Sephardic and Israeli Recipes

The recipes in this collection are from Sephardic, Mizrahi, and Israeli cuisine. The food tells the story of where many Jews are from and where their ancestors have lived and left due to expulsions and forced migration.

The Sephardic Jews first came to Spain after the destruction of the first Temple in Jerusalem in 586 BC. They lived on the Iberian peninsula (Spain and Portugal) for about 2,000 years until they were expelled in 1492 and 1496, respectively. Many resettled in the Ottoman Empire including areas of Turkey, north Africa, Greece, Iran, and the Middle East. Some settled in France and Italy.

The Mizrahi Jews have their origins in the Middle East. In the later half of the 20th century, Jews were either expelled from or escaped persecution in Middle Eastern countries and Iran. Many found refuge in Israel and the United States.

As Jews migrated throughout time, they brought their dishes from their countries of origin with them. Sometimes they adapted their old dishes to new ingredients in the new land. Sometimes they made the dishes of their new neighbors, but adapted them to fit kosher laws and holiday traditions. And the culinary influence went both ways. Jews introduced new ingredients and dishes to their neighbors as well.

Now in the 21st century, the majority of Jews live in Israel. The food in Israel includes Mizrahi, Sephardic, and Ashkenazi dishes. Because of moving borders, expulsions, and migration over time, much of Israeli food has a shared culinary history with the neighboring countries and others throughout the Middle East region. Israeli dishes often have roots in multiple countries and are a part of multiple cuisines.

Israel is known for their vibrant food scene that includes both street food and finer restaurants. Israeli cuisine centers on fresh produce and dishes well-suited to the warm weather.

The hallmarks of Sephardic, Mizrahi, and Israeli recipes are the wonderful spices and flavors of the region like cumin, cardamom, and rosewater as well as popular ingredients like chickpeas and eggplant.

I love all these flavorful dishes, so it's hard to pick favorites, but be sure to check out Creamy Roasted Eggplant Dip, Arayes (meat stuffed pitas), and Bourekas.