This year, make the Festival of Lights even brighter with a menu of traditional favorites served with a tasty twist. We cranked up the flavor volume on classics like latkes, kugel, brisket, and more, while minimizing prep work and time spent at the stove. With so many delicious, holiday-worthy options, you’ll wish Hanukkah was more than eight nights.
Easy Latkes with Chive-Lemon Sour Cream
Using boxed mix lets you serve warm latkes straight from the pan without the time and labor of shredding potatoes. It’s a part of Savory Executive Editor, Hannah’s, holiday tradition. “Latkes from scratch were a tall order for my busy mom, especially for every night of Hanukkah,” she explains. “We grew to love the boxed version—so easy my sister and I could make it ourselves!” For an easy upgrade, pair latkes with a simple, homemade chive and lemon-spiked sour cream.
Get the recipe: Easy Latkes with Chive-Lemon Sour Cream
Sheet Pan Apricot Chicken and Carrots
Roast chicken is a Hanukkah staple, but you can still make it something unexpected. Our flavorful version, which cooks together with a side of tender carrots, gets sweet-savory tang from apricot preserves, Dijon, and fresh thyme.
Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Apricot Chicken and Carrots
Quinoa Salad with Tahini Dressing
This crunchy, nutrient-packed side starring nutty quinoa lets you get a jump on holiday meal prep. Hearty broccoli and cabbage stand up to the garlicky tahini dressing without getting soggy, and the salad tastes even better the longer it sits.
Get the recipe: Quinoa Salad with Tahini Dressing
Air-Fried Artichokes
This restaurant-inspired appetizer or side dish starts by simply opening a can. A stint in the air fryer turns quartered artichoke hearts into light, crispy bites finished with a splash of fresh lemon and olive oil.
Get the recipe: Air-Fried Artichokes
Chocolate-Cherry Babka
Everyone loves flaky layers of babka with sweet filling, like Savory designer Elizabeth explains, “I love chocolate and cake, so of course I love chocolate babka. We had a great jewish bakery in our neighborhood growing up and this was my favorite thing to get. “ No one will suspect how easy this version is to make. Refrigerated crescent dough is the shortcut for a tender loaf cake swirled with chocolate-hazelnut spread and studded with candied cherries.
Get the recipe: Chocolate-Cherry Babka
Instant Pot® Brisket with Carrots
This fall-apart tender brisket lets you cross the main course off your to-do list without turning on the oven. Garlic, fresh herbs, and a touch of brown sugar add layers of flavor to tender beef and carrots cooked hands-free in the Instant Pot®.
Get the recipe: Instant Pot®Brisket with Carrots
Three-Ingredient Bagels with Green Onion-Bacon Cream Cheese
Skip the line at the bagel shop and make your own served hot and fresh from the oven. Three ingredients are all you need for surprisingly simple-to-make bagels that get a schmear of store-bought cream cheese upgraded with bacon and green onion.
Get the recipe: Three-Ingredient Bagels with Green Onion-Bacon Cream Cheese
Spinach and Caramelized Onion Noodle Kugel
This hearty side puts a savory spin on traditionally sweet noodle kugel. A double dose of onion flavor from caramelized onions and onion soup mix adds deep, umami-rich flavor to egg noodles baked with spinach and Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.
Get the recipe: Spinach and Caramelized Onion Noodle Kugel
Stovetop Sweet Potato and Carrot Tzimmes
Though the word literally translates to “big fuss,” this version of tzimmes is easy to make. Pumpkin pie spice adds an extra touch of warm, holiday flavor to the traditional combination of sweet potatoes, carrots, and three kinds of dried fruit.
Get the recipe: Stovetop Sweet Potato and Carrot Tzimmes
Easy Strawberry-Orange Jelly Donuts
Jelly-filled donuts, aka sufganiyot, are a surefire way to end your Hanukkah celebration on a sweet note. Store-bought buttermilk biscuit dough and strawberry preserves make it easy to fry up your own batch at home with just 15 minutes of prep.
Get the recipe: Easy Strawberry-Orange Jelly Donuts
Root Veggie Latkes
A combination of hearty root vegetables gives these latkes an extra boost of flavor and nutrients. Try mixing and matching any veggies you like, such as sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, or carrots.
Get the recipe: Root Veggie Latkes
Noodle Kugel with Cinnamon Cracker Topping
This take on sweet noodle kugel has a crunchy cinnamon topping that takes its cues from a popular breakfast cereal. Reduced-fat cottage cheese and sour cream lighten things up without skimping on rich, creamy texture and taste.
Get the recipe: Noodle Kugel with Cinnamon Cracker Topping
Slow Cooker Mini Brisket Sliders
If you’re hosting a casual Hanukkah get-together rather than a formal sit-down dinner, these meaty mini sliders are a great choice. They bring all the flavor of traditional holiday brisket in a finger-friendly version that cooks in the slow cooker.
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Mini Brisket Sliders
Sheet Pan Chicken Legs with Fennel, Dates, and Olives
This Middle Eastern-inspired chicken makes an impressive centerpiece for any holiday meal. A vibrant combination of green olives, fennel, oranges, and fresh herbs delivers complex, well-balanced flavor and dazzling presentation.
Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Chicken Legs with Fennel, Dates, and Olives
Homemade Chanukah Gelt
Everyone will be a winner with this gilded treat that’s perfect for playing dreidel. Gold luster dust and chocolate chips are all you need to create your own Hanukkah gelt.
Get the recipe: Homemade Chanukah Gelt
Olive Oil Dreidel Cookies
Kids can help roll, cut, and decorate these colorful cookies that give a nod to the Hanukkah story. The olive oil in the dough symbolizes the lamp oil that burned for eight nights.
Get the recipe: Olive Oil Dreidel Cookies
Crispy Potato Green Onion Kugel
A cast iron skillet is key to the texture of this potato kugel that replaces traditional yellow onion with scallions. Removing excess liquid from the potatoes ensures golden-crisp edges and a tender, never-soggy center.
Get the recipe: Crispy Potato Green Onion Kugel
Matzo Ball Soup
The slow cooker does most of the work for this streamlined version of matzo ball soup. Whole chicken wings give the broth a rich, savory flavor while a splash of seltzer keeps the matzo balls ultra-light and fluffy.
Get the recipe: Matzo Ball Soup
Latke Cookies
Add a little whimsy to your dessert tray with one holiday treat disguised as another. These “latkes” are actually homemade coconut macaroons pressed flat.
Get the recipe: Latke Cookies
Blue and White Cookies
Add a pop of color to your Hanukkah dessert spread with this riff on a classic Jewish deli treat, black and white cookies. Sour cream helps to create their distinctively soft, cake-like texture lightly flavored with vanilla and lemon.
Get the recipe: Blue and White Cookies
