Give yourself a break this Rosh Hashanah with these gorgeous, delicious, deceptively simple recipes. From fancied-up store-bought starters to schmaltzy sheet pan mains and easy one-bowl desserts, these 13 festive recipes guarantee less prep, less washing up and less time in the kitchen.
Entrees
Throughout the Jewish world, it’s symbolic to eat fish on Rosh Hashanah. There are many reasons, including prosperity and a resolution to be leaders rather than followers (you can read more here). Symbolism aside, fish cooks up quickly, saving you from spending hours at the stove.
Want to avoid the stove altogether? Each year, Sonya Sanford serves a crowd-pleasing, beautifully assembled platter full of store-bought smoked and cured fish.
Can’t conceive of a Rosh Hashanah sans gefilte fish? With the help of a frying pan and a jar of caviar, store-bought gefilte is transformed into a chic hors d’oeuvre.
Chraime — a North African spicy, saucy fish full of flavor — is beloved by so many communities. Ready in half an hour, it’s easy to see why.
Mains
Keep it simple with sheet pan dinners, or get your gadgets out for hands-free prep. There’s something for everyone here — from vegetarians to meat eaters, decadent dishes to budget-friendly bites.
Known among Persian Jews as “Rosh Hashanah rice,” this is always a High Holiday hit due to its sheer beauty and pleasing textural contrasts (Dried fruits! Nuts! Crispy rice! Fluffy rice!).
This sticky, schmaltzy sheet pan chicken dinner truly is a winner — and ready in under an hour.
Tender, fall-apart brisket in a fraction of the time.
With honey and multiple forms of pomegranate, this low-maintenance chicken dish is heavily Rosh Hashanah coded.
The perfect set-it-and-forget-it recipe from Molly Yeh, this cooks for 8-10 hours (or overnight) in the crockpot. No crockpot? No problem. Cook for 3-4 hours in a Dutch oven.
This no-fuss short ribs recipe is so rich and delicious, no one will know you weren’t slaving over a hot stove for hours.
Desserts
One-bowl cake recipes are game changer when it comes to High Holidays prep, and we’re always in the mood for a bite-size treat, especially when they’re as easy as these cookie recipes:
“This cake was delicious, easy to make and made everyone at the table happy! Definitely putting this in the regular rotation for holiday foods,” reads one of many 5-star reviews for this nostalgic apple cake recipe.
A tender, moist, burnished bronze cake that keeps for up to a week — trust us, this is the only honey cake recipe you’ll ever need.
Adorable, bite-sized cookies with an easy store-bought crust, comforting apple filling and sweet streusel topping.
This simplified version of a beloved Middle Eastern cookie tastes as good as the original, and are the perfect companion to a cup of coffee.
