Our 10 best Jewish recipes of 2021
![Chicken 'n Rice Bake](https://images.forwardcdn.com/image/970x/center/images/cropped/screen-shot-2021-12-29-at-91156-am-1640797979.png)
Chicken ‘n’ Rice Bake By Imani Jackson
Food historians will look back at the pandemic as a time that pushed even more Americans to discover that meals can be something you make yourself. For those who already cooked regularly, quarantine, shortages and closed restaurants forced us to get even more creative, stretching ourselves into new techniques and cuisines. These 10 best recipes of 2021 push beyond the obvious, add spice (sometimes literally, always figuratively) to routine, and make hard-times life much, much better.
Carly Pildis’ Oat milk pumpkin pie
![Oatmilk pumpkin pie](https://images.forwardcdn.com/image/675x/center/images/cropped/oatmilk-pumpkin-pie-1638569907.jpeg)
Oat milk pumpkin pie with a gingersnap crust By Rob Eshman
Claudia Roden’s Sephardic chocolate birthday cake
![Chocolate cake](https://images.forwardcdn.com/image/675x/center/images/cropped/claudia-rodens-mediterranean-chocolate-cake-1637001154.jpg)
Claudia Roden’s chocolate cake By Susan Bell
Rob Eshman’s Fresh fig, mint and walnut salad
![Fresh Fig salad](https://images.forwardcdn.com/image/675x/center/images/cropped/screen-shot-2021-09-09-at-125433-pm-1631217328.png)
Fresh Fig Salad By Rob Eshman
Jake Cohen’s Za’atar-roasted eggplant with tahini
![Jake Cohen's recipe for Za'atar Roasted Eggplant with Tahini](https://images.forwardcdn.com/image/675x/center/images/cropped/screen-shot-2021-08-27-at-95431-am-1630072674.png)
Jake Cohen’s recipe for Za’atar Roasted Eggplant with Tahini By Matt Taylor Gross
Tanaaz Sassooni’s Persian meat and apple stew
![Khoreshte Sib](https://images.forwardcdn.com/image/675x/center/images/cropped/beh1-1630005059.jpg)
Persian meat and apple stew, Khoreshte Sib Courtesy of Tannaz Sassooni
Eitan Bernath’s Red-wine braised short ribs with creamy polenta
![Red Wine Braised Short Ribs](https://images.forwardcdn.com/image/675x/center/images/cropped/screen-shot-2021-08-26-at-124214-pm-1629996169.png)
Red-wine braised short ribs with creamy polenta Courtesy of Eitan Bernath
Bernath, whom the Forward featured earlier this year, was just named to Forbes “30 Under 30” List. This dish shows his talent for simple, luxurious and do-able recipes.
Rob Eshman’s Chickpea gnocchi with market vegetables
![Chickpea gnocchi with summer vegetables](https://images.forwardcdn.com/image/675x/center/images/cropped/img-3589-1629047086.jpeg)
Chickpea gnocchi with summer vegetables By Rob Eshman
A vegetarian main course that uses everyone’s new favorite, the chickpea, as pasta.
Imani Jackson’s Chicken ‘n’ Rice bake
![Chicken 'n Rice Bake](https://images.forwardcdn.com/image/675x/center/images/cropped/screen-shot-2021-12-29-at-91156-am-1640797979.png)
Chicken ‘n’ Rice Bake By Imani Jackson
Forward contributor Jackson serves this comforting crowd-pleaser as a staple main dish at her St. Louis catering company.
Michael Solomonov’s Chicken thighs with kumquats and olives
Michael Solomonov makes chicken thighs with kumquats and olives with his audience in the first episode of the interactive digital series “Bringing Israel Home.” Courtesy of CookNSolo
Patti Jinich’s Chulibul: Green beans in corn sauce with pumpkin seeds
![Green Beans in Corn Sauce with Pumpkin Seeds](https://images.forwardcdn.com/image/675x/center/images/cropped/screen-shot-2021-11-18-at-122517-pm-1637267202.png)
Green Beans in Corn Sauce with Pumpkin Seeds By Angie Mosier
Liza Schoenfein’s Roasted peppers with pomegranate and whipped feta
![Roasted pepper with pomegranate and whipped feta](https://images.forwardcdn.com/image/675x/center/images/cropped/screen-shot-2021-12-03-at-21017-pm-1638569507.png)
Roasted pepper with pomegranate and whipped feta By Liza Schoenfein
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