Stovetop Tzimmes

Today, it’s all about tzimmes. Lovely, colorful, sweet, yummy tzimmes.

So, just what the heck is a tzimmes?

Great question!

Tzimmes is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish stew made with sweet root vegetables– carrots, sweet potatoes, yams– and dried fruits like raisins or dried plums. The word tzimmes is also a Yiddish expression for “making a fuss” over something, probably because making tzimmes is a bit of a fussy dish… with all of those root veggies, there is lots of peeling, chopping, then more peeling and more chopping. The side dish is often served for Rosh Hashanah, where sweet foods are served to signify our hope for a sweet new year. Carrots are chopped into circles, which are reminiscent of coins, symbolizing prosperity. Sometimes tzimmes are served with meat, like chunks of flanken or short ribs, in a luscious sort of savory/sweet stew. Most often, they’re served as a side dish to accompany the holiday meal.

But here’s the most important question about tzimmes… how the heck do you pronounce it??

Tsi-miss!

You’re welcome.

If your kitchen is anything like mine during the holidays, oven space is precious. With brisket and chicken in the oven, kugel warming, and challah rolls baking, I try to find ways to cook my side dishes on the stovetop. Hence the name of this recipe – Stovetop Tzimmes!

To make this dish pareve or vegetarian/vegan, use lightly salted water instead of chicken broth to cook the ingredients. I like using chicken broth because it adds a savory element to this naturally sweet dish, giving it a nice balance of flavors. This dish is gluten free and kosher for Passover (if you use KFP certified broth/ingredients). Enjoy!

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

Kosher Organic Brown Sugar

Honey

Large Pot 

Any purchase you make from The Shiksa Market helps to support my website, my recipes, and the free content I provide. If you have an Amazon login, it’s even easier to make a purchase. Thanks for browsing!

Stovetop Tzimmes

Ingredients

  • 2 orange yams (1.5 lbs. total), peeled and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
  • 2 white sweet potatoes (1.5 lbs. total), peeled and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
  • 8 carrots (1 lb) peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds
  • 6 oz dried apples (1 1/2 cups)
  • 6 oz dried cranberries (1 1/4 cups)
  • 2 cups orange juice
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth or salted water
  • 12 oz pitted prunes (3 cups)
Total Time: 1 Hour
Servings: 8-10 side portions
Kosher Key: Meat or Pareve (use salted water instead of broth to make pareve)
  • Place cut yams, sweet potatoes, and carrots on the bottom of a large heavy pot.
  • Pour dried apples and cranberries on top.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together orange juice, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Pour mixture over the fruits and vegetables in the pot.
  • Add chicken broth or salted water to the pot, covering the vegetables halfway. Heat pot over medium high till it begins to simmer. Stir the ingredients once gently.
  • Reduce heat to a gentle but constant simmer. Cover the pot.
  • After 45 minutes, open the pot and gently stir again. Place pitted prunes on top of the simmering ingredients.
  • Cover pot. Continue to cook on lowest heat for another 15 minutes, until potato pieces are tender and prunes have warmed and softened. Don't cook too long, or the prunes will dissolve-- it will make a nice sauce for the tzimmes, but it won't look so pretty on the table.
  • Serve warm as a side dish to a festive holiday meal.



Share on Facebook Grab the Feed Stumble it Share With a Friend

Category: Gluten Free, Holiday Foods, In the Kitchen, Kosher for Ashkenazi Passover, Kosher for Sephardic Passover, Meat, Pareve, Recipes, Rosh Hashanah, Side Dishes, Slide Show, Vegan, Vegetarian

Comments (25)Post a Comment

  1. Darla says:

    Yummmm to the Ultimate :)

  2. Linda says:

    This looks like a much nicer version than the overcooked meat version of Tzimmes my Bubbe made…not ever a favorite of mine.
    Yours looks wonderful…the colors bright and beautiful. Great pics! I would love a bite right now!

  3. Kristy says:

    Now this is one I had not heard of before. What a great combination of flavors and I like the use of chicken broth. Delicious!

  4. Shawn Cady says:

    So, there is no broth to this dish, or very little? This looks amazing and I will have to try it for sure. Since the dish is so sweet, it looks like a good side dish for Thanksgiving as well.

    • The Shiksa says:

      Hi Shawn! The veggies absorb most of the broth, so there is very little left at the end of cooking. You could add more broth if you wanted a little liquid to serve with it. It is sweet, but the broth and salt give it a nice savory balance. It would be great for Thanksgiving too, lots of nice harvest veggies in there. :)

  5. Laurie says:

    Since we are now gluten free in my home, this dish will be a wonderful compliment to our holiday menu. l’Shana Tova!

  6. I am in love with your blog and just subscribed!

    I found you over at Erika’s kitchen…so glad I stopped by!

    This looks delicious and I am thinking of adding it to our meal on Wednesday.

    Is there another fruit that can be used instead of Prunes? I am not normally fussy but Prunes just don’t thrill me and I don’t think they will thrill the family.

    Thanks and so nice to meet you!

  7. Pingback: The Shiksa Picks – Tori’s Favorite Finds on the Web 9.23.11 | The Shiksa Blog

  8. Curt says:

    This looks so tasty. It has so many different flavors in there. I’ve never heard of tzimmes.

  9. Pingback: Rosh Hashanah Menu Ideas 2011 | The Shiksa Blog

  10. Diane says:

    I love your site. Shulie Foodwanderings turned me on to it. Your Tzimes looks wonderful and I will try it. I still use a little chicken fat for holidays. Oye….I know. Again, wonderful food and wonderful web site. L’Shanna Tova.

  11. Shay says:

    This sounds wonderful and very simple. I’m going to try this for RH this year, thank you! I think it will go wonderfully with my lamb :)

    I adore your blog/website. A friend introduced me to it last year and I’ve been coming back regularly ever since. Many thanks for the wonderful ideas as well as the great recipes, clear instructions and photos. Makes for a wonderfully enticing and informative resource. Kudos!

  12. Ann says:

    This looks delicious, Tori. I suspect with flavor party going on – it would be okay to omit the cinnamon. What a beautiful dish – and I know what you mean about precious oven space. I use two electric roasters during Thanksgiving so I have room!

  13. Lori says:

    I made this and it was delicious! I wasn’t sure what white sweet potatoes were so I used Yukon Gold and it worked well. I will make again!

  14. Amy says:

    I made this for RH company – and it was a huge hit! It is the BEST tzimmes I’ve ever made, worth the work of cutting everything up. My husband loved it, & I will definitely make it again.

  15. Sharmah Wardlaw says:

    Looks Heavenly, I am going to try that this weekend! Thanks!

  16. irene says:

    I LOVE your website — so interesting and easy to get around — you are a gem — want to make the tsimmes dish — but without orange juice — any substitutes ? how would apple juice work — or if i use vegetable broth maybe just leave out the orange juice? thanks so much–

  17. Joyce says:

    I have been making Tzimmis for over 50 years..It is an enhanced recipe my mother made..I do not use any liquid..the veggies take care of that…I use sweet potatoes, carrots, short ribs, chichen wings, brown sugar, honey and maple syrup..it is good for a side dish and a main meal..it is a family favorite..

  18. In says:

    sounds delicious! do you have a recipe?

  19. Barbara Simpson says:

    Can you mix the Chicken Broth with the other ingredients at the same time?

  20. Jay says:

    Missed the prunes, ran short of honey and tossed in a little chicken – what a superb dish this is. I think it will become a regular at our thanksgiving meal (and possibly church potlucks)! Please take a bow oh Shiksa!

Leave a Comment