that. Caesar has the most universal appeal....so if you're looking to do one spectacular salad that everyone will gravitate towards, consider this.
Roasted Cauliflower over Arugula
Delicious paprika roasted cauliflower served over peppery arugula with a simple vinaigrette for an amazing and simple salad. Make the cauliflower and the dressing in advance and then just throw this together last minute...super impressive.
Easy Green Salad Recipe with Capers
Know your crowd. This simple green salad recipe with a homemade dressing is ready in about 5 minutes....and it just might be the side salad everyone at your table is looking for.
Rosh Hashanah Soup Recipes
If you’re serving a sit down meal, it’s great to break up the courses by serving soup. Healthy soup recipes use seasonal ingredients and Rosh Hashanah is loaded with symbolic foods like leeks that are perfect for soup! Soup is something you can make in advance and freeze…a great way to free you up for last minute tasks.
Soup Recipes for Rosh Hashanah
A delicious soup is perfect for a Rosh Hashanah lunch menu, a light meal or as a starter for your festive meal. These are all vegan recipes, great if you're following a plant-based diet or if you need a pareve soup to compliment other dishes.
Cauliflower Leek Soup
Leeks are a symbolic food used for the New Year. Lightened up from the typical potato leek soup, this simple recipe uses cauliflower for a lower carb, truly delicious dairy-free creamy soup.
Carrot Ginger Soup
Just 8 simple ingredients in this delicious soup. You'll love the color, the taste and how light it is. Plus it's anti-inflammatory with ginger and turmeric...just what's needed with holiday indulgence.
Zucchini Soup
For all the gardeners out there....with more zucchini to use up! Quick and Easy Vegan Cream of Zucchini Soup Recipe. Just 7 ingredients for a dairy free and delicious soup.
Simple Butternut Squash Soup
Easy recipe for butternut squash soup. Roasted squash and garlic bring a depth of flavor for a creamy yet nut-free and dairy-free vegan soup. Optional spiced pepitas offer additional flavor and crunch. So so good....if you don't make it for Rosh Hashanah, be sure to put it on your menu for Sukkot.
Vegan Creamy Mushroom Soup
Honestly, I could make a meal out of this one! Perfect for a buffet, lunch or dinner...dairy-free and delicious.
Plant Based Main Dishes for Rosh Hashanah
You don’t have to be vegan to appreciate a meatless entree. When the choices are delish and presented well, everyone will want to have some. Rosh Hashanah Dinner looks different for everyone. Maybe you’re serving Rosh Hashanah Lunch and some folks know they will eat brisket or chicken at dinner…..they will appreciate an alternative and these Vegan Rosh Hashanah Dishes will be just what they’re looking for.
Rosh Hashanah Main Meals
Here you'll find an assortment of plant-based main dishes to offer for Rosh Hashanah. These vegan recipes can stand on their own, or compliment the other rosh hashanah dinner recipes you've made.
Vegan Stuffed Cabbage
Stuffed Cabbage was always served during the Rosh Hashanah meals of my childhood. The traditional rosh hashanah recipe has been updated with easy directions to make the cabbage pliable, a tasty vegan filling and healthier sweet and sour sauce that will definitely take you back to Grandmas. BONUS: you can totally make this ahead.
Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Turn zucchini into a crave worthy meal with this easy recipe. The BEST plant-based filling EVER, with delicious meaty texture and tons of umami taste....topped with marinara sauce and baked to perfection. Another ideal recipe to prep in advance.
Vegan Stuffed Peppers
Easy Recipe for Vegan Stuffed Peppers. Filled with tasty Italian flavors, plus protein rich quinoa and lentils for a satisfying plant-based main course. Excellent for meal prep...just heat and serve.
Stuffed Butternut Squash
Kale + Quinoa Stuffed Butternut Squash. If you can find the mini honey nut squashes, these will be PERFECTLY sized for individual portions! otherwise, the scooped out squash makes a gorgeous presentation and you can serve this as a main dish or a gluten-free stuffing side.
Vegan Meatloaf Recipe
Meatless Meatloaf with a tangy, tasty, homemade glaze. Simple recipe that will wow your plant-based family and friends....it's super delish, with the perfect texture too.
Vegan Lasagna Roll Ups
You'll love these vegan lasagna roll ups. Low carb zucchini noodles are filled with cauliflower almond ricotta, set onto a pool of marinara, and baked to perfection. An awesome menu idea for Rosh Hashanah...totally meant to be made ahead!
Rosh Hashanah Desserts
No gathering or holiday meal is complete without delicious desserts. Am I right? Rosh Hashanah desserts include many seasonal fruits as well as perennial favorites and traditional recipes too….and let’s not forget about the chocolate!
Rosh Hashanah Dessert Recipes
I covered some of my favorite apple desserts for Rosh Hashanah earlier in this post....easy recipes liked baked apples, apple honey cake and apple galette. s Here are a few other Rosh Hashanah Dessert....they're all refined sugar-free and dairy-free too.
Healthy Apple Honey Cake
This Healthy Apple Cake Recipe is moist and delicious, an absolute must for fall baking. Making this dairy-free apple cake recipe from scratch is easy and it's the perfect honey cake for Rosh Hashanah.
Gluten-free Biscotti
The most requested dessert from family and friends. I keep them stocked in my freezer at all times....but I'll definitely be making a special batch of biscotti for Rosh Hashanah....Gluten-free Biscotti are twice baked for crunchy, dunkable, and delicious perfection! Dip in chocolate and dust with chopped nuts, sea salt and orange zest for a real treat!
Gluten-free Pumpkin Cake
A healthy grain-free pumpkin cake that's light and fluffy, moist and delicious. This one bowl, easy pumpkin cake recipe is an amazing oil-free cake with the perfect balance of pumpkin and spice. Spread generously with vegan chocolate frosting and decorate with candied pepitas for a stunning holiday cake!
Vegan Ginger Cookies
THE BEST ginger cookie recipe out there. Soft and chewy inside, with perfectly crispy edges...and full of warm spices! Everyone's favorite vegan holiday cookies.
Blueberry Tart Recipe
This Tart Recipe is vegan, easy to make and out of this world DELISH! Creamy dairy free filling, fresh blueberries and a gluten-free crust....you can make this with any fruit or berries....it will be the stunner of the dessert buffet.
Homemade Peach Cobbler
Homemade Peach Cobbler is easy to make with this delicious vegan and gluten-free recipe....and perfect for Rosh Hashanah since fresh peaches are still in season!
Best Brownies
One bowl, easy brownie recipe....they taste incredible so nobody will guess they're Vegan and Gluten-Free, with no added oil.
Healthy Fruit Crisp Recipe
Perfect for whatever fruit you have....berries, stone fruit, apples or pears...this one is easy peasy....and so refreshing.
Healthy Chocolate Pie
Rich, decadent chocolate pie in a nutty crust. This healthy dessert recipe is a must for chocolate lovers.
Healthy Zucchini Bread
This one covers all bases....garden produce, chocolate, easy, and super popular! Amazing zucchini bread is made with clean ingredients, including applesauce for a moist no sugar, no oil delicious treat.
Appetizers for Rosh Hashanah
Let’s be real….Rosh Hashanah appetizers are really just a way to keep folks busy until the main event…or until everyone has arrived, right? Sometimes we do lunch that is appetizers only and then skip them totally in the evening so we have more room for Rosh Hashanah dinner….what’s your custom?
Appetizers for Rosh Hashanah
Appetizers, for any occasion help facilitate conversation and community. Rosh Hashanah appetizers are no different. Some folks put out the sliced apples and honey for dipping and call it a day. Others plan for an hour of either passed or plated hors d'oeuvres for Rosh Hashanah. Whatever your Rosh Hashanah Traditions are, offer healthy and delicious options!
Gluten-free stuffed mushrooms
A low calorie, low carb appetizer....and this one is awesome to serve as a side dish too. Mushrooms stuffed with tasty cauli-rice mixture are vegan and gluten-free. Easy recipe that is also paleo, whole-30 and delicious! You can make them in advance and just gently reheat too.
No Yeast Flatbread Recipe
This no yeast flatbread dough recipe produces a thin crust pizza that's ready for all your favorite toppings....it's light and crispy, perfect for loading up with veggies!
Roasted Cauliflower Hummus Recipe
A low-carb alternative to beans, with all the flavor and texture of regular hummus. Perfect, if you're saving room for the main event!
Vegan Sweet and Sour Meatballs
I make these for every holiday...they're super tasty (even meat eaters like them), the sauce is incredible, you can make them in advance and then just reheat, and who doesn't like a simple appetizer that comes on a toothpick?
Brussels Sprouts Latkes
Oh, these are a fun little treat! Crispy Healthy Latkes....baked, not fried. Brussels Sprouts....not potatoes. Traditional flavor, texture and nostalgia with a modern, healthy twist.
For me, Rosh Hashanah has always been a time of introspection, a time of renewal and a time to connect with myself and those I love. I like to take stalk of the past year, and think about the year to come.
Wishing you a healthy and sweet New Year. One that is filled with love and light, revealed goodness and peace for all….and a Rosh Hashanah table full of good food.
Let me know in the comments what you’re making this year! Traditional Rosh Hashanah Food, Modern Rosh Hashanah Dishes, or maybe a combo? Do you like the vegan Rosh Hashanah Recipes?
As, always, if you make one of my recipes, please leave me a 5 star rating with a comment…..and definitely take photos, post them on Instagram a tag me @dkhealthcoach #debraklein
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