Let’s be real: Many traditional Jewish dishes veer toward the beige end of the color spectrum. While they taste delicious, they don’t always inspire the oohs and aahs you hope for after toiling away in the kitchen in the lead up to Rosh Hashanah. But there are some beautiful exceptions!
We rounded up Nosher’s most vibrant, eye-catching, Instagrammable recipes so you can feast your eyes and your stomach.
1. This pull-apart challah stuffed with cheese and guava is a decadent Cuban twist on the classic loaf and a fun way to start your festive meal. Plus, Instagram loves a cheese pull!
2. If you’re already feeling the changing season, try this autumnal, golden-tinged butternut squash challah, draped with fresh sage leaves.
3. Soup is one of our favorite hosting hacks: It’s simple, can be made ahead, and is easily prettied-up with the right garnish. This sweet and spicy sweet potato soup is drizzled with pomegranate molasses and sprinkled with toasted pepitas to take it up a notch. Serve it alongside the butternut squash and sage challah for the perfect fall combo.
4. When it comes to mains, this Moroccan-style brisket with dried fruit and capers is a fragrant, colorful take on the classic roast. The best part is it can be made three days in advance, which means that’s one less thing to do on the day itself — prepping in advance is the key to actually enjoying Rosh Hashanah meals!
5. If you’re a “more is more” person, why not serve a choice of mains? This pomegranate and honey glazed chicken is a sticky, tangy crowd-pleaser, and looks gorgeous when sprinkled with ruby pomegranate seeds and a strewing of bright green parsley.
6. Few dishes inspire more gasps than a whole roasted cauliflower, and this version with tahini and a tomato salsa is particularly striking. The fact that it’s vegan, healthy, and fresh is just a bonus.
7. For a side dish worthy of center stage, look no further than this Syrian and Lebanese-inspired jeweled rice. Golden from turmeric and studded with dried cherries, figs, apricots, and pistachios, rice has never looked so good!
8. For dessert, you can’t go wrong with basbousa cake, a semolina cake flavored with citrus and and cardamom, served with a decadent halva cream.
9. Or try this Persian upside-down cake with dates and cardamom, which is temptingly sticky and sweet. If in doubt, we advise opting for both.
We know appearances aren’t everything. Check out our roundup of the least Instagrammable Jewish foods — what they lack in looks, they make up for in taste and tradition.
