Bake

The Big Tzimmes for Passover

February  4, 2022
4.4
8 Ratings
  • Prep time 40 minutes
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

You say potato. I say potato kugel. You say you’re in a stew? I say what’s the big tzimmes? Tzimmes.

Pronounced tzim-mess. For those unfamiliar with the term, tzimmes is generally understood as Yiddish for “a big fuss.” In Jewish cooking terms, a tzimmes is essentially a casserole. Similar to a stew. Asked to bring a side dish to a Seder meal, for example, it would be understood that I would make a big tzimmes of the request, stewing up something delicious and “company-style.”

I don’t know which came first, the big fuss or the Eastern European dish, but I do know that to make a tzimmes involves some chopping, simmering, and stewing, tzimmissing, if you will. Like a good argument, a good tzimmes is both savory and sweet. What goes into a tzimmes can be either vegetables or meat and any combination of fruit, most notably prunes.

In cooking as in life, as it turns out, making a tzimmes is easy as pie. Essentially it's take, chop, mix, and stew. —Vivian Henoch

Test Kitchen Notes

As author Vivian Henoch writes, tzimmes is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish side dish, most often made during Jewish holidays like Rosh Hashanah and Passover. It’s typically prepared with sweeter root vegetables like sweet potatoes, yams, and carrots, plus prunes, raisins, and other dried fruits. It’s the perfect accompaniment to braised meats and rich starchy dishes, like noodle kugel, playing a similar role to sweet potato casserole on the Thanksgiving table. Best of all, and contrary to what its Yiddish name would suggest, cooking tzimmes is really no “big fuss.” Give the vegetables a rough chop and quick steam, give the remaining ingredients a quick simmer to mix, then throw it all in a pot and let it roast until soft, slightly sticky, and sweet. To make it even easier, you can prep everything up to the roasting portion of the recipe ahead of time, then finish it off in the oven a half hour before you’re ready to serve.

This version of tzimmes brings the dish into the 21st century. Sticky dates and dried apricots are a welcome refresh for the traditional prunes and raisins. Tart cherries and citrus in the form of lemon and orange juice give the dish a necessary punch of acid, which helps bring depth and balance to what could be one-note sweetness. I like to go the extra mile and add some lemon or orange zest, or both.

Tzimmes is a perfect dish for late winter-into-early spring, when the markets will still showcase the best citrus winter has to offer, but there's not much else besides root vegetables in the rest of produce department. While it has its origins as a traditional Jewish dish, tzimmes is a colorful and hearty side that anyone can enjoy. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 4 to 6 carrots
  • 4 sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup bite-size pitted dates (about 6 ounces)
  • 1 cup dried apricots (about 5 ounces)
  • 1 medium apple, sliced (optional)
  • 1/2 cup dried Michigan-style cherries (optional)
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (processed with the rind)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Cut the carrots into 2-inch pieces. Cook the potatoes in their skins for 20 minutes, adding the carrots after 10 minutes. Drain in a colander; set aside until cool enough to handle.
  2. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Transfer the potatoes and carrots to a large bowl.
  3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the dates, apricots, apple, if using, cherries, if using, orange juice, syrup, lemon juice, and brown sugar and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, just until heated through. Transfer to the potato mixture and stir well to combine.
  4. Add the parsley and salt and toss well to combine. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish. Cover and bake, basting after 15 minutes, for about 30 minutes total, until the potatoes are fork-tender and juices are bubbling.
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16 Reviews

FernLikeThePlant April 8, 2023
Great recipe. A few modifications to hold family memories & get a moister finished product.

Replaced apple and juice of orange & lemon w/pineapple chunks and pineapple juice, my families acid tradition. Did keep the orange zest. Added vegetable water from tri-colored carrots & sweet potatoes.

Boiled vegetables until fork tender
baked 15 min longer.

- [ ] 1 lb tri-colored baby carrots (Trader Joe’s is only 12 oz so supplemented with two thinner regular carrots cut into 2” lengths. Incorporate parsnips next time. )
- [ ] 1 cup canned/fresh diced pineapple
- [ ] 3/4 cup pineapple juice (can be juice that remains from can)
- [ ] 3/4 cup cooking water
- [ ] Used Dried unsweetened sweet dark cherries (Trader Joe’s)
 
Nanette March 9, 2023
Tzimmes with butter? Not a chance! Assuming this is a side dish, as is tradition, this would be served with some kind of meat, so this is not kosher. Otherwise, delicious, but the butter isn't necessary at all!
 
Vivian H. April 10, 2023
Thank you, Nanette. And right you are! No butter! For a kosher side dish with meat, use margarine or olive oil for sauteeing the fruit along with brown sugar -- essentially like you would in making a compote.

Pardon the slip-up on my part, but I did correct it in a comment when this recipe was first posted. Looking back at the date - 2012, I see I was not all that precise with the ingredients -- or the method. Uh, it's kinda how I make a Tzimmes -- a recipe that can't go too far wrong.
 
wsrgrs September 4, 2021
This is a mildly edited version of the tzimmes recipe on the Martha Stewart site. I’ve used THAT recipe for years. I mean, really, you didn’t even change the wording. Sheesh!
 
Bao O. March 27, 2021
I'm really excited to try this recipe but the ingredient doesn't list how much butter, which is called for in the method / cooking directions. Help? Thanks.
 
Nanette March 9, 2023
Sure it does... 2 Tbl
 
Judym March 26, 2021
ADD 1/4 TO 1/2 POND F KISHKA WHEN BAKING. OMG1
 
Teresa S. September 20, 2020
I made this tzimmes recipe for Rosh Hashonah and everyone loved it. Thank you, Vivian! I added knedlach before baking.... yummy!
 
ruby2zday April 3, 2015
can someone please clarify 1/4 cup orange processed with rind? Is that juice, or squeeze orange in the food processor with the rind? thanks
 
lois March 22, 2015
what is a "bunch" of carrots?
 
Suzy April 21, 2014
If not for Pesach, Shabbos will be here soon! Thank you
 
sheredel April 12, 2012
can't wait to try this!
 
Vivian H. April 12, 2012
Susan! Thank you so much. You made my day . . . a little tzimmes.
 
susan G. April 12, 2012
...and there it was!
Congratulations, Vivian.
 
Vivian H. April 5, 2012
Please note, if you're making this dish for a kosher-for-Passover meal, skip the butter. Use margarine, or olive oil.
 
susan G. March 26, 2012
You're just in time! I hope to see this on the seder table.