As a history teacher and chef, my mind naturally breaks up Shabbat into segments by meal, almost like a timeline.
There’s Shabbat dinner: slow cooked, luxurious meals punctuated by showstopper mains. Shabbat lunch comes next: a vivid affair filled with guests, the food lighter but abundant. And then there’s the third meal, Seuda Shilishi: usually gone unnoticed, but probably my favorite.
Seuda Shilishi, also called Shalosh Seudos, is the meal eaten between afternoon and evening prayers. In the winter, short days mean a quick succession of afternoon meals, so Seuda is usually just crackers and dips at synagogue.
But in the summer, when the days are sunny and endless, Seuda takes on a life of its own. Beach days gently shift into prayers, followed by families and friends gathering for meals, which are often picnic style drop-in gatherings. Arranged on melamine platters by the pool or packed into Tupperware and enjoyed seaside, these meals are casual and vibrant. This is a time to reflect and renew, to set an agenda for the week ahead.
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My favorite way to plan and prep Seuda Shilishi is to think of light and fresh spreads and salads that as a whole make up a meal. Assembly is key here; there’s no need to spend hours cooking for a Seuda Shilishi meal. Many of the dishes are parve, to respect those who’ve had a meat lunch.
Here’s how I break it down:
- Composed salad platter: A little bit of everything, all laid out in neat rows. My favorites are a Greek platter, Sabich platter or an Israeli inspired Nicoise platter (pictured below). A large flat display means no soggy or mushy veggies.
- Pasta main course: This is my grounding dish, a fresh summer pasta loaded with veggies and a bright dressing. I often char seasonal veggies, toss with pasta, homemade pesto and a vinegary dressing. Feta or burrata dotted over top adds richness and texture.
- Labne and cucumber platter: Store bought labne is swooshed onto a platter and topped with diced cucumbers, olive oil and zaatar. Serve crackers and sliced sourdough on the side for dipping.
- Cheese board: Three cheeses, crackers, lots of catchers. The key to a great cheese board is crowd pleasing cheeses; my favorites are Syrian string cheese, fresh mozzarella, Boursin, Parmesan and goat cheese. Keep the accompaniments light and fresh, like grapes, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, olives and dried fruit.
- Pickle platter: This is where store bought and homemade collide. I love to plan ahead and make Syrian style pickles and marinated olives earlier in the week. But if time is of the essence, the supermarket olive bar is your best friend. Think bright colors and contrasting textures!
- Dips and spreads: I usually plate up a combo of three, for visual appeal. Store bought hummus topped with olive oil and smoked paprika, smoky eggplant babaganoush, herb-laced egg salad and homemade matbucha are all in my rotation.
Lazy Day Matbucha
This is my oven baked version of a slow cooked Moroccan salad. Juicy tomatoes mingle with bell peppers and jalapeños and melt down into a jammy dip perfect for crackers. While not traditional, I like to add a splash of red wine vinegar at the end to play off the sweetness of the summer veggies.
Bake the matbucha in a large, shallow lidded Dutch oven. In a pinch, a Pyrex baking dish tightly covered with foil works well.
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 3 pints
Ingredients
- 10 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 2 pints grape tomatoes
- 2 bell peppers, cut into chunks
- 1 jalapeño, left whole and pierced with a fork
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 shallots, peeled and minced
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp silan (date syrup) or honey
- 2 Tbsp paprika
- 1 Tbsp cumin or coriander
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Combine all ingredients except vinegar in a large shallow Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until tomatoes have broken down and released their liquids. Remove from the oven, uncover, and gently mash tomatoes and garlic cloves. Raise the oven temperature to 425°F. Return the baking dish to the oven uncovered and bake another 20-30 minutes, or until tomatoes are glossy and most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Stir in vinegar. Remove jalapeño and discard. For a spicier salad, mince jalapeño and stir into matbucha. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Matbucha freezes well. Cool completely and portion into deli containers.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Jewish
- Diet: Vegetarian
Israeli Couscous Salad with Pesto Tahini Dressing
Ptitim, or Israeli couscous, is a staple in my home. Invented by Ben Gurion when rice in the new state of Israel was scarce, it’s a tiny ball-shaped pasta. My kids call it round rice! Since it’s so tiny, it works beautifully in a pasta salad. My theory on summer pasta dishes is to get as many flavors into one bite as possible. Here, charred cauliflower, chopped dates, minced herbs and feta combine to hit every flavor note. The dish can be made ahead of time; just stir in a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 24 oz Israeli couscous
- 1 head cauliflower, broken into bite size florets
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- 10 dates, pitted and chopped
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup shelled pistachios (optional)
- ¼ pesto sauce, homemade or store bought
- 3 Tbsp tahini paste
- zest and juice of 2 lemons
- ¼ – ⅓ cup water as needed
- salt to taste
Instructions
Make the dressing:
- Combine the pesto, tahini, lemon zest and juice and whisk to combine. The mixture will be thick and may start to seize. Drizzle in the water and continue to whisk. The dressing will clump and look feathery, but keep whisking until the mixture turns smooth. Taste for seasoning and add salt to taste, keeping in mind that the pesto is salted. The final consistency will be similar to a thin pancake batter.
- Set the dressing aside until ready to serve.
Make the salad:
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 450°F. Toss the cauliflower florets with oil and salt directly on the baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the cauliflower is charred. Set aside and allow to cool.
- While the cauliflower is cooking, boil the couscous in heavily salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and rinse, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon so that couscous does not clump. Gently shake the colander to remove excess water. Add couscous to a large serving bowl.
- Add cauliflower and remaining ingredients to the serving bowl, reserving some feta and parsley for garnish. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. Sprinkle with reserved garnishes and serve at room temperature.
Notes
This can be made 3-4 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Add a splash of water and shake before serving, as tahini thickens when cold.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: Israeli
Israeli Influenced Tuna Salad
I am obsessed with tuna salad; it’s quick to prep, it’s packed with protein and it can be flavored in so many ways. The tuna salad that I love reminds me of the dishes served at Israeli hotel breakfast buffets. Oil packed Italian tuna is mixed with fresh veggies, herbs and acid for a bright salad, with none of the heaviness of classic tuna salad. A favorite flavor profile is harissa — this vibrant red paste adds a slightly smoky flavor to the dish.
I serve my tuna in the center of a large flat platter surrounded by olives, marinated artichokes, steamed green beans and grape tomatoes.
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 3-4
Ingredients
- 4 cans oil packed Italian tuna, drained
- 1 red or orange bell pepper, seeded and minced
- ¼ cup pickled red onion, chopped
- ¼ castelvetrano olives, roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp capers
- 2 Tbsp sweet or Rose harissa paste
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- zest and juice of 2 lemons
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and gently combine using a fork.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least three hours to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-bake
- Cuisine: Israeli
The matbucha sounds delicious but the last thing I want in the summer is to have my oven on for 75 mins