Homemade Matzos
If you've only eaten matzos from a box, homemade ones are a revelation—light, fresh, and totally addictive. And even inexperienced bakers can make them; this recipe from Blake Joffe and Amy Remsen, owners of Beauty's Bagel Shop in Oakland, California, has enough olive oil to make the dough supple and easy to handle.
Matzo Ball Soup
We made our matzo balls small, for easier eating, but if you prefer 1 large ball per serving, divide the dough into 4 to 6 balls and boil them 10 minutes longer.
Salted Chocolate Matzo Toffee
You can make this sweet snack year-round using saltine crackers for a crispy, salty base.
Herbed Passover Rolls
During Passover, you can have your (unleavened) bread and eat it, too. These matzo meal dinner rolls are accented with the flavors of fresh thyme and chives and are ideal for a Passover celebration because you can make them up to a month ahead and store in the freezer.
Mashed Potato Latkes with Zucchini and Dill
Everyone loves latkes, so why save them just for Chanukah? Serve this special Passover version with Pear Applesauce at your Seder for a real treat.
Matzo Ball Soup
This recipe for Matzo Ball Soup can be enjoyed all year round, but it's a particular favorite during Passover. These matzo balls are made from matzo meal, vegetable oil, eggs, and kosher salt, and added to homemade chicken soup.
Matzo Buttercrunch
Who knew matzo could be so sweet? This crunchy dessert is the perfect ending to a meal and a great snack during Passover.
Mini Latkes With Salmon-Olive Relish
The key to the best latkes is patting the potato-and-onion mixture very dry on paper towels before adding eggs and matzo meal. Get everything ready, including the salt for sprinkling on the cooked latkes, before you grate the potatoes and onion.
Almond-Apricot Macaroons
These fun and fruity macaroons make a great addition to the Passover table.
Becka's Passover Apple Cake
My mother's friend Becka makes this amazing cake. It's so light and fluffy, it's hard to believe there's no flour in it. Prep: 30 minutes; Bake: 50 minutes.
Matzo Farfel Pudding
Matzo farfel is a Passover-appropriate substitution for traditional farfel, which is a pellet-shaped pasta made from egg noodle dough. This casserole-style dish is super easy and so good, your family will keep coming back for more.
Spicy Matzo-Ball Soup with Trinity Vegetables and Hot Peppers
Light, fluffy matzo balls, afloat in a rich chicken stock, give this classic soup a spicy kick. Tanya Holland, chef-owner of Brown Sugar Kitchen and B-Side Baking Co. in Oakland, served it as a first course for a Passover Seder.
Crunchy Fried Green Tomatoes
A coating of matzo meal gives this classic side dish extra crunch. Matzo-covered fried green tomatoes would be a fun addition to Passover celebrations in the American South, but our non-Southern friends should give this dish a try, too!
Lemon-Almond Cake with Lemon Curd Filling
In this dessert, beaten egg whites and matzo cake meal take the place of the usual leaveners used in traditional cakes. This cake pairs classic Mediterranean flavors like citrus and almond with British lemon curd filling, making it a perfect ending to a Passover meal for guests with a taste for international cuisine.
Matzo, Mushroom, and Onion Kugel
Kugel is a casserole-like side dish commonly served at Jewish celebrations. Though kugels usually feature egg noodles, matzo crackers make this kugel Passover-friendly.
Carrot Ring
This dessert is a great way to add flavor and color to the Passover table. Matzo meal and potato starch give this treat its fluffy texture while keeping it kosher for Passover celebrations.
Sponge Cake with Orange Curd and Strawberries
Dairy- and flour-free, this cake is a winner year-round. Matzo cake meal—finely ground matzo—stands in for wheat flour.
Whole-Grain Matzo
Cookbook author Marcy Goldman started baking matzo with her young sons after touring a temporary factory at a local synagogue that produced shmura matzo—the traditional, handmade variety. "As a baker and a Jewish mother, I thought, I can do that," she says. The whole-grain flours in this recipe create a more crackly, sandy texture than white-flour matzo.
Wise Sons' Gefilte Fish
As an answer to gefilte fish from a jar, which can be heavy, gluey, and strong-flavored, Evan Bloom and Leo Beckerman, of Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen in San Francisco, created this very fresh and mild-tasting homemade version for Passover. The gefilte fish have a texture like light matzo balls, and are served with a carrot applesauce; Wise Sons also serves it with fresh horseradish sauce, but we've opted to buy prepared horseradish.
Lemon Chicken Soup with Dumplings
Roasting the bones adds richer, deeper flavor to the stock. If you don't see chicken bones in your butcher's case, ask for them. Take your time when tempering the egg (used to add body to the soup) with the hot broth; the payoff is a smooth, silky texture. Make-ahead tip: Cook and chill the stock a day ahead; skim solidified fat from cold stock before heating and proceeding with recipe.
