Shabbat Dinner Recipes: A Guide to Flavor, Faith, and Family
Whether you're hosting guests or preparing a quiet family meal, this guide will walk you through delicious and meaningful recipes perfect for Friday night.
Shabbat begins at sundown on Friday and ends at nightfall on Saturday. During this time, work pauses. Phones are put away. The noise of everyday life fades. Families gather around the table, light candles, and recite blessings over wine and challah. Food plays a powerful role in this sacred rhythm—feeding the body and the soul.
In today's fast-paced world, finding balance between parenting, home life, and spiritual growth can be a daily challenge—especially for Orthodox Jewish women. That's where Between Carpools enters the picture: a warm, practical, and faith-filled lifestyle hub that serves as a daily companion 'between carpools.' Created by women who truly live the experience, it blends guidance on parenting, kosher cooking, modest fashion, and faith—all in one place.
When it comes to Shabbat dinner recipes, Between Carpools offers easy, tested, and family-approved options that even busy moms can manage. Their recipes are designed for real kitchens, real families, and real life.
Let's explore some traditional dishes that make every Shabbat table special:
Ingredients: 4 cups flour
1 packet yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup oil
1 cup warm water
Mix, knead, let rise, then braid and bake. The smell alone invites the spirit of Shabbat into your home.
A warm bowl of chicken soup is comforting and classic. Simmer chicken, carrots, celery, and onions. Add matzo balls made with matzo meal, eggs, oil, and a bit of seltzer for fluffiness.
Brisket is a crowd-pleaser. Season with garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add onions and carrots. Bake low and slow until tender.
Grate potatoes and onions, mix with eggs and seasoning, and bake until golden. Serve hot and crispy.
This sweet carrot dish includes dried fruits, honey, and sometimes beef. It's a colorful, festive side.
Looking for something new? Here are modern twists you'll love:
Glaze salmon fillets with pomegranate molasses, garlic, and honey. Bake until flaky. It's light, elegant, and festive.
Swap out meat for a healthy vegetarian option. Mix quinoa, sautéed veggies, and spices. Stuff into bell peppers and bake.
Lower the carbs without sacrificing taste. Sauté riced cauliflower with onions, garlic, and herbs.
Spiralized zucchini, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and fresh basil make a great starter or side dish.
Making Shabbat dinner family-friendly helps kids feel included: Let kids help braid the challah.
Serve chicken nuggets made from kosher breast meat.
Try mini potato kugel muffins for easy serving.
Make grape juice mocktails for a fun 'Kiddush' moment.
Prepare simple desserts like chocolate-covered pretzels.
Between Carpools shares plenty of kid-friendly meal plans and easy prep hacks to involve little hands in the kitchen.
No Shabbat dinner is complete without dessert. Try one of these:
Slice apples, mix with cinnamon and sugar, and top with an oat-based crumble. Bake until bubbly.
Traditionally served on Rosh Hashanah, this moist cake also fits perfectly with Shabbat's theme of sweetness.
Rich, chocolatey, and deeply satisfying. Make one ahead and slice after the meal.
Create a peaceful, beautiful space with small touches: Use a white tablecloth
Set the silver candlesticks early
Lay out a challah cover
Add fresh flowers
Use your best dishes—even for a small gathering
Your table sets the mood for a restful evening.
Preparing Shabbat dinner doesn't have to be stressful. Follow these tips: Cook in advance: Prepare soups, kugels, and desserts on Thursday. Freeze what you can: Some dishes freeze beautifully, like challah or brisket. Create a checklist: Plan the menu, grocery list, and timing. Use slow cookers: They keep food warm without breaking Shabbat rules. Share the load: Let family members help set the table or pour drinks.
Between Carpools offers weekly Shabbat prep checklists and printable planners to keep you organized.
Repeating the same recipes weekly can feel tiring. Rotate menus. Try seasonal ingredients. Focus on simple but meaningful traditions. Invite friends. Light candles slowly. Sing songs. Ask everyone to share one thing they're grateful for. Shabbat is not just about food—it's about presence.
Shabbat dinner is a celebration of tradition, family, and peace. Whether you follow age-old recipes or try something new, the heart behind the meal is what matters most.
With guidance from trusted resources like Between Carpools, preparing for Shabbat becomes manageable and meaningful—even in the busiest households. Shabbat dinner recipes, tips, and community support help bring joy to your table every Friday night.
So light the candles, pour the wine, and serve with love.
Shabbat Shalom!
TIME BUSINESS NEWS
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Jewish deli dream becomes reality in Northampton
'It is this homage to where we all come from, and how we got where we all are today, and the food we grew up with,' Hanley says. 'There's such a nostalgia connected to it that is so deep.' Get Winter Soup Club A six-week series featuring soup recipes and cozy vibes, plus side dishes and toppings, to get us all through the winter. Enter Email Sign Up The new deli was eight years in the making, starting around 2017 when Lichter and Levin, both music managers, teamed up to work with the folk trio Advertisement 'It was something that we continuously were joking about with each other, just to entertain ourselves and give our brains a break from thinking about our music work,' says Lichter, who also manages The menu at Lichter & Levin Delicatessen includes sweet treats like these cookies. Yasmina Mattison In 2019, they pushed the idea further by commissioning a logo, coming up with a slogan ('open for brunch and linner') and printing up hoodies and T-shirts, purely to amuse themselves. That November, they posted photos of the merch on a new Lichter & Levin Instagram page with the tongue-in-cheek caption 'coming soon.' The post went 'small-town viral,' Lichter says, prompting a story in the local newspaper. The surge of buzz about the possibility of a deli coming to Northampton reached Wynn, who owned a café called the Roost that she had been thinking of converting into one. 'When those posts hit Instagram in 2019, I was shaken in my boots,' says Wynn, who opened the Roost in 2011. 'I was like, someone's going to open a Jewish deli in Northampton. The Roost will be out of business in five minutes.' Though Lichter and Levin ended up meeting with a few potential partners, the timing was off: before they could seriously pursue it, the pandemic arrived. By 2023, the pair had come back to the idea, but were exploring locations in Connecticut and New York. Meanwhile, Hanley, a classically trained chef with a background in fine dining in New York, had recently moved to Western Mass. and was looking to open a deli. Through community connections, Hanley met Wynn and came to work at the Roost while they plotted how to overhaul the coffee shop into something new. Advertisement Lighted signs mounted to the wall inside Lichter & Levin Delicatessen in Northampton. Yasmina Mattison 'Café business, the model is tough,' says Wynn, who moved to Northampton in 2009 after a decade performing in the Long Island hip-hop trio Northern State. 'It was always tough. It was never a very profitable business. It was kind of break-even at best. But then the pandemic really put me underwater, and there was really no way to climb out of that.' Hanley and Wynn worked up a deli pitch to show to possible investors. They were introduced to Lichter and Levin through mutual acquaintances on the Shluggers, the local synagogue's softball team. One of them was Matt Wool, a New York-born deli enthusiast who had bought a Lichter & Levin hoodie when they first became available. He joined Lichter and Levin for a meeting with Hanley and Wynn late in 2024. A food tasting followed on a frigid evening in December, where a small group sampled Hanley's food: whitefish salad, briny house-cured lox, knishes, tangy half-sour pickles with just the right snap, vegan pastrami, hearty matzo ball soup, and desserts including mini-babkas, rugelach, and black-and-white cookies. 'The combination of food was so spot-on,' says Levin, who also manages the band Lucius, singer Aoife O'Donovan and others as part of Good Harbor Music. 'This was exactly what we had wanted, and what we had jokingly talked about back in 2017 and '18.' With Hanley, Lichter, Levin, and Wool going in as partners, Wynn closed the Roost in March. She went to work for Lichter & Levin and turned over the space, which she owns, to the deli for a facelift. The new design features royal blue paint and white subway tile. One wall is covered with old snapshots of the owners' grandparents and great-grandparents — the ones who ran butcher shops and delis. There are also archival photographs, curated with help from the Historic Northampton museum, depicting Jewish life in town and the history of the building, which once shared a parking lot with Advertisement The fact that three separate groups were interested in opening a New York-style deli before they joined forces suggests that there's a market for it in Western Massachusetts. More than that, though, it's the kind of restaurant the Lichter & Levin team wanted to exist where they live. For them, opening a deli is a way of forging closer ties with their community in a way that links them to their family traditions. 'There's a Yiddish term 'bashert,' which roughly translates to 'meant to be,'' Levin says. 'In all of our family histories, you can draw a line to serving food to people. That connection to where we all come from, combined with the comfort of having a place like this right here in the community, is why I'm doing it.'
Time Business News
30-06-2025
- Time Business News
Shabbat Dinner Recipes: A Guide to Flavor, Faith, and Family
Shabbat is not just a day of rest—it is a time to reflect, connect, and celebrate. Each week, Jewish families around the world gather to usher in the Sabbath with warmth and love. The centerpiece of this celebration? A beautifully prepared Shabbat dinner recipes. From traditional dishes passed down for generations to modern twists on old favorites, Shabbat dinner recipes help bring heart and holiness to the table. Whether you're hosting guests or preparing a quiet family meal, this guide will walk you through delicious and meaningful recipes perfect for Friday night. Shabbat begins at sundown on Friday and ends at nightfall on Saturday. During this time, work pauses. Phones are put away. The noise of everyday life fades. Families gather around the table, light candles, and recite blessings over wine and challah. Food plays a powerful role in this sacred rhythm—feeding the body and the soul. In today's fast-paced world, finding balance between parenting, home life, and spiritual growth can be a daily challenge—especially for Orthodox Jewish women. That's where Between Carpools enters the picture: a warm, practical, and faith-filled lifestyle hub that serves as a daily companion 'between carpools.' Created by women who truly live the experience, it blends guidance on parenting, kosher cooking, modest fashion, and faith—all in one place. When it comes to Shabbat dinner recipes, Between Carpools offers easy, tested, and family-approved options that even busy moms can manage. Their recipes are designed for real kitchens, real families, and real life. Let's explore some traditional dishes that make every Shabbat table special: Ingredients: 4 cups flour 1 packet yeast 1/4 cup sugar 1 tsp salt 1 egg 1/4 cup oil 1 cup warm water Mix, knead, let rise, then braid and bake. The smell alone invites the spirit of Shabbat into your home. A warm bowl of chicken soup is comforting and classic. Simmer chicken, carrots, celery, and onions. Add matzo balls made with matzo meal, eggs, oil, and a bit of seltzer for fluffiness. Brisket is a crowd-pleaser. Season with garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add onions and carrots. Bake low and slow until tender. Grate potatoes and onions, mix with eggs and seasoning, and bake until golden. Serve hot and crispy. This sweet carrot dish includes dried fruits, honey, and sometimes beef. It's a colorful, festive side. Looking for something new? Here are modern twists you'll love: Glaze salmon fillets with pomegranate molasses, garlic, and honey. Bake until flaky. It's light, elegant, and festive. Swap out meat for a healthy vegetarian option. Mix quinoa, sautéed veggies, and spices. Stuff into bell peppers and bake. Lower the carbs without sacrificing taste. Sauté riced cauliflower with onions, garlic, and herbs. Spiralized zucchini, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and fresh basil make a great starter or side dish. Making Shabbat dinner family-friendly helps kids feel included: Let kids help braid the challah. Serve chicken nuggets made from kosher breast meat. Try mini potato kugel muffins for easy serving. Make grape juice mocktails for a fun 'Kiddush' moment. Prepare simple desserts like chocolate-covered pretzels. Between Carpools shares plenty of kid-friendly meal plans and easy prep hacks to involve little hands in the kitchen. No Shabbat dinner is complete without dessert. Try one of these: Slice apples, mix with cinnamon and sugar, and top with an oat-based crumble. Bake until bubbly. Traditionally served on Rosh Hashanah, this moist cake also fits perfectly with Shabbat's theme of sweetness. Rich, chocolatey, and deeply satisfying. Make one ahead and slice after the meal. Create a peaceful, beautiful space with small touches: Use a white tablecloth Set the silver candlesticks early Lay out a challah cover Add fresh flowers Use your best dishes—even for a small gathering Your table sets the mood for a restful evening. Preparing Shabbat dinner doesn't have to be stressful. Follow these tips: Cook in advance: Prepare soups, kugels, and desserts on Thursday. Freeze what you can: Some dishes freeze beautifully, like challah or brisket. Create a checklist: Plan the menu, grocery list, and timing. Use slow cookers: They keep food warm without breaking Shabbat rules. Share the load: Let family members help set the table or pour drinks. Between Carpools offers weekly Shabbat prep checklists and printable planners to keep you organized. Repeating the same recipes weekly can feel tiring. Rotate menus. Try seasonal ingredients. Focus on simple but meaningful traditions. Invite friends. Light candles slowly. Sing songs. Ask everyone to share one thing they're grateful for. Shabbat is not just about food—it's about presence. Shabbat dinner is a celebration of tradition, family, and peace. Whether you follow age-old recipes or try something new, the heart behind the meal is what matters most. With guidance from trusted resources like Between Carpools, preparing for Shabbat becomes manageable and meaningful—even in the busiest households. Shabbat dinner recipes, tips, and community support help bring joy to your table every Friday night. So light the candles, pour the wine, and serve with love. Shabbat Shalom! TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Boston Globe
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Rachel gown is by designer Monique Lhuillier; Paul's tuxedo is by Pal Zileri. Christina Brosnan And after Paul proposed that September — moments before the 60th birthday party Rachel had planned for him at Warehouse XI in Somerville — their international mileage ramped up as they prepared for a wedding in Ireland. The multi-day destination celebration took place at the 19th-century former manor home-turned-five-star golf resort named They worked with Irish wedding planner Advertisement American-born Irish dancers and social media stars The Gardiner Brothers were one of several acts that paid tribute to Irish culture throughout the weekend. The duo performed during dinner, but also "dance bombed" the couple during their reception entrance. Christina Brosnan The extravaganza kicked off Friday afternoon; the couple aimed to surprise and delight. A welcome party featured performers who wrote original poems, played the lira, and passed telegrams between guests. By evening, the manor Tack Room was transformed for live music, burlesque, and magic — and a tight five by Paul — before guests were sent to bed with late-night snacks delivered in custom boxes from 'Koko's pizzeria.' (One of the many custom elements Rachel had designed.) They wed in the afternoon on April 26. While they had anticipated rain (it's Ireland), the ceremony took place under blue skies. The couple had legally tied the knot in a New York City Hall ceremony in January, but their April 'I do's were especially poignant, featuring vows they had written themselves. 'I wanted [our guests] to know what a good human Paul is — a good father, grandfather, partner, businessman,' says Rachel of her vows. 'I wanted people to see that it's more than just the one version that they know... or get to see." The giant (inflatable) polar bear is a running joke for the couple who first saw a street artist wearing the costume while on a trip to Berlin, Germany. Rachel ordered a version of the costume as surprise at Paul's 60th birthday, where it hovered over the pair while he proposed. It would have been rude then not invite the bear to the wedding. Christina Brosnan Rachel's design directive for the black tie optional reception had been 'magical, secret garden.' In the manor's Grand Ballroom, floral overgrowth hung among crystal chandeliers, jewel-tone velvet draped the tables and stage, where TikTok-famous Irish dancers newlyweds' first dance was to Aerosmith's 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing.' F ol lowing t he wedding, they stayed a few more blissful days to explore the Emerald Isle. Advertisement The memories were plentiful , for Paul, the journey will always be his favorite part. 'When the flight attendant says, 'Please buckle your seatbelt,' I get really excited, because it means Rachel and I are off to our next adventure.' Read more from , The Boston Globe's new weddings column. Rachel Kim Raczka is a writer and editor in Boston. She can be reached at
