Rosh Hashanah Dinner Menu: Roasted Sweet Carrots and Parsnips

The traditional carrot dish served on Rosh Hashanah is called tzimmes. It consists of sliced carrots cooked in honey and flavored with cinnamon, sometimes with the addition of dried fruits. Other traditional recipes made with meat often include sweet potatoes. Variations are endless, as you’ll see on Jewish-food.org. Here you’ll find a traditional non-meat recipe. Here you’ll find a traditional meat recipe.

But honey can be an overly pervasive flavor on the Rosh Hashanah dinner table, and traditional tzimmes provide no relief. If you want to balance out the sweetness on your menu, you’ll find the recipe below for tangy, roasted sweet carrots and parsnips with oven-caramelized balsamic vinegar a welcome alternative.

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Recipe: Kitty’s Sweet Roasted Carrots & Parsnips

Serves 4 – 6

• 4 large carrots, peeled, diagonally sliced into one-inch chunks
• 4 large parsnips, prepped the same
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F. Lay the vegetables out on a roasting tray.

2. Whisk together the oil and vinegar, along with some salt & pepper, and drizzle over the vegetables. Stir them up to make sure every inch is coated.

3. Cook for 30 minutes or until all vegetables are browned. Either serve immediately, or store up to a day ahead and reheat in a casserole dish for 10 minutes in a 350 F oven. Sprinkle with fresh chopped rosemary.