Not to make a whole tzimmis about it (tzimmis being Yiddish for “a big fuss”), but tzimmis, a stew of sweet potatoes, carrots, and dried fruit, is becoming one of those lost and forgotten jewels of Ashkenazi cuisine. I make it every Rosh Hashanah so my children know what it is. Here is my updated version, which truly tastes like my usual tzimmis, but is presented more elegantly as a French purée. I’m planning to serve it on Thanksgiving as well.

You can find more of Paula’s recipes in her cookbook, The Healthy Jewish Kitchen.

Check out our complete collection of Rosh Hashanah recipes for mains, sides, soups, desserts, and more inspiration for the holiday.

Directions

Prepare the Purée

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook them for three to five minutes, or until translucent and just starting to color. Add the garlic and cook for another two minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, apricots, orange zest, cinnamon stick, and water and bring to a boil. Stir the mixture, cover it, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the carrots and sweet potatoes are soft. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes, covered.

Remove the cinnamon stick and use either an immersion blender to purée the mixture until it is smooth, or transfer it to a food processor. Taste the tzimmis and add salt and pepper if desired.

About

Recipe reprinted with permission from The Healthy Jewish Kitchen by Paula Shoyer

Masbia is a nonprofit soup kitchen network and food pantry, every day providing hot, nutritious meals for hundreds of New Yorkers in desperate need of food. For Rosh Hashanah, Masbia collected Tzimmes recipes as Tzimmes is a symbolic and sweet food for the holiday. To learn more, click here.

Recipe tags

Carrots Classic Jewish foods Complex carbs Gluten free Jewish cuisine Jewish food Puree Rosh Hashana Rosh hashanah Rosh Hashanna Rosh Hashannah Roshhashana Simanim Sweet potatoes Thanksgiving Traditional Traditional Jewish food Twists on tradition Tzimmes Tzimmis