Tzimmes, also spelled tsimmes, is an Ashkenazi Jewish root vegetable dish that is sweetened with honey, brown sugar and dried fruit like raisins, prunes and/or apricots. As the dried fruit cooks, it plumps up and becomes extra juicy. Tzimmes is often served at Rosh Hashanah when it’s traditional to eat sweet dishes and this vegetarian version highlights sweet potatoes and carrots. Some families also make tzimmes cooked with chunks of beef or short ribs and served as a main course. Tzimmes is easy to make ahead and rewarm in a very low oven before serving, though you might want to add a little water to loosen up the pan syrup a bit.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 50 min |
| Active: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 cup pitted prunes
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- Zest of 1 orange plus 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (see Cook’s Note)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the sweet potatoes, carrots, prunes and raisins in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and sprinkle with the orange zest.
- Combine the orange juice, oil, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring to melt the butter. Pour over the vegetables and cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour.
- Uncover and give the contents a gentle stir, taking care not to break up the vegetables. Increase the temperature to 400 degrees F and continue to bake, stirring once halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and glazed with a syrupy sauce in the bottom of the dish, 25 to 30 minutes more. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 269 |
| Total Fat | 4 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 59 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 7 g |
| Sugar | 31 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 565 mg |