A Vegetarian Rosh Hashana Menu
Usher in a sweet New Year with these delicious meatless dishes
Most Rosh Hashana menus are built around meat and poultry entrées, often with fish and a chicken-based soup to start. However, you don't need meat to enjoy a beautiful, festive meal. This vegetarian menu showcases several foods that hold special meaning on Rosh Hashana. Most of the recipes are also vegan and all of them are pareve (dairy free), delicious, and relatively simple.
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Honey Wheat Raisin Challah
The Spruce / Miri Rotkovitz
A round raisin challah is a mainstay of many Rosh Hashana meals. This homemade honey wheat raisin challah is studded with sweet golden raisins and enriched with white whole-wheat flour, vanilla, and a touch of cardamom. If you need a vegan alternative for the bread, try a maple-glazed vegan water challah.
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No-Chicken Matzo Ball Soup
Mizina / Getty Images
Matzo ball soup is a traditional dish at almost every Jewish celebration, and this vegetarian version allows those on a meatless diet to enjoy it as well. A homemade vegetable broth is the base for this delicious soup; don't skip the mushrooms even if you're not a fan as they offer wonderful umami (taste sensation).
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Roasted Carrot, Apple, and Celery Soup
Tovfla/Getty Images
Savor the produce of the season in this roasted carrot, apple, and celery soup. It is vibrant, brilliantly flavored, and makes an elegant starter to a festive meal. Roasting the fruit and vegetables deepens their flavor and helps to make a rich and creamy soup.
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Vegetarian Chopped Liver
Tastyart Ltd. Rob White / Getty Images
Jewish-style chopped liver is favored by many as a holiday appetizer, but it does call for an acquired taste. This vegetarian "mock" version is a flavorful meatless alternative and will please naysayers as well as fans of the real thing. Green beans, peas, and walnuts are blended along with caramelized onions and hard-boiled eggs to create a similar textured spread. Serve with rye bread or crackers.
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Classic Israeli Salad
The Spruce
Finely chopped vegetables are the stars of the iconic Israeli salad. It is beautiful in its simplicity, and the red and green veggies are gorgeous in a bowl. This recipe combines bell pepper, cucumbers, scallions, and tomatoes, tossed with a light lemon and olive oil dressing. Season it with salt and pepper or add flavor with homemade za'atar to give it a bit more zest.
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Vegetable and Chickpea Tagine With Couscous
The Spruce / Miri Rotkovitz
Colorful and satisfying, this vegetable and chickpea tagine with couscous is easy to prepare and looks impressive. It's filled with an impressive array of spices, like cinnamon, cumin, and ginger, or you can make it even simpler by using a prepared or homemade Moroccan spice blend. Either way, it's ready for the table within an hour.
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Apple and Fennel Challah Stuffing
The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
Apples, sage, and fennel work together beautifully in this challah stuffing, a recipe that can be enjoyed as part of a vegetarian menu or alongside a roasted chicken. The vegetables and apples are sautéed.
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Vegetarian Bean Cholent
Bercanstock / Twenty20 Cholent is a slow-cooked bean and barley stew that often contains meat. This version highlights three types of beans and combines them with barley, potatoes, canned tomatoes, and seasonings. The result is a hearty bowl that is sure to satisfy both vegetarians and meat eaters alike.
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Baked Butternut Squash Latkes With Caramelized Fennel Jam
Getty Images/modesigns58
Potato pancakes, called latkes, are ubiquitous at Hanukkah, but that doesn't mean the fried delicacy can't be enjoyed at other holiday meals. This version subs in butternut squash for the potato and calls for baking instead of pan-frying. The results are still crispy and perfect with a spoonful of the caramelized fennel jam on top.
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Roasted Broccoli With Ginger
Getty Images/bhofack2
Broccoli is always a crowd pleaser, and this roasted broccoli with ginger is absolutely irresistible. Requiring just five ingredients and less than 30 minutes, the dish will help you pull off a holiday dinner that's sure to satisfy everyone. Just don't expect to have leftovers.
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Whole-Grain Jewish Apple Cake
The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
This recipe offers a healthier spin on a traditional Jewish apple cake. It features white whole-wheat flour and has less fat and sugar than the original recipe. While it may be "lighter," the cake sacrifices nothing. It retains a dense crumb and amazing flavor, and your guests may not even notice the difference.