Tzimmes Recipe with Carrots, Sweet Potatoes and Prunes
This tzimmes recipe gently cooks carrots, sweet potatoes and prunes with orange juice and a little honey.
This tzimmes recipe gently cooks carrots, sweet potatoes and prunes with orange juice and a little honey. The result is a softly glazed, sweet-savory side associated with Ashkenazi Jewish cooking and often served at holidays. This version uses vegetable stock and contains no meat. Add prunes late so they soften without dissolving completely. Serve the vegetables in generous pieces rather than mashing them into a puree.
What matters for tzimmes
Cut sweet potatoes larger than the carrot slices so both finish tender together. A covered gentle simmer cooks the roots without requiring a large pool of liquid. Stir only occasionally and carefully; the softened sweet potatoes break if repeatedly agitated. Taste dried fruit and juice before increasing honey.
Recipe at a glance
Yield: 6 side servings. Preparation: about 20 minutes. Cooking: about 55 minutes. Total elapsed time: about 75 minutes.
How to make tzimmes
Recipe card
Tzimmes Recipe with Carrots, Sweet Potatoes and Prunes
Equipment: Wide heavy covered pot; knife; spoon; shallow storage containers.
Ingredients
Main
Instructions
Prepare the pot
Put carrot and sweet potato in a wide heavy covered pot. Whisk juice, stock, honey, oil, cinnamon, salt and pepper and pour over.
Simmer gently
Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then lower heat and cover. Cook 30–35 minutes, stirring gently once, until roots are nearly tender.
Add prunes
Scatter prunes on top and continue covered 10–15 minutes until vegetables are tender and prunes softened. Add a little water if the base dries before the roots cook.
Glaze and serve
Uncover and simmer 5 minutes if there is excess liquid. Fold gently so syrup coats the vegetables, taste seasoning and serve warm without crushing the pieces.
How to tell when it is ready
Roots are fork tender and prunes remain recognizable in a light glaze.
Tips
- Cut roots consistently.
- Add prunes late.
- Use gentle heat.
- Stir sparingly.
Troubleshooting
- Prunes dissolve: add them later.
- Vegetables break: stir less and use larger sweet potato chunks.
- Too much liquid: reduce uncovered at the end.
Substitutions
- Maple syrup replaces honey for a vegan version.
- Use dried apricots instead of half the prunes for a different flavor.
Variations
- Add 1 tsp orange zest at the end.
Serving suggestions
- Serve as a holiday side.
- Pair with roast dishes.
- Add alongside cooked grains.
- Use a wide serving bowl.
Make ahead
Cook a day ahead and chill promptly; reheat gently to preserve pieces.
Storage
Refrigerate in shallow containers 3–4 days. Reheat gently to 74°C/165°F. Freeze up to 2 months for quality, allowing softer vegetables after thawing.
Food safety
Keep perishable ingredients at 4°C/40°F or below. Refrigerate perishable leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C/90°F. Use clean equipment and separate raw animal ingredients from ready-to-eat food.
Frequently asked questions
Does tzimmes always contain meat?
No. Versions vary; this recipe is a vegetable and dried-fruit side.
Can I call it vegan?
Use maple syrup instead of honey and verify the vegetable stock ingredients.
More recipes to try
Spotted a detail that needs correcting? Contact the FeastDelights editors.