Celebrate the Festival of Lights With These 18 Vegan Hanukkah Recipes (2024)

It’s Chanukah time … or Hanukkah … however, you spell it, it is a time for festivities and delicious food! Hanukkah is the holiday that celebrates the victory of the Maccabees and the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. It is a holiday of miracles when a tiny quantity of the oil that should have only lasted one day burned for eight days.

To commemorate this miracle, it is traditional to eat fried foods such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (doughnuts). It’s also a time for family gatherings and dinners filled with delicious foods. Check out 8 Ways to Make Your Hanukkah Miraculously Delicious and 8 Tips for Having a Healthier Hanukkah. Then celebrate the Festival of Lights with these 18 vegan recipes from our Food Monster App that will light up your holiday.

1. Vegan Matzoh Ball Soup

Source:Vegan Matzoh Ball Soup

Holidays, family, and memories – they go together like “chicken” soup and vegan matzo balls. This Vegan Matzoh Ball Soupby Rhea Parsons may not be the same as the traditional version but sometimes it’s good to break from tradition a bit.

2. 5 Vegan Latke Recipes Just in Time for Hanukkah

Source:5 Vegan Latke Recipes

Travel the globe with these 5 Vegan Latke Recipes by Rhea Parsons. There are Italian, Spanish, Indian, Chinese, and Greek latkes, each with its special dipping sauce. You could have a latke party and wow people with the unexpected. Let’s get started and celebrate Chanukah with these global latkes.

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3. Mushroom Walnut Paté

Source:Mushroom and Walnut Pâté

This ain’t no chopped liver. Liz Mochrie‘sMushroom and Walnut Pâté is rich, creamy, earthy, and surprisingly easy to make! Enjoy it on sandwiches, toast, or as a dip for vegetable crudités – but however you choose to spread it around, this pâté will instantly make your meal more memorable.

4. Vegan and Gluten-Free Banana Beignets

Source:Banana Beignets

It is tradition to eat sufganiyot on Hanukkah. Instead of doughnuts, try these Banana Beignets by Rhea Parsons. They are fried dough filled with banana. They’re vegan, gluten-free, and really easy to make. And while you can certainly have them for dessert, they are perfect for breakfast or brunch as well.

5. Vegan Matzoh Ball Vegetable Soup with a Gluten-Free Option

Source:Vegan Matzoh Ball Vegetable Soup

Making vegan matzoh balls is one thing and making them gluten-free is a whole other thing. Jennifer Strohmeyer‘sVegan Matzoh Ball Vegetable Soup can be made either way. Quinoa makes the matzoh balls gluten-free but still fluffy and delicious.

6. Potato and Onion Kugel with Sautéed Apples

Source:Potato and Onion Kugel

Kugel is like a giant latke pie! It’s certainly easier to make and healthier than frying up a bunch of latkes. This Potato and Onion Kugel by Rhea Parsonsis topped with sauteed apples instead of the usual apple sauce, but you can serve it with vegan sour cream as well. Bake this in muffin tins for individual servings.

7. Not Your Mama’s Seitan Pot Roast

Source:Not Your Mama’s Seitan Pot Roast

This is Not Your Mama’s Seitan Pot Roast by Dawn Kriss. Instead of meat, it has tender homemade seitan in a lip-smacking vegetable stew. Plus, the pot roast is made in a slow cooker, so you can just throw everything in, go about your day, and come home to a warm, comforting meal.

8. Sweet Potato Latkes with Chutney Sour Cream and Curried Onion-Apple-White Bean Topping

Source:Sweet Potato Latkes with Chutney Sour Cream and Curried Onion Apple White Bean Topping

Latkes get all fancied up with Betsy DiJulio‘sSweet Potato Latkes with Chutney Sour Cream and Curried Onion Apple White Bean Topping. These are golden, delicious, filling, and festive with bold flavors that make them extra special.

9. Strawberry Cheese Blintzes with Strawberry Basil Compote

Source:Strawberry Cheese Blintzes

Blintzes can be savory or they can be sweet like these Strawberry Cheese Blintzesby Rhea Parsons. The filling is vegan ricotta with a sweet side. It gets a pink tinge from the strawberry cream cheese. Topped with a strawberry basil compote, this is a sweet dish that’s perfect for brunch.

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10. Vegan Latkes (Gluten-Free and Baked Variations)

Source:Latkes

You only need one tried-and-true recipe for Latkes. These latkes by Nava Atlas have oatmeal in place of eggs to hold them together. For a gluten-free version, quinoa flakes work splendidly. A bit of grated carrot adds extra color and flavor.

11. Harvest Latkes

Source:Harvest Latkes

Rinku Bhattacharya‘s Harvest Latkes are a crisp and spicy take on traditional potato pancakes. They’re made with potato and rutabaga with a touch of caraway seeds. They’re crispy and delicious.

12. Chocolate Babka

Source: Chocolate Babka

Traditionally speaking, Babka is a spongy, brioche-like yeast cake made mainly in Eastern Europe. Erin McKenna‘sChocolate Babka version is not only vegan and gluten-free but also light and chocolatey. It’s perfect next to a hot cup of coffee or tea.

13. Bœuf Bourguignon Végétalien

Source:Bœuf Bourguignon Végétalien

This is not a pale imitation of the beloved traditional French dish and deserves all the respect and admiration that the original dish gets. Renee McKenzie‘sBœuf Bourguignon Végétalien, made with tofu and mushrooms, is rich, hearty, and delicious. Julia Child would be proud!

14. Jewish Bimuelos (Fried ‘Honey’ Puffs) – Regular and Gluten-Free

Source:Jewish Bimuelos

These treats by Rhea Parsons are called Jewish Bimuelos but they’re also called Italian struffoli. Whatever you call them, we call them little puffs of heaven. Fried dough doused in vegan honey and covered with sprinkles, these are pretty and delicious.

15. Vegan and Gluten-Free Potato Blintzes

Source:Potato Blintzes

These Potato Blintzesby Rhea Parsons are made with gluten-free crepes and filled with caramelized onions folded into mashed potatoes. Fry up the blintzes and enjoy them with vegan sour cream for a delicious and comforting treat.

16. Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Rugelach

Source:Chocolate Hazelnut Rugelach

These vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Rugelach by Rhea Parsonsare tender, crunchy, and delicious. And the chocolate hazelnut filling inside is incredible. The rugelach is so pretty and yummy; they would make a perfect gift for friends and neighbors.

17. Instant Raw Apple Sauce

Source:Raw Apple Sauce

You have to have apple sauce to dip your latkes in. Instead of buying jars, make your own Raw Apple Sauce. This recipe by Alison Murray is fast and easy and you can flavor it any way you want. This one has a pinch of warm cinnamon. Yum!

18. Vanilla Glazed Vegan Yeast Doughnuts

Source:Vanilla Glazed Vegan Yeast Doughnuts

You can’t beat the crunch of super sweet vanilla glaze over a warm fried doughnut, fresh from the frying oil. Abby Thompson‘sVanilla Glazed Vegan Yeast Doughnuts are perfect for celebrating a holiday that’s all about oil and fried noms.

Who doesn’t love a holiday that celebrates fried food? Even if you go the healthier route and bake your latkes and doughnuts, your Hanukkah will still be sweet and delicious.

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Celebrate the Festival of Lights With These 18 Vegan Hanukkah Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are 4 popular foods at Hanukkah? ›

The eight days of Hanukkah are observed with the lighting of a menorah after sundown and meals featuring foods challah bread, kugel, potato latkes, jelly doughnuts called sufganiyot, and festive drinks. Fried foods recall the miracle at the Temple of Jerusalem, when a day's worth of oil lasted eight nights.

What can't you eat during Hanukkah? ›

You could say Sephardic food is the original Mediterranean fusion cuisine. The kosher laws also impact what Jews eat. There is no pork or shellfish allowed, and Jews will not mix meat and dairy in the same meal, so if a chicken is on the table, you won't find butter or cheese.

What's a traditional Hanukkah dinner? ›

Throughout the eight days of Hanukkah, Jewish families like mine celebrate by eating latkes (fried potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (fried jelly doughnuts). Notice a theme? Traditional Hanukkah foods are often fried because they're reminders of the oil in the legendary Hanukkah story.

What kind of junk food is commonly eaten during Hanukkah? ›

Fried foods, like potato pancakes and jelly doughnuts, are prepared and eaten throughout the holiday to celebrate the miracle of Hanukkah: oil that kept the menorah (an ancient lamp) lit for 8 days instead of the 1 day it was supposed to last.

Can you eat cheese during Hanukkah? ›

"By the 14th century, there's quite a strong tradition that people eat cheese on Hanukkah and it's associated with Judith giving cheese to the enemy to make him drunk," Weingarten says.

What should a guest bring to Hanukkah dinner? ›

Traditional foods include potato latkes, applesauce and brisket. Spinning the dreidel (a four-sided top) for “Hanukkah gelt” (gold-wrapped chocolate coins) is another part of the celebration. Your host might appreciate gifts of chocolate, gourmet applesauce, candles, books or board games.

What are two fried treats served during Hanukkah? ›

In America, Hanukkah food typically refers to two things: latkes, Eastern European fried potato pancakes, and sufganiyot, jelly-filled doughnuts that are favored in Israel and increasingly popular here.

Can you drink alcohol on Hanukkah? ›

Red wines help bring out the rich juices in the meat and cut through some of the fat. Wine is also a very popular drink used by the Jewish people to commemorate occasions. Jason explains, “We celebrate Hannukah and other holidays with alcohol, particularly wine, because it is a symbol of joy and happiness.

Can you eat eggs on Hanukkah? ›

Latkes, one of the best known of all Hanukkah foods, can be made in many different ways. The basic recipe for this delicious side dish includes just grated potatoes, eggs, and salt. The ingredients are mixed together, formed into circular patties, and fried in oil.

Can you eat chocolate during Hanukkah? ›

The transition from real coin to chocolate occurred in the U.S. in the 1920s. Loft's candy company came out with chocolate coins wrapped in silver foil and marketed the treats as chocolate gelt for Hanukkah. Today, chocolate gelt wrapped in silver or gold foil remains a part of the Hanukkah tradition.

What fried food is eaten at Hanukkah? ›

Jews commemorate Hanukkah by eating fried foods. For most American Jews, that means latkes — potato pancakes fried in oil. But other cultures toss different foods into pots of boiling oil.

Do you light Hanukkah candles left right? ›

Placing The Candles On The Menorah

Each night, add a new candle before lighting. Now, here's the tricky part: candles are placed in the menorah from right to left but candles are lit from left to right. "Left to right, that's how you light!"

What do the 4 Hebrew letters on a dreidel mean? ›

In most of the world, dreidels have four Hebrew letters — nun, gimmel, hay, and shin — that stand for the phrase: Nes gadol haya sham (“a great miracle happened there”). That refers, of course, to the miracle of the holiday.

What are 3 traditions of Hanukkah? ›

Some nonreligious customs of celebration are eating treats fried in oil (which recalls the miracle of the oil), giving children gifts of money (Hanukkah gelt), and playing a game with a four-sided top called a dreidel.

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