As the High Holy Days draw near, we often think about sweet beginnings and symbolic foods that usher in hopes for a good year ahead. A bowl of soup has a special way of comforting, connecting us to our roots, and preparing both body and soul for the days of reflection and renewal. Here are some of my favorite soups from Jamie Geller’s kitchen—ones I turn to when I want my Rosh Hashanah table to feel extra warm, meaningful, and nourishing.
1. Un-Stuffed Cabbage Soup
Instead of rolling each cabbage leaf, this soup simplifies the process by combining all the classic flavors of stuffed cabbage in one pot. The sweet-tart tomato base, tender cabbage, and fragrant spices make it a perfect blend of tradition and ease. It feels both festive and homey—just right for marking the new year with gratitude.
2. Apple and Parsnip Soup
Inspired by the Rosh Hashanah siman of apples (and honey), this soup is a lovely meld of sweet apple and creamy parsnip. It’s lightly spiced, smooth, and just a bit unexpected—exactly the kind of appetizer that sparks conversation at the holiday table. A little bowl of hope and sweetness to start the holiday.
3. Roasted Butternut Squash Coconut Soup
This one has three of the Rosh Hashanah simanim: squash, dates, and pomegranates. The roasted squash gives depth; the coconut milk adds warmth and richness; and the touches of sweetness are just right—not too much. It’s elegant, comforting, and perfectly seasonal, a soup that whispers of new beginnings.
4. Chicken Soup
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This is the soup many of us grew up with—simple, healing, familiar. Jamie’s version provides comforting aromas, nourishing broth, and vegetables that make it feel like a hug. On Rosh Hashanah, when prayers rise and hearts want reassurance, this is the bowl that steadies the soul.
5. Butternut Squash Chick Pea Soup
Hearty and full of texture, this soup brings in chickpeas for protein, roasted squash for sweetness, and warm spices to tie it all together. It leans more substantial than a starter, so it can double as a light main for lunch or a first course before your holiday feast.
6. Gingered Carrot Soup Shooters
Bright, warming, and elegant — this soup gives a little kick of ginger with sweet carrots and is served in small “shooters,” perfect for appetizer portions. It’s a lovely way to start the meal — light, palate-awakening, and seasonal.
7. White Bean Soup with Pomegranate Salsa
Hearty white beans meet vibrant pomegranate salsa in this soup. The pop of pomegranate is not just beautiful; it’s symbolic — for fruitfulness and sweetness in the year ahead. Great starter or lunch option that brings color, texture, and meaning.
8. Spinach Veal Soup
The soup that makes my kids ask for vegetables. Tender veal and fresh spinach create the most comforting, nutrient-packed bowl that somehow tastes like a warm hug from grandma and perfect for a Rosh Hashanah meal.
9. Leek and Baby Spinach Soup
Elegant enough for company, cozy enough for Tuesday night dinner. This silky smooth soup transforms simple leeks and spinach into pure comfort with a touch of sophisticated flair.
10. Souper Greens Soup
When you need all the nutrients but want all the flavor! This powerhouse soup packs every green vegetable imaginable into one incredibly delicious, vibrant bowl that’ll make you feel amazing from the inside out
11. Red Kubbeh Soup
This is liquid gold, friends! The most soul-warming Iraqi Jewish soup with tender kubbeh dumplings floating in a rich, aromatic broth that’s been perfecting hearts and kitchens for generations.
Each of these soups is more than just a warm start to the meal — they’re edible blessings. Sweet carrots, leeks, cabbage, squash, and even pomegranates are all among the simanim we eat on Rosh Hashanah to symbolize hope, abundance, protection, and renewal. Serving them in soup form is both practical and poetic — it lets these symbolic foods mingle together, infusing your holiday with flavor and meaning. This year, as you gather with loved ones, let your soup course be a quiet prayer for sweetness, strength, and a year overflowing with goodness.
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