This challah recipe comes from one of the best bakers we know; Uri Scheft owns Lehamim Bakery in Tel Aviv and Bakey in Boston. His recipe includes lots of helpful tips and notes, especially if you're new to bread baking.

In the Ethiopian Jewish community, this lightly sweet bread called dabo is often served at Shabbat and holiday meals. Beejhy Barhany explained to us that even as her family walked from Ethiopia to Sudan, they would stop to make dabo.

Mitchell Davis' mother Sondra had always told him that her matzah ball recipe was simply the one from the back of the box of matzah meal. But, when they made the soup together, it was clear that his mom had her own tricks.

Kubbeh, also known as kibbeh, is a style of dumpling that typically features ground meat wrapped in semolina, bulgur, or rice. It can be fried, or served in broth like it is in Pnina Shasha's Iraqi family.

For as long as Hilla Segev can remember, she’s eaten this fragrant Yemenite soup for Shabbat. It’s typically made with either chicken or beef, lots of vegetables, and a heady spice blend called hawaij.

Don’t mistake this as just a soup and gondi recipe. It’s a full meal that “is the classic Shabbat dinner in much of Iran,” explains Persian Jewish culinary expert Tannaz Sassooni. 

In Nina Dahan's family, there's no Shabbat without hamod, a lemony potato soup made with celery and garlic that’s served over rice and, in her family, alongside peas cooked with allspice and onions.

Stuffed grape leaves, often known as dolma, are seen on traditional tables in the Middle East, the Levant, and on the eastern side of the Mediterranean. In this version, lemony rice and tender herbs are wrapped in brine-packed grape leaves.  

In Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian, and Libyan families, it’s common to prepare a spicy fish recipe for the start of Shabbat. This version starts with a simple vegetable saute seasoned with paprika, cumin, and turmeric.

Patricia (Patti) Reinfeld Kolodny's mother Evelyn dictated the family's gefilte fish recipe to her while lying in an ICU bed after a heart attack. Patti promptly followed it and brought gefilte fish to her mother in the hospital.

Chicken with coconut cream and bamboo shoots called spayty was part of the Shabbat table in Elli Benaiah’s childhood home. Today, he’s carrying forward Baghdadi traditions with his catering company.

Podcaster Nicole Enayati served this fragrant saffron roasted chicken at the first Shabbat dinner she hosted for her family. It’s very simple to make, but be sure to buy good quality saffron.

This oven-poached salmon from Wise Sons’ Evan Bloom is exceptionally easy to make and very versatile. You can use the leftovers in scrambled eggs, a sandwich, or fish salad. 

The brisket recipe in chef Michael Solomonov’s family has evolved with each generation. His grandmother made hers with Heinz Chili Sauce and his mother added coffee. Michael uses espresso and dried apricots in their place.

This chickpea stew traces back to Uriel Benzrihem's great-grandmother, but it was his mother Pnina who started serving it with fish and salads.

Layers of saffron tinged rice and tangy barberries are tucked into this eggplant tachin that's an impressive vegetarian Shabbat dish. Constructing it takes some time and practice, so it's best not to rush it.

These crispy potatoes are par-boiled first to make sure they cook all the way through and then fried. You will want to have a candy or deep-fry thermometer on hand for this recipe.

Made with egg noodles tossed in a caramelized mixture of oil and sugar and seasoned with lots of black pepper, this kugel recipe is the epitome of Yerushalmi comfort food.

While many yapsuk (also spelled yapchik) recipes call for meat, this rendition from David Glick's family is entirely vegetarian. Think of it as a large latke that's baked instead of fried.

This stunning rice with potato tahdig comes from food writer Andrea Strong's family. Be sure to rinse the rice well before you start to remove any excess starch.

Crunchy Persian cucumbers get a quick pickle in vinegar and sugar here. The longer you let them sit in the refrigerator, the more pickled they will become. 

Olive oil adds a sophisticated touch to this mandel bread recipe from Pineapple Collaborative’s Atarah Bernstein. You can serve the cookies for dessert, or follow her family's tradition and enjoy them at Shabbat breakfast. 

This traditional compote recipe comes from Benjamin Lesser’s grandfather who lived in Mukatch, Hungary before the Holocaust. His home was “on a major street called Sugar — an appropriate name for that sweet home,” Benjamin explains.

Nearly all chef Ian Boden's family recipes and photos were lost a house fire caused by lightning. This apple cake recipe, which was tucked into a cookbook, is the only one that survived.