Cholent
In its own language: טשאָלנט
A slow-cooked Jewish stew of meat, beans, grains and potatoes for the Sabbath
Cholent is a hearty stew developed by Ashkenazi Jews in France and Germany, made to be cooked slowly overnight for the Sabbath. Its main ingredients are meat, beans, potatoes, and grains such as barley. The dish is prepared before sunset on Friday and kept warm until Saturday, allowing observant Jews to enjoy a hot meal without cooking on the Sabbath.
- Cholent is cooked overnight to be ready for the Sabbath meal
- Main ingredients are meat, beans, potatoes, and grains
- First mentioned in France in the 12th century
- Linked to the Sephardic dish hamin from Spain
- Eaten hot on Saturday after synagogue
What is Cholent?
Cholent is a thick, filling stew made with meat, beans, potatoes, and grains such as barley. The ingredients are layered in a pot and cooked for many hours, resulting in a dish where the flavors blend deeply. The stew is rich and earthy, with beans and grains softening into the broth and the meat becoming tender. It is traditionally served as the main hot dish for the Sabbath midday meal in Jewish homes.
Where does Cholent come from?
Cholent began as a Sabbath stew among Ashkenazi Jews in France and Germany, first mentioned in the 12th century. Its roots are linked to hamin, a similar dish from Sephardic Jews in Spain, which spread to France through Provence. The dish developed to allow observant Jews to have a hot meal on Shabbat without breaking religious laws that forbid cooking on that day. Over time, local ingredients and customs shaped its many versions.
How is Cholent made?
To make cholent, meat, beans, potatoes, and grains are combined in a large pot. The stew is brought to a boil before the Sabbath starts on Friday, then left to cook slowly overnight, often in a low oven or on a hotplate. This long, gentle cooking allows the flavors to meld and the ingredients to soften. Some families add onions, garlic, or root vegetables, and in some places, the stew is sweetened with honey, sugar, or fruit.
How and when is Cholent eaten?
Cholent is eaten at the midday meal on Saturday, after synagogue services, as part of the Sabbath observance. It is served hot, straight from the pot, and often accompanied by bread. In Israel, cholent is also found in restaurants, and in some communities, it is a popular late-night food. The dish is a central part of the Sabbath meal for religious Jews, but is also enjoyed by secular families.
Kinds of Cholent
Many Jewish communities have their own versions of cholent. In Germany and the Netherlands, it is called schalet. Hungarian Jews adapted the local dish sólet for the Sabbath. Italian Jews sometimes use pasta instead of beans or rice. In Eastern Europe, barley is common, while in France, lima beans may be used. Some versions include eggs cooked in the stew, and spices or sweeteners are sometimes added.
What Cholent means
Cholent is closely tied to Jewish Sabbath traditions, allowing families to keep religious laws while enjoying a hot meal. The custom of slow-cooking the stew overnight is a practical response to Sabbath restrictions. The dish is a symbol of Jewish communal life and adaptation, with each diaspora community shaping it to local tastes and resources. In modern times, cholent is both a home-cooked comfort food and a restaurant offering in places with large Jewish populations.
Questions people ask about Cholent
What is cholent made of?
Cholent is made from meat, beans, potatoes, and grains such as barley. Some versions include onions, garlic, root vegetables, or sweeteners like honey or fruit.
Where does cholent come from?
Cholent was developed by Ashkenazi Jews in France and Germany. It is related to the Sephardic Sabbath stew hamin, which originated in Spain.
Why is cholent cooked overnight?
Jewish law prohibits cooking on the Sabbath, so cholent is prepared before sunset on Friday and cooked slowly overnight to provide a hot meal for Saturday lunch.
When is cholent eaten?
Cholent is traditionally eaten as the main hot dish at the midday Sabbath meal on Saturday, after synagogue services.
Are there different types of cholent?
Yes, cholent has many regional variations. Ingredients and seasonings change depending on local customs, with versions found in Germany, Hungary, Italy, France, and Israel.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Cholent", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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