8 Rosh Hashanah Recipes Inspired by the Simanim

Get ready for the Jewish New Year with these 8 Rosh Hashanah recipes inspired by the simanim…

Rosh Hashanah is all about starting the year with sweetness, intention, and forgiveness- for ourselves and those around us. Our favorite collective tradition(i think we can agree on this!), is the simanim– the symbolic foods we eat at the Rosh Hashanah table with special wishes for the new year.

Instead of simply putting each siman on a plate, this year i wanted to turn these traditional foods into something more special and make them the centerpiece of the whole meal..

So, along with Feldart Israel, i created 8 Rosh Hashanah recipes inspired by the 8 simanim, turning each into a dish you can serve and truly enjoy at your holiday table!

From homemade apple butter and beet tahini to honey fried fish sticks(in place of a fish head that no one ever touches), these recipes are a fun way to bring the special meaning behind each siman in a way your family will love.

I’m serving all these 8 recipes in this lucite spinning tray. It comes with a removable centre bowl for honey and little spoon, so cute. You can use code estee10 for a discount on the whole site!

Lets get cooking, and have a sweet new year!

1. Apples and Honey- Homemade Apple Butter

Everyone loves the famous apples and honey- which we eat on the New Year for a sweet year ahead! Grab a few jars of honey because we’ll be drizzling it on everything for the next few weeks!

This delicious homemade apple butter is super easy to make and quick to- simple simmer chopped apples with a couple kew ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. I love this on challah and waffles!

Easy Apple Butter

5 apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons sugar 

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup water

Place everything in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for around 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very soft. Remove the lid and cook for another 10–15 minutes until thick and jammy.

Mash until smooth, or blend for a completely silky apple butter(this is how i prefer it).

Serve warm or chilled with challah. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or freeze in small containers to defrost throughout the holiday.

2. Carrot- Honey and Cumin Roasted Carrots

Carrots are one of the more traditional simanim in many communities.

The Hebrew word gezer is connected with the idea of a decree, and the accompanying wish asks that any harsh decrees against us be overturned and that our merits increase.

For this version, I roasted the carrots with honey, cumin, paprika, and spices until they’re caramelized and tender. It’s sweet, savory, and has a little Moroccan-inspired flavor!

 Honey & Cumin Roasted Carrots

2 large carrots

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon honey

½ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 425°F/ 220°C.

Slice the carrots diagonally into thick, elongated rounds.

Place the carrots on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, whole cumin seeds, paprika, honey, and salt until evenly coated.

Spread the carrots out in a single layer.

Roast for about 25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the carrots are tender, caramelized, and browned around the edges.

Serve warm.

3.🌿 Leek — Buttery Leek & Garlic Confit

Leek is another classic Rosh Hashanah siman, and one i make throughout the year. Did i mention how BUTTERY leeks get when roasted?!)

The Hebrew name karti is connected to the word for cutting off, which is why the blessing asks that our enemies be cut off.

I turned the leek into a slow cooked(and very easy to prepare), silky leek and garlic confit with thyme, rosemary, and olive oil. It’s incredibly simple but feels special enough for a holiday table—and it’s delicious spread over challah.

Buttery Leek and Garlic Confit

1 large leek, white and light green parts, sliced into 2 inch long logs and then split down the centre 

2 heads garlic, cloves peeled 

2/3 cup olive oil

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 small sprig rosemary

1/2 teaspoon salt

Place the leeks, garlic, olive oil, thyme and salt in a pan over low heat.

Roast in the oven at 250 f(120 c) for 1.5 hours, until leeks are buttery and garlic cloves are golden. Remove the herbs before serving.

4. ❤️ Beet — Beet Tahini

Beets are eaten as a siman with a wish that our enemies and accusers be removed. The traditional blessing is connected to the Hebrew word silka. (Sefaria⁠)

For a modern take, I made a creamy beet tahini. The color is gorgeous on a Rosh Hashanah table, and the earthy sweetness of the beets works so well with nutty tahini and lemon!

Note: Peeling beets is messy so i prefer to buy them when i can vacuum sealed and pre-cooked. It makes the prep of this dip take literally a minute. Blend everything in your food processor fitted with the blade attachment or in a mini blender.

Roasted Beet + Tahini Dip

1 medium beet, ready to eat( i buy them vacuum sealed and pre-cooked) 

1/2 cup tahini ( my favorite brand is Har Bracha)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 small garlic clove

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch of cumin, optional

If using raw beet, Roast the beet at 400°F until completely tender, about 45–60 minutes depending on size. Peel and roughly chop.

Blend the beet with tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Garnish with parley to serve.

5. 🍯 Dates — Date & Caramelized Onion Jam

Dates are associated with the wish that our enemies and those who wish us harm should come to an end. (Sefaria⁠) Can i get an AMEN?!

This jam is FABULOUS. Want to be clear on that!!! It is just so so yummy!!

I wanted to do something savory with this traditionally sweet siman, so I made a date and caramelized onion jam. The combination of sweet dates and deeply caramelized onions makes the perfect sweet-savory spread for challah, roasted meats, or a holiday appetizer board.

Sticky Date + Caramelized Onion Jam

3 pitted dates, thinly sliced 

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar 

1 tablespoon silan

2 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

A little water, as needed

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until very soft and deeply golden, about 25  minutes. Add the dates, date honey, sugar and a splash of water and cook for another 5 minutes, until the dates soften.

Stir in the  lemon juice and salt.

Serve warm or at room temperature with challah.

6. 🎃 Gourd/Squash — Honey Cinnamon Roasted Squash

Gourd or squash (k’ra) is another traditional siman. The blessing asks that any harsh decrees be torn up and that our merits be proclaimed before Hashem. (Sefaria⁠)

I kept this one simple and let the squash shine: little cubes of roasted squash tossed with honey and cinnamon until golden and caramelized.

It’s basically everything you want in a Rosh Hashanah side dish—sweet, warm, simple, and beautiful on the table.

Honey-Roasted Squash

1 small chestnut squash or other sweet squash

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut the squash into thin wedges or small pieces, leaving the skin on if it is edible. Toss

with honey, olive oil, cinnamon and salt. Roast for 35-45 minutes, until browned and tender. Arrange the pieces

in the tray so the squash itself is the siman.

7. ❤️ Pomegranate — Roasted Eggplant with Pomegranate

Pomegranate is eaten with the famous wish that our merits should be as plentiful as the seeds of a pomegranate. (Sefaria⁠)

For this recipe, I paired the jewel-like pomegranate seeds with roasted eggplant and date honey. The creamy roasted eggplant, sweet silan, and tart pomegranate seeds make this one of my favorite combinations in the whole collection.

And, of course, the pomegranate seeds make it absolutely beautiful for a holiday table.

Smoky Eggplant + Pomegranate Dip

1 medium eggplant

1/4 cup tahini

1 garlic clove

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses or silan

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

Roast the eggplants at 450°F until collapsed and very soft, about 30–40 minutes. Scoop out the flesh and let it

drain for a few minutes. Mix with tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Spoon into the tray and drizzle with

pomegranate molasses. Finish generously with pomegranate seeds.

8. 🐟 Fish — Honey-Fried Fish Sticks

Fish is another traditional Rosh Hashanah siman, with the wish(the wish for the fish!) that we should multiply like fish. (Sefaria⁠)

My kids and me, LOVE these fish sticks. They are so easy to make- just one pancake-like batter- but are fluffy and golden.

Instead of serving a traditional fish course this year, try turning this course into something much more fun: crispy honey-fried fish sticks.

They’re lightly sweet, crispy, and incredibly easy to make—perfect as an appetizer or a fun first course for a Rosh Hashanah meal.

NOTE: I do use frozen fish and defrost it- always without skin.

 Honey-Fried Fish Sticks

450–500 g white fish fillets, cut into strips (tilapia or cod is best)
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup water
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Oil, for frying

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, water, honey, baking powder, and salt until smooth. The batter should be thick enough to coat the fish, similar to a pancake batter.
Heat about 1 inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Dip each piece of fish into the batter, making sure it is completely coated, then carefully place it into the hot oil.
Fry for about 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown and the fish is cooked through.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and serve immediately. You can make these in advance and they will still be fluffy and yummy, but not crispy.

Enjoy these recipes, and have a happy new year!