Top 10 Traditional Jewish Recipes

1. Hummus Masabacha (Hummus with Whole Chickpeas)

Are you in love with hummus as much as I am? Then you must try this incredible Israeli style Hummus Masabacha recipe. Found in almost all restaurants across Israel and definitely sold in every supermarket, I have found the perfect recipe to make your own. Not just delicious, hummus is so healthy for one’s body, too! 

Ingredients for Hummus Masabacha:

• ½ pound Chickpeas
• 2 tsp Baking soda
• 2 tbsp Kosher Salt
• 1 Onion
• 1 stalk Celery
• 1 Carrots
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 2 Bay leaf
• 1 sprig Rosemary
• 1 – 1½ cups Tahini
• ⅓ cup Parsley
• Olive oil

2. Gefilte Fish

Gefilte Fish is a poached fish dish made from ground deboned fish. It is typically served as an appetizer around Passover. But you can feel free to make this Jewish classic at any time throughout the year.

It is really easy to make this dish too. Start by bringing fish stock, onion, carrot, celery, parsley, and thyme to a simmer. Make the fish mixture by pulsing white fish in a food processor and mix it with a cooked onion and parsley mixture. Add eggs and matzo meal and mix well. Season and shape into balls. Drop into the hot stock and simmer for 25 minutes. Serve on endive with matzo and horseradish.

Ingredients for Gefilte Fish:

FOR THE STOCK:

• 8 cup Fish stock
• 1 Onion
• 2 Carrots
• 2 stalks Celery
• small bunch Parsley
• 3 sprigs Fresh thyme

FOR THE GEFILTE FISH:

• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Onion
• 2 Carrots
• 1 stalk Celery
• 3 lb Pike fillets
• 3 Large eggs
• ¼ cup Parsley
• ¾ cup Matzo meal
• Kosher Salt
• Black pepper 

3. Easy Challah Bread

Easy Challah Bread is bread, traditionally eaten by Jewish people on the Sabbath which is Friday night and Saturday lunch meals as well as special, religious holidays such as New Year when the challah is shaped into a round loaf sometimes containing honey and sultanas, for a sweet, round and full new year!

Ingredients for Challah Bread:

4 cups (500g) Bread flour

3 tsp (10g) Active dry yeast

2 tsp (10g) Salt

5 tbsp (106g) Honey

⅓ cup (70g) Olive oil

2 Large eggs

2 large Egg yolks

⅔ cup (150 ml) Water

1 large Egg yolks

1 tbsp Sesame seeds

4. Ashkenazi Haroset

What is Ashkenazi Haroset? Best described as a sweet, loose, paste-like combination of fruit, spices, wine and matzah meal. Traditionally eaten at a Passover Seder meal to symbolize the clay – the work and the mortar of the slaves in Egypt.

Every family has their own recipe and mine combines apples, honey, sweet red wine chopped walnuts or almonds and a teaspoon of cinnamon. I personally love it!

Ingredients for Ashkenazi Haroset:

• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 2-3 tbsp sweet Red wine
• 2 Apples
• ½ cup Walnuts
• ½ -1 tsp Cinnamon

5. The Best Matzo Ball Soup

Most Jewish people will agree with me that Passover is no celebration without The Best Matzo Ball Soup. Some families wait all year for this speciality but with my Jewish friends, they serve it for all the big festivals and traditional or religious holidays.

A chicken soup broth filled with matzo balls made from matzo meal, which is the traditional flour replacement used during Passover. This is a famous Eastern European food now enjoyed all over the world.

Ingredients for The Best Matzo Ball Soup:

• 4 Large eggs
• ¼ cup Water
• ¼ cup Schmaltz
• 1 cup Matzo meal
• ⅛ – 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• Black pepper
• 3 quarts Chicken stock

FOR GARNISH:

• 1 Carrot
• 1 stick Celery
• 2 sprigs Dill

6. Herbed Goat Cheese and Apricot Babka  

This Herbed Goat Cheese and Apricot Babka is by no means a simple recipe but I do promise that all the hours invested into this incredible Jewish delicacy will be worth it! Originating in Eastern Europe this twisted, bread-like, sweet treat comes with different fillings from chocolate to cinnamon to fruit jellies. This recipe is filled with herbed goat cheese and apricot preserves to elevate this traditional cake loaf. 

Ingredients for Herbed Goat Cheese and Apricot Babka:

FOR THE DOUGH:

• ½ cup Water
• 1⅛ tsp (½ packet) Active dry yeast
• 2½ cups All-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• ½ tsp fine Sea salt
• 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 Large eggs
• FOR THE FILLING:
• ⅓ cup Apricot preserves
• 5 ounces herbed Goat Cheese

FOR THE TOPPING:

• 2 tbsp Apricot preserves
• 2 tbsp raw Almonds

7. Hanukkah Jelly Donuts (Sufganiyot)

These deep fried Hanukkah Jelly Donuts (Sufganiyot) are an Israeli Jewish specialty served traditionally on the special holiday of Hanukkah.

Plumped up with a juicy filling of jelly or jam and sprinkled with powdered sugar makes every bite oh so heavenly! No more store bought donuts, you can now make your own fresh and fluffy jelly donuts with this simple recipe. 

Ingredients for Hanukkah Jelly Donuts (Sufganiyot):

• 1 packet Active dry yeast
• 3 cups All-purpose flour
• ¼ cup Sugar
• 1¼ cups Water
• ¼ cup Margarine
• 1 dash Kosher Salt
• 2 Egg yolks
• Strawberry jam
• Canola oil
• Powdered sugar

8. Sweet Noodle Kugel

This Sweet Noodle Kugel is a great recipe for Passover. It is easy to prepare and once you have put it together, you only need to bake it in the oven for an hour and it is ready to serve. My family loves the sweet sauce combined with the pasta noodles!

Ingredients for Sweet Noodle Kugel:

16 oz Wide Egg noodles

5 Large eggs

½ cup Butter

16 oz Sour cream

8 oz Cottage cheese

¾ cup Sugar

½ tsp Cinnamon

9. Mini Potato Kugels

These Mini Potato Kugels are traditionally eaten by Jewish people on Shabbat and other special religious festivals such as Passover and Hanukkah, although, in Israel, you can find them everyday! Originating from Jewish homes in Germany about 800 years ago, this combination of grated potato, onion, eggs and lots-of-oil gets baked in the oven and turn out crispy and divine!

Ingredients for :

• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 8-10 Potatoes
• 2 Yellow onions
• 4 Eggs
• ⅓ cup Vegetable oil
• 1 tsp Salt
• Black pepper

10. Flourless Walnut-Date Cake for Passover

This Flourless Walnut-Date Cake for Passover has all the tastiness of a yummy cake without the flour or gluten. According to Jewish traditions, Jewish people are prohibited from eating certain foods during the 8 days of Passover and flour is one of them. The idea is to commemorate the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. Below is one of our delicious passover cakes and it’s great for people who are gluten free, too!

Ingredients for Flourless Walnut-Date Cake for Passover:

• 3 cups Walnuts
• ¾ tsp Cinnamon
• ½ cup Sugar
• 4 Large eggs
• 2 tsp Orange zest
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 pinch Kosher Salt
• ¾ cup Dates
• Cooking spray

FOR THE GLAZE

• 2 ounces Bittersweet chocolate
• 4 tbsp Margarine
• 1 tsp Honey
• 2 tbsp Walnuts