Whether you make a big, traditional Hanukkah feast to kick off the holiday or want to try a few festive dishes for each of the eight nights, this list of recipes is a great starting point. You won't want to miss the latke variations, the amazing (and easy-to-make-at-home) doughnuts, or the smart side dishes. Scroll through — and dig in!
— Additional reporting by Mirel Zaman
Instead of making one big loaf, opt for these adorable, braided challah rolls.
Latkes, or potato pancakes, are perhaps Hanukkah's most well-known dish. Surprise guests with this luxurious version that is fried in duck fat.
Brisket is a popular Hanukkah dish, and this recipe for beef brisket with smashed potatoes and carrots uses a pressure cooker. The result: melt-in-your-mouth meat that tastes like you spent hours toiling over the stove.
Latkes are often served with applesauce; skip the jar and try out this homemade roasted applesauce recipe that calls for lemon juice and kosher salt.
Doughnuts fried in oil commemorate the Hanukkah miracle that took place. If you're not ready to make the tasty treats entirely from scratch, this three-minute doughnut hole recipe is perfect: it uses a premade biscuit dough for truly delicious and easy-to-make doughnuts.
Brussels sprouts, like this easy roasted recipe, are a popular Hanukkah vegetable side dish.
Sometimes all the heavy items on the Hanukkah table need to be balanced by something crunchy and fresh like this red cabbage, cranberry, and apple slaw.
Powdered jelly doughnuts are known as sufganiyot and are a staple this time of year. This classic sufganiyot jelly-filled doughnuts recipe can be made at home but looks like something you'd buy in a store.
These crispy potato latkes are served with a spiced pear compote instead of the usual applesauce — a substitution you won't hear guests complaining about.
This potato kugel cup recipe from Jamie Geller lets you create single servings and gives you delicious crispy edges in every bite. (If you don't want more potatoes on your table, there are plenty of noodle kugel options, too!)
There's nothing traditionally Hanukkah-y about this roasted squash dish, but it will help round out your table: the tang of the vinegar helps cut through the heaviness of some of the other dishes, and squash always feels festive at a holiday table.