Savoury Shavuot – fifteen fantastic recipes worth celebrating

Even cheesecake lovers need more than the biscuity-based treat to celebrate our day of dairy.

No matter how you celebrate, you’ll want some savoury options to sustain the study and festivities. 

Here are a few of our favourite pasta dishes, salads and tarts that everyone will enjoy:

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1. Sarah Mann-Yeager’s truffled mac and cheese is utterly indulgent and one of my favourite comfort foods. Just add a crisp green salad and dinner is done. 

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2. Serve this gooey baked feta with za’atar flatbread from Sanjay Aggarwal as part of a buffet or sharing platter that everyone will want to dig into. 

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3. Bread and cheese are perfect partners, so no apologies for another pairing with Esther Clark’s whipped feta-topped flatbreads which are also smothered in sweet caramelised red onions. 
 

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4. This polenta pizza loaded with bechamel sauce, feta and za’atar roasted tomatoes from Yotam Ottolemghi is bound to be a favourite. 
 

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5. Another hugely comforting dish was the pick of hostage, Liri Albeg’s family as her favourite for Shavuot. Bake up these cheese boyikos and think of her and the other Israelis still being held captive. (Extracted from Shavuot of Longing.) 

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6. Limor Chen’s flavours are always huge and her recipes simple. Try her carrot, courgette and feta fritters as part of a Shavuot buffet. 

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7. Silvia Nacamulli’s beautiful whipped feta can be finished with black garlic and cream cheese or with ricotta and lemon for two stunning dips. Serve with a selection of veggies and crackers for an eye-catching buffet dish.
 

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8. If you want to up your veggies during your day of dairy, pick my gorgeous Greek-style chickpea and feta salad. A healthy option that still has a generous helping of cheese. 

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9. Anna Del Conte’s simple leek, cheese and rice bake is simple and comforting. Made even more delicious by a topping of sweet, roasted tomatoes – it’s like a hug in a dish. 

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10. Home made labneh will give you the ultimate balabusta buzz and impress everyone. You need only a few ingredients and barely any effort. Turning it into these canape-friendly marinated labneh balls from Einat Admony and Janna Gur takes it up another gourmet notch. Roll the cheese balls in herbs to make the perfect dish to serve with drinks, veggies or even just some crusty bread. 

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11. Halloumi is always a winner. Combine it with plenty of crunchy spring veggies slathered in a sweet, elderflower dressing for this deliciously fresh-flavoured main course salad. 

  

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12. And because you can never have too much of a good thing – these gluten free halloumi popcorn bites from Becky Excel are a must-try.  There’s no actual popcorn just little popcorn-sized cubes of the salty cheese with a gorgeous crisp crust. You can coat them with matzah meal or regular panko crumbs if gluten is not an issue for you – either way you’ll want to make them again and again. Long after Shavuot is over. 

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13. If you favour creamier feta, these tasty courgette, pea and mint fritters with a side of whipped feta from TV chef, John Torode and wife, Lisa Faulkner are a brilliant addition to your Shavuot buffet. 

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14. Silvia Nacamulli combines feta and Italian favourite mozzarella with aubergines to stuff roasted peppers for a delicious vegetarian main course or side dish. They also freeze well so a great get-ahead dish for busy cooks. 

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15. Burrata is the fresh-flavoured, creamier cousin of pizza-perfect mozzarella. Use it to top summer salads as an indulgent starter or light but festive Shavuot lunch paired with sweet, ripe tomatoes in this tasty treat from Dani Tucker. As always, Dani’s recipes look just as fabulous as they taste. Make sure to serve with plenty of bread to mop up those sweet juices and creamy textured cheese. 

And if you're now ready for dessert – head over to our list of the best cheesecakes ever.