Warmth is what we’re all looking for right now. As winter has settled in with its familiar chill, we reach instinctively for the things that bring comfort: thick socks, a favorite blanket and, of course, a steaming bowl of soup. There is something almost instinctive about our desire for soups during cold weather. Throughout Jewish history and tradition, winter has always been a season when we respond to the cold with heat, light, nourishment and connection.
Our rituals reflect this. Lighting Chanukah candles is more than commemorating a miracle. It’s an act passed down from generations who sought to push back the literal and spiritual darkness of the season. The small flames remind us that longer days will come again soon. Shabbat candles fill our homes with soft light that warms the room and the heart, creating a weekly pause when family gathers, meals are shared and spiritual calm replaces the rush of the week.
But warmth isn’t found only in rituals. It comes from the kitchen, too, sometimes from a single pot simmering on the stove. One of the best things about soup is how easy it is to prepare in large amounts. A big batch means you can feed a crowd or keep your household satisfied for several days. This is less a suggestion and more a rule: if there isn’t enough soup for unexpected guests, leftovers and at least one person to take some home, did you really make soup at all? This also helps winter meal planning become simpler, and the comfort the dish brings lasts long after the pot is washed.
Jewish traditions teach that warmth also comes from what we do. Sages speak of the light of Torah and mitzvot, how studying sacred texts or performing good deeds creates an inner glow. Doing a mitzvah with enthusiasm leaves a lasting impact on the giver and the receiver. In a season when the cold feels unwelcoming, kindness becomes its own source of heat.
This idea runs deep in the Jewish narrative. In Genesis 18:1-22:24, Abraham sits at the entrance of his tent “kechom hayom.” The phrase suggests he is not only sitting in the heat of the day, but he himself radiates the warmth of hospitality like the heat of the day. He searches for travelers to welcome. When three figures appear, he runs to greet them, offers water and rest and prepares a generous meal with Sarah. His hospitality is active and joyful. In a harsh desert landscape, he becomes a beacon of comfort.
Our own kitchens can echo Abraham’s tent. On a gray winter afternoon, the simple act of chopping vegetables or stirring a pot fills a home with heat and familiar aromas. Cooking for family or guests becomes a mitzvah of hospitality, a way to transform ordinary ingredients into something that brings people together. Food softens the cold of winter and turns a house into a place of welcome.
Soups also reflect the global diversity of Jewish life. Ashkenazi broths are rich with root vegetables and dill. Sephardic dishes rely on warm spices, herbs, legumes and slow-cooked depth of flavor. Across continents and centuries, Jewish cooks have understood that food can be both sustenance and comfort, especially in seasons of cold and scarcity. One of the best things about soup is that you can make a delicious batch with leftovers, pantry staples or whatever you have on hand.
As we settle into winter, this may be the lesson these dishes continue to offer. Warmth is not just something we seek. It’s something we create. In our rituals, in our relationships and in our kitchens, we kindle small flames of comfort that carry us through the darker months. And as we share the soups we prepare, may our homes glow with the same spirit of welcome that once radiated from Abraham’s tent. Sending you warm winter wishes, from my kitchen to yours. Please send feedback to recipes@americanisraelite.com
Hamod (Lebanese Lemon and Potato Soup)
Photo Credit: Marcie Rosenton
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the kibbeh (stuffed meatballs)
3/4 pound ground beef
1 cup rice flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon olive oil
For the soup
3 celery stalks, sliced thinly, leaves chopped and reserved separately
3 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ½ inch cubes
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt
5 cups water, vegetable broth or chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 to 3 tablespoons dried mint (optional)
– Make the kibbeh: Place 1/2 pound of ground beef, rice flour and 1 teaspoon salt into a food processor. Process for about 4 minutes or until combined well and smooth. Gradually add up to 4 tablespoons of water and blend after each addition of a water, until a smooth dough-like consistency is formed. Transfer out of the processor and set aside.
– Mix 1/4 pound beef, 1/2 teaspoon salt, allspice and parsley until combined. Take 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture, roll it into a small meatball and place it onto a sheet tray. Continue with the remaining mixture until you’ve formed about 35 meatballs. Freeze these small meatballs for about 20 minutes.
– Transfer the small frozen meatballs from the freezer. Take about 1/2 tablespoon of the rice flour and meat mixture and roll it into a ball between your palms and flatten into a flat disk about 2 inches wide. Place one small frozen meatball in the center of the disk and fold the outer layer over itself, pinching the seams and rolling between your palm to form a sealed larger kibbeh ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture shaping 35 kibbeh balls.
– Place the olive oil in a wide pan over medium high heat. Place as many kibbeh balls that can fit into the pot and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 3 to 5 minutes each side. Repeat in batches until all the kibbeh balls are seared. (Alternative method — air fry at 350⁰ for 8 minutes until just starting to brown.)
– Make the soup: Place 1 tablespoon of oil into a pot over medium heat and sauté the garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Add celery, potatoes, lemon juice, salt, water, sugar and dried mint (if using). Mix and bring to a boil.
– Once the soup is boiling, gently place the kibbeh balls into the soup. Cook on a simmer until the potatoes are fork tender and the kibbeh balls are cooking through, about 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot.
Yemenite Chicken Soup
Photo Credit: Beejhy Barhany and Elisa Ung, “Gursha: Timeless Recipes for Modern Kitchens, from Ethopia, Israel, Harlem, and Beyond”
Recipe and photo from the cookbook “Gursha: Timeless Recipes for Modern Kitchens, from Ethopia, Israel, Harlem, and Beyond”
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds), cut into 8-12 pieces, or 4-5 pounds of drumsticks
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste
8 small red or white onions, peeled and left whole, or use 4 large onions, halved
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 cup chopped celery
10 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons Hawaij (see recipe to left)
1 tablespoon black pepper, plus more to taste
For serving — lemon wedge, Zhoug (see recipe below)
– In a large bowl, massage the chicken with the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon salt. Let sit at room temperature for 5 to 30 minutes. Rinse the chicken well.
– Place the chicken in a large stock pot and add cold water to cover by 1 to 2 inches. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover and boil, periodically skimming off any foam that rises to the top, for about 30 minutes.
– Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, parsley, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, the hawaij, the remaining 1 tablespoon salt and the pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered until the soup is deep yellow, 30 to 45 minutes.
– Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. If the flavor is too concentrated, add a little water.
– Divide among eight bowls, placing the a whole small onion or half a large onion in each bowl. Serve with the lemon wedges and zhoug.
Zhoug (Spicy Green Sauce)
Ingredients
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon green cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves & stems, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
6 serrano peppers, trimmed and roughly chopped
8 garlic cloves, peeled (leave whole)
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Warm a small skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin, coriander, and cardamom seeds, and peppercorns and toast until dark and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly.
In a food processor, combine toasted ingredients with all other ingredients. Process until emulsified, about 1 minute. Store in an airtight container.
Hawaij (Warming Yemenite Spice Mix)
Ingredients
1/3 cup black peppercorns
1/3 cup cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 heaping tablespoon green cardamom pods
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon whole cloves
2 tablespoons ground turmeric
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Warm a medium pan over medium heat. Add all ingredients except for turmeric and cinnamon and constantly mix until the seeds darken, become fragrant and begin to pop, 2 or 3 minutes. Immediately transfer to a plate to cool for 5 minutes.
Pour the toasted mixture into a spice grinder and add turmeric and cinnamon. Grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container.
Esau’s Lentil Soup
From the book “Cooking alla Giudia: A Celebration of the Jewish Food of Italy”
Jews in Tuscan communities tried to imagine how the legendary lentil dish (the one that Esau sold his birthright for) might have been prepared.
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dried lentils
1 pound lean ground beef
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 carrots, diced
1 celery rib, chopped
1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, crushed or minced
1 cup tomato puree
5 cups water
1 bay leaf
Chopped parsley for garnish
– Rinse the lentils and transfer to a large bowl. Cover with water and let soak overnight.
– The next day, in a large bowl, mix ground beef with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Form into small meatballs about the size of a walnut.
– Pour olive oil into a large sauté pan (must have a lid) over medium-low heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes.
– Add the meatballs to the pan and increase heat to high. Cook, turning the meatballs occasionally, about 10 minutes, until evenly browned.
– Add the tomato puree and reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes. Then add the water, 1 teaspoon salt, lentils and bay leaf and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook about 30 minutes until the lentils are soft but not mushy. Add more water if necessary.
Serve hot with a sprinkle of parsley.
