Tzimmes Recipe

Add some sweetness to your year with this delicious tzimmes recipe.

Tzimmes is a dish the whole family will love. It’s sweet with a hint of savory, and it’s totally tantalizing!

In Yiddish, tzimmes means “a prolonged business” or “mix-up.” And honestly, that’s fitting for this dish.

It’s made with a mix of delicious veggies, and it has to cook for a while.

So tzimmes, the dish, is indeed a prolonged mix-up of dried fruits and veg.

And it’s absolutely perfect for your next holiday dinner.

Tzimmes is easy to make, wonderfully filling, and seriously tasty! You really can’t go wrong. 

What is Tzimmes?

Tzimmes is an Ashkenazi Jewish dish traditionally served at Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

It represents a wish for a good, sweet year to come. 

But it’s delicious all year long!

I think it rivals the candied sweet potatoes you’ll find at American Thanksgiving.

It has sweet potatoes, carrots, and prunes, plus a deliciously sweet orange and cinnamon sauce. 

At least, that’s what you’ll find in this Tzimmes recipe.

Other versions may include other root vegetables, other dried fruits, and sometimes meat! 

But, as we’ll discuss later, there are many variations. So, you can tailor it to your family’s likes and dislikes. 

Ingredients

• Sweet Potatoes- This recipe uses orange sweet potatoes. But you can use white or purple if you have them. 
• Carrots- This dish has all the beta carotene! The carrots become really sweet and soft during the cooking process. 
• Prunes- Also known as dried plums, prunes add a lovely richness to the dish. And plenty of sweetness.     
• Orange Juice- Orange juice makes up the bulk of the sauce. Its acidity adds much-needed balance to the dish. 
• Water– Water is important because it adds volume to the sauce. But it doesn’t add any extra sugar, so the dish isn’t overwhelmingly sweet.
• Sugars- This recipe uses both honey and brown sugar for an extra delicious taste.
• Cinnamon- You can never go wrong with a little bit of spice. 
• Dairy-Free Margarine- Or dairy-free butter works, too. You can use regular butter if you prefer. 

How To Make Tzimmes

Step One- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating, prep your ingredients and grease your baking dish. 

Step Two- Add your fruit and veggies to the baking dish. Toss to combine.  

Step Three- Make your sauce. Whisk the orange juice, water, honey, sugar, and cinnamon together. Pour the mixture over the contents of the baking dish. Toss to combine.   

Step Four- Bake. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the dish and foil. Dot pieces of margarine over the top of the vegetable mixture.  

Return the dish to the oven for another 45-60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

It’s done when the veggies are tender and the sauce is thick. 

Step Five- Serve warm and enjoy! 

Tips for the Best Tzimmes and Variations

• Cut your sweet potatoes and carrots into similarly-sized pieces. This ensures even cooking. 

• You can prep everything up to a day before you need to bake it! Simply follow the recipe as directed, without baking. Then, store it in the fridge until you need it. 

• Add dried apricots for even more deliciousness or any other dried fruit you like! Raisins, dried cranberries, or dates are great options as well. 

• You can also substitute with other root vegetables. Rutabagas, white potatoes, and turnips work just as well. Though, cooking times may vary, so just keep an eye on it. 

• If you love spices, add some more! This dish tastes amazing with turmeric, cardamom, nutmeg, and/or cloves. 

• Typically, Tzimmes is served alongside roast beef or chicken. But you can add the meat right in! I maybe wouldn’t do chicken, but chunks of beef would be delicious. 

• If you have all the time in the world, you can make this in the slow cooker. Simply add everything to the pot and turn it on low. It’s ready in about 4 hours. 

• You can save time by making this dish in the pressure cooker! Simply add everything to your pressure cooker and cover it. Turn the manual pressure on for 2 minutes. 

• When it’s done, let the pressure out using the quick release. You don’t want it to depressurize naturally or you’ll have mashed Tzimmes. 

How to Store and Freeze

You can store Tzimmes in an air-tight container in the fridge. It will last for up to 4 days. 

It also freezes very well, so this is a great dish to prepare ahead of time. Again, store it in an air-tight container. I find freezer bags work well. 

It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge the night before you need it.

You can reheat it in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven until it’s warmed through. 

For a single serving, you can heat it in the microwave until it’s warm.