Traditional Symbolic Foods for Hanukkah

This year’s eight-day Hanukkah celebration lasts from sundown on November 28 to the evening of December 6, 2021. Throughout this holiday, Jewish families will indulge in traditional Hanukkah foods like fried potato pancakes known as latkes and fried jelly doughnuts called sufganiyot.

Are you noticing a theme? Many traditional foods to eat for Hanukkah are fried to commemorate the miracle that allowed one cruse of oil to provide light for eight days. Here’s a look at more of this holiday’s symbolic foods and easy Hanukkah recipes to go with them.

• Latkes: Perhaps the most well-known of all traditional Jewish food, latkes are fried potato pancakes. Not only do they serve as a reminder of the oil miracle, but they also symbolize the food the Maccabees hurriedly prepared before going into battle. Latkes also represent the cheesecakes served by the widow Judith to the Assyrian general Holofernes before she cut off his head and delivered her people from the enemy. You can make latkes with sweet potatoes or zucchini, but this easy latkes recipe using regular potatoes is a good go-to.

• Sufganiyot: A particular favorite among kids, sufganiyot are pillowy doughnuts filled with strawberry or raspberry jelly. With this sufganiyot recipe, you can make 18 crowd-pleasing servings to satisfy your family and friends.

• Bimueloes: Continue the pleasure of eating fried food on Hanukkah with bimueloes, honey-drizzled fritters that may be served at room temperature or fresh from the fryer. Here’s a recipe for Bimuelos with Honey-Orange Drizzle that everyone will love this Hanukkah.

• Loukoumades: These deep-fried puffs dipped in honey or sugar symbolize the cakes the Maccabees ate. They’re crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, with a sweet syrup glaze and cinnamon-and-walnut garnish. If you’ve never had them, be sure to try your hand at this loukoumades recipe this Hanukkah.

• Torzelli: Dredged in flour and slipped into sizzling oil, torzelli is a more savory fried treat made of curly endive. Not coincidentally, this leafy green salad vegetable with frilly leaves—often labeled frieze or chicory in grocery stores—reaches peak season right around Hanukkah. Make the perfect batch with this torzelli recipe.

• Hanukkah cookies: While not as traditional as some of their deep-fried alternatives, butter cookies or pretzels in the shape of Hanukkah symbols are popular additions to any holiday spread. Use this Melt Away Butter Cookies recipe as a starting point. Then, roll out the dough and use cookie cutters to create shapes like dreidels, menorahs, and Stars of David.

When it comes time to shop for Jewish food during Hanukkah, look no further than NetCost Market. We have everything you need to make the perfect latkes, Hanukkah cookies, and everything in between. For over 20 years, we have been the go-to market for our Jewish customers in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, offering a world of food all under one roof. So visit one of our local stores today, or try convenient online grocery shopping or home grocery delivery.