After fasting for 25 hours, your body isn’t looking for a five-course steak dinner – it’s craving comfort, hydration, and food that feels familiar.
That’s why Yom Kippur Break Fast Recipes are a tradition every family treats seriously.
You want dishes that are simple, light enough on the stomach, but still satisfying enough to bring everyone to the table.
I’ve been there – tired, hungry, and with kids asking, “When do we eat?”. So here are recipes that work, no frills, no fluff.
1. Sweet Noodle Kugel (Lokshen Kugel)
This is Jewish comfort casserole. Cook 12 oz wide egg noodles until just al dente, then drain.
In a large bowl, whisk 5 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup cottage cheese, ½ cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and a pinch of cinnamon.
Add the noodles and a scattering of raisins, folding them gently together.
Pour into a greased baking dish, sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top, and bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes until golden. Serve warm or room temp.
2. Blintzes with Sweet Cheese Filling
Blintzes are thin crepes filled with creamy cheese. To make the crepe batter, blend together 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, and a tiny pinch of salt until the mixture turns silky smooth.
Cook thin layers in a nonstick skillet. For filling: mix 1 cup farmer’s cheese (or ricotta), 2 tbsp sugar, 1 egg yolk, and splash of vanilla.
Spoon filling onto crepes, fold into rectangles, then pan-fry in butter until golden. Serve with sour cream or fruit preserves.
3. Matzo Ball Soup
To make matzo balls: mix 1 cup matzo meal, 4 eggs, 4 tbsp schmaltz (or oil), 4 tbsp water, salt, and pepper. Chill 30 mins. Roll into balls and simmer in salted water for 30 to 40 mins.
For broth, simmer chicken stock with carrots, celery, onion, and dill. Place matzo balls in bowls, ladle hot broth over, garnish with fresh dill. Gentle, hydrating, and perfect after fasting.
4. Dairy-Rich Egg Salad on Challah Bread
Hard-boil 8 eggs, peel, and mash with ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and sprinkle of paprika. Stir in chopped scallions.
Slice thick challah bread, spread egg salad generously, and serve as open-faced sandwiches. For kids, keep it simple.
For adults, serve with pickles or olives. It’s creamy, filling, and perfect for breaking the fast.
5. Smoked Whitefish Salad
This is a deli classic and a staple for Yom Kippur Break Fast Recipes.
Flake about 1 pound smoked whitefish (remove all bones carefully).
Mix with ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp finely chopped onion, and a pinch of black pepper. Some add a little dill for freshness.
Spread on rye bread, crackers, or bagels. It’s salty, smoky, and deeply satisfying without being heavy on the stomach.
6. Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Streusel
Sweet, comforting, and perfect with tea or coffee after fasting.
For the batter, whip together butter and sugar until creamy. Crack in the eggs, pour in vanilla, then sift in flour with baking powder and baking soda. Lastly, stir through a cup of sour cream for richness.
Whip up the streusel by mixing brown sugar with cinnamon, then working in cold butter until little crumbles form. Layer half the batter, sprinkle streusel, then repeat.
Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm or cooled.
7. Israeli Salad
After a fast, crisp veggies are a lifesaver. Dice 3 cucumbers, 4 tomatoes, ½ red onion, and 1 bell pepper.
Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon, season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle in a handful of chopped parsley. Keep it chilled until ready to serve.
It’s refreshing, hydrating, and pairs beautifully with richer dairy dishes or bagels. Kids like it best when the veggies are cut into very small pieces.
8. Baked Salmon with Lemon and Dill
Light protein is smart after fasting. Place salmon fillets on a lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh dill.
Lay lemon slices on top. Bake at 375°F for 15 to 18 minutes until just flaky.
Serve warm or chilled with extra lemon wedges. It’s nourishing, high in protein, but not too heavy.
9. Cheese and Spinach Bourekas
These Sephardic pastries are always a hit. Use store-bought puff pastry sheets.
For filling: mix 1 cup feta cheese, ½ cup ricotta, 1 egg, and 1 cup cooked chopped spinach. Cut pastry into squares, spoon filling in, fold into triangles, and seal edges.
Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Slide into the oven at 375°F and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the top turns a lovely golden brown. Serve warm.
10. Kugel (Sweet Noodle Pudding)
Kugel is comfort in a dish. Cook 12 oz noodles in boiling water, drain thoroughly, and fold in ½ cup melted butter for richness.
In a clean bowl, combine 4 eggs, 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup sour cream, ¾ cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and a dash of cinnamon, whisking until creamy.
Blend the noodles and filling together, spread in a greased baking dish, cover with cinnamon sugar, and bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes until golden perfection. Serve warm or at room temp.
11. Blintzes with Sweet Cheese Filling
These tender crepes hide a luscious, creamy filling inside. To make the batter, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, and just a pinch of salt until silky smooth.
Cook thin crepes in a lightly buttered skillet. For filling: combine 1 cup farmer’s cheese, ½ cup ricotta, ¼ cup sugar, and 1 egg yolk.
Spoon filling onto crepes, fold, and pan-fry in butter until golden. Serve with sour cream or fruit preserves.
12. Lentil Soup with Carrots and Celery
For something soothing, cook 1 cup green lentils with 6 cups vegetable broth.
Combine the chopped onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and cumin, then finish with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until lentils are soft (about 35 minutes).
Finish with a squeeze of lemon. It’s hearty but still light, a perfect way to gently ease back into eating.
13. Honey Cake
Sweetness is a big theme after fasting. Whisk 3 eggs with 1 cup sugar, ½ cup honey, and ½ cup oil.
Stir in 2 ½ cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp cloves, and 1 cup strong brewed tea.
Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 325°F for 50 to 60 minutes. The cake comes out moist, fragrant, and symbolic of sweet blessings ahead.
Final Thoughts
When the fast ends, it’s not just about food – it’s about gathering, gratitude, and gentle comfort.
These Yom Kippur Break Fast Recipes carry tradition, warmth, and balance: light salads, nourishing soups, dairy favorites, and sweet endings.
The key is to break the fast slowly, with foods that soothe rather than overwhelm.
I always feel that the table itself tells a story – bagels and kugel side by side, blintzes and smoked fish sharing space, and loved ones reaching across for another slice of honey cake.
It’s a reminder that food heals, connects, and blesses.
