24 Rosh Hashanah Recipes to Celebrate the New Year From main meals to side dishes and desserts, we've got everything to sweeten your holiday. Close Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, and the holiday falls in September or early October. Our Rosh Hashanah recipes, from main dishes to desserts, feature foods that are symbolic and meaningful in Jewish culture, such as leeks, pomegranates, carrots, honey, and apples—whichever you go for, these meals will help you start a sweet and prosperous New Year. 16 Elegant Rosh Hashanah Appetizers to Make for the Holiday Dinner 01 of 24 Sweet-and-Sour Brisket Credit: Lennart Weibull Rosh Hashanah is all about bringing family and friends together for a celebration of the New Year. The sweet and sour flavors in this brisket transport Sarah Carey, our editorial director for food, back to her childhood as they were her grandmother's signature. View Recipe 02 of 24 Beet Salad With Honey-Lavender Dressing Credit: Mikkel Vang Honey brings a sweet touch to the classic mustard vinaigrette that is the perfect partner for this salad made with baby chard, roasted and fresh beets, and toasted pecans. View Recipe 03 of 24 Seared Beets With Turmeric-Tahini Broccoli and Salmon Credit: Ryan Liebe Just right for a Rosh Hashanah dinner with a smaller group, the oven does most of the work for this salmon served with broccoli and thinly sliced beets. Truly, a celebratory entrée that deserves the spot. View Recipe 04 of 24 Raisin-Challah Apple Betty Credit: Justin Walker One of the main foods associated with Rosh Hashanah is apples. They are traditionally dipped in honey and eaten, bringing the promise of sweet days to come. This challah bread pudding is sure to bring warm wishes to your family. View Recipe 05 of 24 Matzo Ball Soup Credit: Jonathan Lovekin For many people, a Jewish holiday dinner would not be complete without matzo ball soup. This classic version calls for homemade stock, but you can use store-bought to save yourself some time. View Recipe 06 of 24 Pomegranate-Braised Short Ribs Credit: Johnny Miller Pomegranates are traditionally served on the second night of Rosh Hashanah. The ruby-red seeds add stunning jewel color and crunch to this dish of braised short ribs—utterly delicious and mouth-melting. View Recipe 07 of 24 Pomegranate Tea Celebrate Rosh Hashanah with this easy, soothing tea, made with two ingredients traditionally served on the Jewish New Year. A healthy dose of pomegranate—which comes from the many seeds that represent a fruitful year—complements a taste of honey, a symbol of sweetness in the year to come. View Recipe 08 of 24 Apple-Honey Upside Down Cake Credit: Johnny Miller Of course, the celebration calls for some show-stopping desserts. Because of the symbolic importance of apples on Rosh Hashanah, desserts like the Apple-Honey Upside Down Cake are excellent options to end your meal. View Recipe 09 of 24 Spiced Apple Cake Credit: Anna Williams A crowd-pleaser indeed, this delicate cake is tender with sour cream and spiced with ginger and allspice. Thin rounds of Granny Smith apple make the perfect topping. View Recipe 10 of 24 Roasted Vegetables With Pomegranate Vinaigrette Romanesco and regular white cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts are roasted together for a colorful holiday side dish. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the vegetables and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds just before serving. View Recipe 11 of 24 Classic Latkes Credit: Julia Gartland Potato pancakes can't be missed in your New Year celebration. Serve them with toppers like créme fraiche, trout roe, smoked trout, and lingonberry jam. View Recipe 12 of 24 Onion-and-Leek Focaccia Credit: Mike Krautter Leeks, another important ingredient on Rosh Hashanah, symbolize the need to cut ties with individuals who may otherwise hurt us in the New Year. This gorgeous bread layers leeks and sliced onions on top of the dough then is finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and rosemary leaves for an earthy, savory flavor. View Recipe 13 of 24 Brown-Butter Honey Cookies Credit: Mike Krautter Honey, a Jewish symbol of the gifts and favors offered by God, takes prominence in these nutty cookies. While the woven pattern looks complex, it's simple to create using an embossed rolling pin before cutting and shaping the dough. View Recipe 14 of 24 Wine-Braised Brisket Credit: linda xiao A tender, rich brisket is the centerpiece of most Jewish holidays, from Rosh Hashanah to Passover. Cooking it with plenty of liquid is key to preventing it from drying out, and here, it's prepared with a combination of dry wine and chicken broth. View Recipe 15 of 24 Sautéed Beet Greens Credit: Linda Pugliese An easy healthy side dish for your holiday table that also has symbolic meaning (related to the departure of our enemies), this recipe comes together in 20 minutes. View Recipe 16 of 24 Salmon and Cod Gefilte Fish Credit: Chris Simpson Gefilte fish is the Yiddish term for stuffed fish. This refined version takes the form of quenelles made with salmon and cod, plus matzo meal, diced vegetables, Dijon mustard, and aromatics. They're lightly poached, and then served alongside flavored horseradish. Our version is free of shellfish so it's kosher. View Recipe 17 of 24 Walnut Honey Cake This delightful autumn dessert combines apples and honey with freshly ground toasted walnuts. The baked cake is glazed with honey and served warm. Enjoy slices after your holiday meal with hot tea. View Recipe 18 of 24 Pomegranate Roasted Chicken Always a showstopping main course, this fragrant roast chicken—flavored with a pomegranate-juice glaze and decorated with thyme and pomegranate seeds—makes a delicious centerpiece for Rosh Hashanah. View Recipe 19 of 24 Honey-Glazed Carrots Our take on a classic Rosh Hashanah side dish dresses up carrots with honey, red wine vinegar, and butter. View Recipe 20 of 24 Apple-Membrillo Tart Credit: Justin Walker An absolute stunner, this apple tart is a spectacular way to end a Rosh Hashanah dinner. Quince paste, called membrillo in Spanish, is spread over pate brisee, then sliced apples are shingled on top for a gorgeous look. View Recipe 21 of 24 Beet-and-Dill Roasted Wild Salmon Credit: Anson Smart Here, a mixture of grated beets, horseradish, dill, lemon zest, and olive oil rests on top of an entire side of wild salmon. This crowd-ready main takes on a vibrant purple hue and develops an earthy, spicy flavor after marinating. View Recipe 22 of 24 Pomegranate Relish Credit: Louise Hagger Pomegranates symbolize abundant blessings for the Jewish New Year. To celebrate the power of pomegranates, serve this sweet and tart relish as an accompaniment to your main course. View Recipe 23 of 24 Seeded Marble Rye Bread Credit: Marcus Nilsson Rye bread is a staple at Rosh Hashanah among other Jewish holidays. Whether you spread chopped liver on a slice, crumble it on a salad, or eat it as a side, this gorgeous, earthy bread is essential. View Recipe 24 of 24 Lemon Honey Cake Credit: Johnny Miller A particularly luscious version of an iconic dessert, this cake is infused with tastes of honey, zesty lemon, and a hint of ground cardamom. We topped ours with a piece of honeycomb, but a drizzle of honey is just as decadent. View Recipe Explore more: Food & Cooking Recipes Recipes by Region Jewish Recipes