The High Holidays can be a stressful time, particularly if you’re cooking and hosting multiple meals. It’s not only the sheer amount of food, but the logistics — menu planning, limited oven and/or stovetop space, ensuring everything is at the right temperature when you’re ready to serve.
The best way to sidestep that stress is to plan ahead (at The Nosher, we’ve long been big fans of starting Rosh Hashanah prep way ahead of time), and the freezer is your best tool. We’ve rounded up 19 Rosh Hashanah recipes that freeze excellently (some, arguably, benefit from that extra time developing flavor), so you can cook bit by bit, breaking down your prep into bite-sized chunks (pun very much intended), so that you’ll actually be able to enjoy Rosh Hashanah meals — not just provide enjoyment to others.
From holiday classics like brisket, matzah ball soup and honey cake to symbolic dishes you may not have come across, like Israeli duvshaniyot cookies and Syrian-style stuffed zucchini, there are so many delicious recipes here to lighten the load. And please be sure to rate and review any you try, we love to hear from you!
Jeweled Rosh Hashanah Plov
This special-occasion rice pilaf with beef is full of flavor and texture. Make and freeze ahead of time (sans garnishes), then reheat before serving.
Honey Pomegranate Cake
Bake now, enjoy later, just wait to add the glaze until the day you serve it for the best flavor and texture.
Crockpot Sweet and Sour Brisket
A modern twist on a grandmother’s brisket, this simple recipe is easy to throw together in the morning and freezes well.
Classic Potato Kugel
Prepare to fall in love with this classic Ashkenazi holiday and Shabbat dish! Pro tip: Make sure it’s completely cool before freezing.
Classic Brisket Recipe
Brisket always tastes better when made in advance, so get ahead of your holiday cooking and reap the benefits.
Easy Ma’amoul Cookies
Once these delicate, date-stuffed cookies are completely cool, but before you dust them with sugar, freeze in an airtight container for up to two months.
The Cutest Mini Honey Cakes
Bake these adorable cakes way ahead of time to take some of the High Holiday culinary pressure off.
Moroccan-Style Brisket with Dried Fruit & Capers
Freeze this flavorful twist on classic holiday brisket up to two months ahead.
Instant Pot Georgian Pomegranate Chicken
A quick and easy low-maintenance chicken recipe with Georgian Jewish influence.
Leek Pancakes
Freeze this classic Sephardi dish on a sheet tray and transfer to a Ziploc once solid.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
For Sephardi Jews, dates are a symbolic Rosh Hashanah food, and this classic British pud shows them off perfectly.
Gail Simmons’ Matzah Ball Soup
Classic Jewish penicillin, freezable for up to a month!
Tishpishti
This syrup-soaked Sephardic semolina cake is steeped in history. Think: honey cake, but better. Freeze it, and refresh with generous dribbles of syrup before serving.
Fig and Pomegranate Brisket
A dish that is simultaneously homey and elegant. Allow to cool, then freeze.
The Best Vegan Brisket Recipe
Savory pulled mushrooms and tofu make the perfect plant-based holiday dish.
Duvshaniyot
These dense, delicious honey cookies are ubiquitous in Israel around the High Holidays. And while we don’t recommend freezing them, they can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a month.
Syrian Stuffed Zucchini with Dried Fruit
A symbolic dish to begin the new year. You can freeze the raw stuffed zuchinni (aka get the patchke bit out of the way) until you’re ready to cook them.
Sfratti
These Italian honey-walnut cookies are perfect for Rosh Hashanah, have a long Jewish history and last for three months in the freezer. You’re welcome.
Challah
Nothing tastes quite the same as a freshly baked loaf of challah but if you want to prep ahead, here’s how to do it.
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