Traditional Hanukkah foods (Spoon University) are often fried or cooked in oil, symbolizing the miracle of the oil that lasted eight days in the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.
Latkes (Potato Pancakes): Grated potatoes mixed with onions, eggs, and flour, then fried until crispy. They are often served with applesauce or sour cream.
Sufganiyot (Jelly-filled Doughnuts): Deep-fried doughnuts filled with jelly or custard and dusted with powdered sugar. They represent the oil that miraculously burned for eight days.
Brisket: Slow-cooked beef brisket is a popular main course for Hanukkah dinners.
Applesauce: Often served as a topping for latkes or as a side dish.
Matzo Ball Soup: While traditionally associated with Passover, some families also serve matzo ball soup during Hanukkah. It consists of light, fluffy dumplings made from matzo meal in a chicken broth.
Kugel: A baked casserole dish that can be sweet or savory, made with noodles, potatoes, or other ingredients.
Chocolate Gelt: Chocolate coins wrapped in gold or silver foil, often used in the game of dreidel.
Dreidel Cookies: Cookies shaped like the spinning top used in the traditional Hanukkah game of dreidel.
Cheese: In reference to the story of Judith, who is said to have fed cheese to an enemy general to make him thirsty and then gave him wine to make him drunk.
