21 Vegan Hanukkah Recipes That Are Still Satisfying (2024)

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The food during Hanukkah is delicious. And there’s something special about digging into a platter of fried foods and having it be meaningful, a symbol for the oil that burned for eight days or cheese to represent the Book of Judith apocryphal. What these foods don’t tend to be is vegan, which can be problematic for those that celebrate who also want to avoid animal products. Butter. Cheese. Meats. But fear not. We’ve got some options for you.

Whether you’re hosting this year and want to include some vegan-friendly options or you’re a vegan who wants to be able to eat something at dinner, these recipes should help you out. Or if you just want to try something new, we’ve got enough twists on the latke to satisfy basically every taste bud. There’s nothing quite like a “cheese”-filled blintz or a fresh jelly doughnut, and these recipes mean vegans can join in on the festivities too.

A version of this article was originally published in December 2015.

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21 Vegan Hanukkah Recipes That Are Still Satisfying (2024)

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21 Vegan Hanukkah Recipes That Are Still Satisfying? ›

Sephardic Hanukkah dishes include cassola (sweet cheese pancakes), bimuelos (puffed fritters with an orange glaze), keftes de espinaka (spinach patties), keftes de prasa (leek patties) and shamlias (fried pastry frills).

What do Sephardic people eat for Hanukkah? ›

Sephardic Hanukkah dishes include cassola (sweet cheese pancakes), bimuelos (puffed fritters with an orange glaze), keftes de espinaka (spinach patties), keftes de prasa (leek patties) and shamlias (fried pastry frills).

What not to eat during Hanukkah? ›

"Among other rules, eating certain animals, primarily pigs and shellfish, is forbidden; meat must be ritually and humanely slaughtered; and dairy and meat aren't to be eaten at the same meal." Fish and plant foods are "neutral" (parve) and can be eaten with either meat or dairy.

What are three Hanukkah desserts that skip the fryer? ›

Three Hanukkah Desserts That Skip the Fryer. Melissa Clark's oil-imbued recipes, for lemon curd, chocolate cake and Greek honey cookies, are a sweet way to celebrate the holiday. This olive oil lemon curd can be served with scones or berries, piled into a Pavlova or mounded into a tart shell.

What do Italian Jews eat on Hanukkah? ›

Italian Jewish Food For Hanukkah
  • Fried "Eggplant" Meatballs.
  • Fried Risotto Balls.
  • Cannoli Cups.
  • Fried Blintzes.
  • Fried Artichokes.
  • Crunchy Polenta Fries.
  • Fritto Misto.
  • Zeppole.
Dec 8, 2022

What is the difference between Ashkenazi and Sephardic Hanukkah? ›

In the Sephardic tradition only the head of the household lights the Hanukkah oil (this differs from the Ashkenazi tradition where any member of the family can light candles on a menorah), so each night, Abraham, the patriarch of the Confino family, would light the oil to represent another night that the sacred oil ...

What is forbidden on Hanukkah? ›

Other related laws and customs. It is customary for women not to work for at least the first half-hour of the candles' burning, and some have the custom not to work for the entire time of burning. It is also forbidden to fast or to eulogize during Hanukkah.

Can you eat cheese on Hanukkah? ›

A commentary from that time, by Rabbi Moses Isserles, on the Shulchan Aruch, the Jewish Code of Law, even recommends eating cheese on the holiday in honor of Judith. During the Middle Ages, that cheese would have likely come from a goat or a sheep, as cow's milk cheese was rare, Weingarten says.

Why is cheese eaten at Hanukkah? ›

When the general passed out drunk, Judith beheaded him with his own sword. The Israelites launched a surprise attack on the leaderless Assyrian army and emerged victorious. In Judith's honor, we eat dairy foods during Hanukkah.

What kind of junk food is commonly eaten during Hanukkah? ›

Fried foods, like potato pancakes and jelly doughnuts, are prepared and eaten throughout the holiday to celebrate the miracle of Hanukkah: oil that kept the menorah (an ancient lamp) lit for 8 days instead of the 1 day it was supposed to last.

What is Hanukkah oily food? ›

Sufganiot

They're another fried Hanukkah food that commemorates the importance of oil in the Hanukkah celebration. The filling can be flavored in a number of ways; though fruit jelly is standard, sweet custard can be substituted if preferred.

What is a Hanukkah menu? ›

The eight days of Hanukkah are observed with the lighting of a menorah after sundown and meals featuring foods challah bread, kugel, potato latkes, jelly doughnuts called sufganiyot, and festive drinks. Fried foods recall the miracle at the Temple of Jerusalem, when a day's worth of oil lasted eight nights.

Why is brisket eaten at Hanukkah? ›

A brisket is a large cut of beef that is best cooked slowly, making it the perfect dish to prepare for large gatherings. Brisket became especially popular among Ashkenazi Jewish communities because of its size, kosher status, and low price point.

What to bring to a Hanukkah party food? ›

Traditional foods include potato latkes, applesauce and brisket. Spinning the dreidel (a four-sided top) for “Hanukkah gelt” (gold-wrapped chocolate coins) is another part of the celebration. Your host might appreciate gifts of chocolate, gourmet applesauce, candles, books or board games.

Do Sephardic Jews eat latkes? ›

Only the Jews of Eastern European or Ashkenazi origin insist that the food prepared in the oil be latkes. Among Sephardic Jews, who settled throughout the Middle East, North Africa and southern Europe after the Diaspora, various dishes are deep-fried.

What do Sephardic Jews eat at Passover? ›

While Ashkenazim permit no kitniyot, other than those used in matzah during Passover, many Sephardim allow the use of fresh legumes and rice. The main reasoning is that “in the past” for Jews living in the countries of the Sephardic diaspora, legumes and rice were the major sources of nourishment.

What do Sephardic Jews eat? ›

Sephardic Food is a Tasty Tradition

The community's cuisine is a delicious combination of dishes from Greece, Turkey, North Africa and Spain. Delicacies bearing an Iberian influence include: albóndigas, espinacas con garbanzos, calabasas, fideo, biscochos and arroz con leche.

What can Sephardic Jews eat for Passover? ›

So while Ashkenazi Jews, Jews primarily from Europe, cook up gefilte fish, roast chickens, fry potato kugel and bake flourless chocolate cake for the seven-day holiday, Sephardic Jews stuff vegetables with rice and meat mixtures; top matzos with spicy tomato sauce; fill matzo-meal crusted kibbeh with chopped lamb or ...

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