The Best Shabbat Recipe And Meal Ideas

From long summer days to short winter nights, Shabbat is a constant, and meals are a must, regardless of the hours that Shabbat occupies. You would think we would have it all systematically figured out by now, and truthfully, many of us do. However, if you, like me, fall into the category of, “Oh my, it’s Shabbat again, what am I cooking?!” this roundup is for you! We have the best Shabbat meal recipes to take you from season to season, from savory to sweet, and everything in between. Don’t fret. It’s going to be delicious.

Challah:

1. Classic Challah by Rochie Pinson

I’m just going to say it. This is the most perfect challah recipe on Earth. This classic recipe is the base for almost every other recipe in this book! Once you master this recipe, you are on your way to challah stardom.

2. Egg-Free Challah (Water Challah) by Laya Rosenbaum

Challah is traditionally a very rich, eggy bread, putting this Jewish classic out of reach for anyone with egg allergies – or, more casually, anyone who’s just discovered an empty egg carton in their fridge and doesn’t want to run out to the store. This delicious recipe, made without eggs, yields six challah loaves.

3. Best Challah Ever by Esty Wolbe

Thousands of women swear by this challah recipe and make it for Shabbat every week. It’s just the right amount of sweetness, a soft and doughy consistency, with a rich flavor. The dough rises well and is easy to work with, not too sticky to braid. The recipe is very versatile and you can easily adapt it to your own taste and it will still come out great. Yields 6 medium challahs For more great ideas with Esty, watch Easy Does It!

4. Fluffiest Challah Ever (White Spelt Challah) by Brynie Greisman

Over the years, I’ve contributed various challah recipes to the magazine — whole wheat challah, water challah, and more — but this is the best challah I’ve ever tasted. And that’s the opinion of all family members and guests who’ve tried it. It looks like white challah, tastes like white challah (better actually), and is made with white spelt flour. Yields 2 large, 6 medium , 6 small challahs, with enough dough left over for 2 onion boards; or 6 large and 5 medium challahs

5. Family Favorite Whole Wheat Challah by Malky and Yossi Levine

Look no further for the perfect challah recipe for baking with white whole wheat flour. Yields 5 medium-sized challah loaves.

Fish:

6. Ginger-Glazed Salmon from the Dining In Cookbook

Ginger, mustard, and apricot … wow! A winning combination on this fish.

7. Pistachio-Crusted Pesto Salmon by Rivky Kleiman

Gourmet results with minimal effort is always my goal when developing recipes. Anyone who tasted this dish (even those who claimed to dislike pesto) gave it a huge thumbs-up. Try it — you’ll love it.

8. Moroccan Gefilte Fish by Yussi Weisz

This is not your Bubbe’s gefilte fish. Boil your gefilte loaf in a hot and hearty tomato sauce that will magically transform this Shabbos classic into a gourmet masterpiece! There’s no going back. Watch how Yussi pulls it all together.

9. Hot Gefilte Fish Bites by Mirel Freylich

Tasty and kid friendly—and a nice change for the adults too!

10. Honey Soy Steamed White Fish by Estelle Chait

Estee is back with this fresh, flaky, Asian-inspired fish that is made using Tuscanini’s cooking wine. Learn how easy and effortless it is to create such a delicious one-bowl steamed fish.

For more great ideas, watch Just Make It!

Soup:

11. Grandma’s Chicken Soup by Eitan Bernath

We all know that everyone thinks their grandma makes the best chicken soup, so it won’t surprise you to know that my grandma Linda makes THE BEST chicken soup, and if you disagree, you’re wrong! That said, one thing we can all agree on is that the most important ingredient in any chicken soup recipe is love. And mine is full of it. My grandma makes this for the High Holidays and at Passover. This two-day recipe has all the classic flavors: chicken, carrots, celery root, parsnip, and fresh herbs. Of course, the star of the show is the matzo balls. Matzo balls fall into two categories—dense and fluffy—and people are usually loyal to one. It is a tradition in my family, passed down from my paternal great-grandfather to my father, to make dense matzo balls, and here in this book, I’m ready to take on all the dense matzo ball haters that I haven’t converted already: my matzo balls have a texture that is chewy but still tender, and they don’t disintegrate into the broth, so you can get a bit of each ingredient in every spoonful.

12. Cream of Chicken Soup (Dairy Free) by Sheindy Unger

13. Best Chicken Soup by Esther Deutsch

The enduring Jewish gift gets rewrapped and fully loaded. The title of “best” is awarded to this recipe that has been years in the making. Here’s how: For the past decade, I have gathered ingredients from various chicken soups that I have enjoyed. I “borrowed” the idea of a fresh tomato from my mother, a green bell pepper from my mother-in-law, and fresh corn on the cob (yes! corn on the cob) and jalapeno peppers from my grandmothers. My sister-in-law, Michelle, suggested that I replace chicken quarters with chicken bones, and the amount of fresh garlic cloves has been gradually increased to reach a final culmination of at least a dozen cloves. And then…I let it gently simmer for a minimum of eight hours or longer. The longer chicken soup simmers, the better. I also wait for the soup to cool before it goes into the refrigerator. Soups that contain animal proteins will turn sour if refrigerated when hot. This recipe has a long list of ingredients, but the results are truly worth it! As with most chicken soups, there is a slight difference every time you prepare this soup, but it’s always sublime. You can easily freeze the leftover stock or use it for the other soups featured in this column. Alternatively, you can use leftover chicken soup instead of water to prepare your side dishes for the week (such as rice, couscous, quinoa etc.) to add depth of flavor. You will find this soup lives up to its healing reputation on many levels: this rich, full bodied broth will surpass your expectations.

Mains:

14. Garlic Thyme Chicken by Brynie Greisman

This chicken has a unique and somewhat intriguing flavor that leaves everyone clamoring for seconds. I never have leftovers!

15. Friday Night Chicken by Estee Kafra

This aromatic sweet and savory chicken will have the whole family running to the Shabbat table, and keep them riveted, week after week. The preparation is a breeze. This is one of our most popular chicken recipes of all time! Try it and see for yourself.

16. Savory Chili Basil Chicken by Rivky Kleiman

This elegant chicken is easy enough to prepare as a dinner, yet elegant enough to grace a Shabbos table, as well. The unique combination of ingredients is not only very tasty but also easy to prepare with ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.

17. Grilled Corn and Scallion Chicken Salad by Michal Frischman

Late-summer sweet corn has always been one of my favorites. It brings to mind hot days picking corn, zucchini, and tomatoes at Kelder’s upstate — the corn so fresh and sweet that the kids ate it raw off the cob. This salad is a true meal in one.

18. Pastrami-Stuffed Dark Chicken Roast with Honey-Mustard Glaze by Zehava Krohn

19. Creamy Herb Chicken Cutlets by Brynie Greisman

Quick, easy, and refreshingly different. Superb flavor. You’re going to love it.

20. Lazy Man’s Cholent by Leah Schapira

Men definitely outnumber women when it comes to making a top cholent. Recently, I received this recipe from my uncle and I couldn’t get over the fact that this must be the laziest cholent ever. Can it be that you don’t even peel the potatoes and all you do is dump them in the crockpot? My tasters – I served it to a group of teenage boys – gave it rave reviews. It’s really easy and great for a crowd.

21. Gluten Free + Grain Free Cholent by Rorie Weisberg

Nobody said cholent can’t be good for you. This Full ‘N Free twist is flavorful, traditional, and lighter than your average meat-and-barley fare. Enjoy! Yields a four-quart crockpot (serves 6 to 8). Adjust amounts based on your size crockpot.

22. Pulled-Brisket-Topped Kishka with Daikon-Jalapeño Slaw by Chaya Surie Goldberger

While trying to stay traditional yet wanting to be a bit innovative, I created this brisket-topped kishka, which combines traditional and modern Shabbos lunch staples.

23. Silan-Baharat Brisket by Shifra Klein
The unique flavor profile of Baharat (which is a secret ingredient in many Israeli cholent recipes) coupled with silan brings something new to the classic braised roast that is so reminiscent of the holidays. Use first cut brisket for a leaner result or second cut for a more tender roast.

24. Herb-Crusted Brick Roast by Adina Schlass
I’ve used this method many times with many different cuts of meat. The simplicity of it makes me go back to it time and time again. We take an inexpensive cut and dress it up to be… well, not so simple. The recipe uses the sous vide method, in which food is vacuum sealed and cooked in a water bath at a precise low temperature. That allows us to take an inexpensive cut of meat with low fat content and cook it low and slow to break it down, so you end up with a soft and delicious piece of meat for a fraction of the price. While this roast can be made in an oven as well, sous vide is suggested.

25. Savory Red Wine Flanken by Chavi Feldman

Recently, while grocery shopping, I noticed an extra wide slice of “gourmet flanken” with a lot of beautifully marbleized meat on it. Once I tried it, there was absolutely no going back to regular flanken! This dish is truly Shabbos-Chanukah worthy… It’s so soft and juicy.

26. Flanken Roast over French String Beans by Shulamith Betesh

Sides:

27. Arugula and Mushroom Salad with Garlic-Dijon Dressing by Rorie Weisberg

Nobo Wine & Grill in Teaneck, NJ is at the top of my list of favorite restaurants. Everything is so fresh, full of flavor, and made with high-quality ingredients. So what do I order at Nobo? Their menu has so many options that I enjoy, but no visit to Nobo is complete without ordering my favorite arugula-mushroom salad. Let’s just say that I’m so hooked on this flavor-popping salad that I begged Chef Josh Massin for the recipe, and he finally caved enough to give me the list of ingredients — sans measurements. Theirs is still better, but this close replication is delicious, too!

28. Dijon Baby Potatoes by Nechama Norman

No matter when I make these, the bowl is always cleaned out! If you’re not a rosemary fan (like my father-in-law, who thinks it tastes likes soap), leave it out (but only if you must!)

29. Onion-Noodle Kugelettes by Mirel Freylich

This simple-enough and yummy side dish can be served hot or at room temperature.

30. Kugel Just Like Bubby Used to Make by Yussi Weisz

You might say there’s nothing quite as good as a warm, slowly-baked, fresh out of the oven potato kugel. Well, this hand-grated, pan-fried potato kugel will make you forget all about that. And trust us, for best results, eat it right out of the pan…

Watch Yussi himself make this picture perfect kugel on Shabbos with Yussi!

31. Carrot Souffle with Walnut Maple Crunch by Chani Salzer

My creative twist on the classic carrot muffin. Besides for being super pretty, it’s low-carb too. How’s that for a win-win?

32. Tanya’s Apple Cobbler by Menuchah Armel

I have been making this recipe since I was a newlywed. It is a great accompaniment to a chicken or meat main course and can be served as a whole pie or in individual muffin cups.

33. Tons of Onions String Beans by Chanie Nayman

My husband loves anything with as many sautéed onions as possible, and that’s how I used to serve these string beans. Bassi Gruen suggested taking the recipe to the next level by adding the meat. It’s addictive!

34. Cabbage and Shallots by Rorie Weisberg

I love taking traditional Shabbat foods and recreating them using ingredients that are light and nutritious. This colorful, aromatic dish is a Full ‘N Free of good ol’ noodles and cabbage. It’s become a staple in my Shabbat menu. Enjoy!

35. Charred Broccoli Salad with Crispy Pastrami by Miriam (Pascal) Cohen

A fantastic, crowd-pleasing salad that is just begging to be served at your next gathering!

36. Mushroom-Olive-Tomato Salad by Chanie Nayman

Every cook needs a collection of lettuce based salads, as well as what I like to refer to as “marinated salads” — the kind you can make on Thursday, and almost forget about until Shabbos morning. My favorite part of these salads is that I can throw it on top of lettuce for lunch on Sunday or Monday. Add a cubed avocado, and call it a day!

37. Asian-Style Noodle and Cabbage Salad by Shaindy Siff

This is the perfect shalosh seudos salad. It’s light but filling—and addictive!

Dessert:

38. Strawberry Sorbetto Dessert (2 Ways) by Sina Mizrahi

When it comes to dessert in the summer, I have a few criteria: it must be cool and refreshing, require zero use of my oven, and be impossibly simple and easy to throw together and in no time. When I first tasted Tuscanini’s Strawberry Sorbetto I fell in love with the intense berry flavor. It needed nothing; it was just the perfect dessert out of the pint. But I gave a small tune up to make it extra: some chopped pistachios for their nutty flavor and waffle cookies because, well, ice cream and waffles are BFFs. You have two ways to serve them: Sorbetto Sandwiches or mixed into the sorbet. They’re delicious both ways. Enjoy!

39. Fruit-Studded Pavlova Desserts by Esther Ottensoser

In this elegant dessert, a crisp white meringue layer is filled with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

40. Coffee Peanut Butter Sheet Pan Dessert by Chanie Nayman

Coffee and peanut butter might not have been a match you would have made in your head, but I always wanted to try it in a dessert and this was amazing. The photo shoot team told me I better get the message across about how good it is!

41. Hot Apple and Custard Dessert by Kiki Fisher

42. Lotus Ice Cream Pie by Yitty Iwaniski

My kids love ice cream for dessert, yet plain old ice cream can be dull. This delicious and different pie is anything but boring!

43. Coffee Bundt Cake from the Nitra Cookbook

There is just one word to describe this coffee bundt cake: AMAZING! Soft, moist, with an incredible yet not overpowering coffee flavor, topped with a delectable icing, this is really the only coffee cake recipe you will ever need!

44. Blueberry Buckle by Dinah Bucholz

In a traditional buckle, the blueberries sink down the middle, so it looks like the cake is buckling under their weight, hence the name. In this rendition they gently sink to the bottom, so it may not be strictly a buckle. But it’s such a whimsical name, I vote we keep it.

45. Easy Double Chocolate Brownies from the Dining In Cookbook

Easy-to-prepare, gooey, and delicious double-chocolate brownies.

For a cocoa-only variation, try this simple brownie recipe by Estee Kafra.

This list barely skims the surface of everything that we have to offer your Shabbat table at Kosher.com. Looking for something different? Need some inspiration? Click here to access our full inventory of all things Shabbat. Happy cooking!