Shavuot Menus and Recipes

Shavuot (Pentecost) celebrates the harvest season in Israel and the anniversary of the giving of the Ten Commandments to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. It is customary to eat dairy food on Shavuot for a number of reasons. One reason is that Shavuot is linked to the Exodus from Egypt into the Promised Land, and it is written "From the misery of Egypt to a country flowing with milk and honey..." (Exodus 3:8-17).

Given that dairy dishes can be labor intensive and that Shavuot often falls in the middle of the work week, these Shavuot dinner and lunch menus consists primarily of kosher dairy recipes for busy cooks.

Shavuot Dinner Menu

• Broccoli Cheese Soup
• Tangy Lettuce Salad
• Cornmeal Covered Fish Fillet
• Easy Eggplant Parmesan or Pasta in Mushroom Cream Sauce
• Cheesecake or Ice Cream

Shavuot Lunch Menu

• Spinach Tidbits (prepare in advance)
• Fresh Israeli Salad
• Foil-Wrapped Baked Salmon Fillet
• Blintz Souffle or Spinach Cheese Squares in Phyllo
• White Chocolate Lemon Bark or Oreo Balls (prepare both in advance)
• Watermelon

Traditional Shavuot Menu
More Shavuot Recipes

Why is it customary to eat dairy on Shavuot?

1. Shavuot is linked to the Exodus from Egypt into the Promised Land. "From the misery of Egypt to a country flowing with milk and honey..." (Exodus 3:8-17)
2. After the Israelites received the Torah at Mount Sinai, they ate dairy food. Before they received the Torah, they did not keep kosher as they did not yet have the laws of kashrut. Immediately after they received the Torah, they did not yet have the tools to prepare kosher meat.
3. The numerical value (Gematria) of chalav, the Hebrew word for milk, is 40. Eating dairy foods on Shavuot commemorates the 40 days that Moses spent on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah.
4. When the Israelites accepted the Torah, they committed themselves to following God's commandments, which requires showing restraint. Likewise, eating dairy instead of meat is seen as exhibiting restraint.