Try these 3 Shabbat Recipes That are Great for Every Guest

These recipes to welcome the Jewish day of rest are made for sharing and perfect for Friday dinners

By Kimberley Schoeman | September 15, 2023 | Category recipes

Golden Challah Bread is always blessed and served on Shabbat. Image via Unsplash.

For the weekly Jewish day of rest — or Shabbat as it is called in Hebrew — we have rounded up some of our favourite recipes for this Friday night dinner where families transition from busy weeks to spiritually-observed weekends. Typically, Shabbat dinners include Challah [bread], fish, soup, meat cooked in advance, and dessert. Shabbat is also a day where Jewish families reserve special dishes to share with each other. For instance, if you find a special fruit or vegetable at the supermarket or a unique recipe, these are often saved for Shabbat. This can be traced back to a time when money was scarce and food other than black bread was hard to find, leading families to save all week to be able to buy fish for Shabbat.

Juicy One Pot Chicken For the Win

Of course matzo ball chicken soup is often served at Sabbath dinners, meat is also a staple for the table. Many Shabbat meat dishes are cooked in advance and not everyone has the time to prepare meat ahead of time every week. But baked chicken, roasted brisket, and slow-cooked meat dishes are typically good classic choices. This one pot chicken strikes the right balance of tradition and time.

Add a side of vegetables with Zucchini Kugel

Kugel is a favourite side dish that resembles a baked casserole and can be savoury or sweet. As a traditional dish in Ashkenazi Jewish cooking, it is also versatile and can be made using noodles or potatoes, cheese, fruits or vegetables.

Top your golden Challah with everything-but-the-bagel seasoning

Challah is served and blessed during every Shabbat. This sweat and savoury braided bread can be topped with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, but adding some ‘everything-but-the-bagel’ seasoning adds a great flavour.