The holiday of Shavuot commemorates the spring harvest and celebrates receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai. Traditionally, the holiday is celebrated by eating dairy products and is one of the three pilgrimage festivals celebrated in ancient Israel along with Sukkot and Passover. While many agree on the tradition of consuming milk and cheeses for the holiday, it is a bit more difficult to find specific reasons for why it is a custom. No matter the reason, eating foods like bourekas or cheesecake has become synonymous for celebrating Shavuot world-wide. So, check out these holiday-inspired dinner ideas to enjoy during Shavuot or anytime you want to enjoy a dairy-filled meal.
Blintzes
If you took a poll of what foods to eat on Shavuot, you’d probably hear blintzes as one of the most popular dairy-filled food choices for the holiday. And who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner? This Hungarian specialty is filled with a sweet cheese and is sure to be a crowd-pleasing dinner for everyone. Not a fan of cheese? Apple and cherry fillings are also delicious options for blintzes and you can find recipes for those fillings at the bottom of the article.
Photo and recipe from My Jewish Learning.
Baked Ziti Cupcakes
Isn’t everything more fun to eat like a cupcake? This recipe isn’t only delicious and easy to make but looks very cute and impressive to any guests coming over for Shavuot. You can make the ziti cupcakes ahead of time, too, and wait to top with the cream cheese-ricotta mixture until when you are ready to serve. Ziti is a crowd-favorite, but you could create your own version of this dish by subbing out the ziti pasta with your favorite pasta and baking it with a sauce that is to your taste and choosing. The savory cheese frosting though is key in my opinion, and really makes this dish stand out.
Photo and recipe from The Nosher.
Caprese Rugelach
Who said rugelach needs to be sweet? These are super easy to make but are sure to impress your dinner crowd. This tasty recipe combines the flavors and ingredients of a traditional caprese salad including tomatoes, fresh basil and mozzarella cheese but adds the element of a homemade dough to wrap up all those ingredients and make it a fun hand-held dinner option to enjoy during the holiday. These are best served straight from the oven or you can pre-roll the rugelach and store them on a baking sheet in the refrigerator until you are ready to enjoy.
Photo and recipe from What Jew Wanna Eat.
Flower Quiche
Not only does this dish look beautiful and artistic, but it is also full of spring flavors and cheese, making it a perfect dish to serve on Shavuot. Using thinly sliced vegetables like carrots, eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash, you’ll simply roll into round flower-like shapes to create an eye-catching dish. The filling is packed with rich cheese and cream to make it filling and satisfying. And, best part is you are encouraged to use a pre-made pie crust to make this an easy, but impressive meal.
Photo and recipe from Jamie Geller.
Mushroom Risotto
Does risotto intimidate you? This recipe walks you through step-by-step instruction on how to make a perfect risotto that you’ll be making over and over again. Filled with a variety of mushrooms and fresh herbs, this dish is hearty and filling and might have you reaching for seconds. Use your favorite broth (chicken, veggie or mushroom) and cook down the rice following the easy instructions and your risotto is sure to turn out restaurant-quality. There is very little cheese in this recipe, so it would be easy to either leave it out or substitute a plant-based version to make this a vegan-friendly dish.
Photo and recipe from May I Have That Recipe.
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