27 of Our Favorite Passover Recipes to Serve at Your Seder (2024)

One of the oldest holidays, Passover is also among the most sacred for the Jewish community. Our Passover recipes include traditional and modern takes on Jewish holiday dishes like matzo ball soup, brisket, gelfite fish, and crisp salads that are suited to the traditional Passover meal, the seder.

The seder is centered on several symbolic foods. The bitter herb symbolizes the bitterness of slavery on the seder plate. Haroset, a mixture of apples or other fruit mixed with nuts and spices, is usually served as a condiment; it signifies both the hardships of enslavement and the sweetness of liberation. Matzo, an unleavened flatbread, replaces bread, since yeasted or fermented foods are not allowed during Passover.

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Halibut and Salmon Terrine with Aioli and Horseradish

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This pretty pink terrine is a fresh way to start the seder meal. It's a make-ahead appetizer that's sure to become a tradition at your Passover table.

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Wine-Braised Brisket

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A few classic ingredients—mustard, lemon, and dry white wine (not the usual red)—give brisket a lively spring flavor that's just right for Passover.

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Dandelion, Red Onion, and Walnut Salad

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Pleasantly bitter dandelion greens are combined with sweet roasted red onion and garlicky toasted nuts in this colorful salad. A simple lemon vinaigrette finishes the dish.

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Salt-and-Pepper Matzo

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For a five-minute passover side, brush matzo with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper as well as sumac and thyme. Simply bake until warmed through and serve.

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Herb-Coated Beef Tenderloin with Roasted-Garlic Aioli

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Our herb-coated beef tenderloin is the easy and delicious Passover entrée your holiday table deserves. It's served with a make-ahead creamy garlic aioli that can't be beat.

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Potato-Carrot Pancakes

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Matzo meal replaces flour in these Passover-friendly latkes.

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Lemon Horseradish Sauce

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Here's a quick, no-cook sauce to serve with gefilte fish or a roast entrée.

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Salmon and Cod Gefilte Fish

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Our modern take on the Passover classic that is gefilte fish transforms this often divisive dish into elegant quenelles. The egg-shaped bundles are made with salmon and cod rather than the traditional carp or pike.

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Chestnut Haroset

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No Passover seder plate is complete without charoset. Our version of this crunchy, cinnamon-apple chutney puts a twist on tradition by subbing in chestnuts for the usual walnuts. The result is a rich, buttery flavor that balances savory and sweet, and pairs perfectly with matzoh. Save time by assembling it a day ahead—the acid in the wine will keep the cut fruit from browning—then relish every bite.

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Carrot-Beet Horseradish

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Definitely the most colorful condiment around! This quick, two-ingredient accompaniment to gefilte fish can also be used with any dish that needs some zing.

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Haroset-Braised Short Ribs

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You can braise these short ribs up to five days in advance. Cook the apples and carrots in the spiced Manischewitz braising liquid just before serving, then finish with toasted walnuts and fresh parsley.

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Potato Kugel Gratin

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This riff on kugel, a traditional Ashkenazi dish, swaps the usual egg noodles for russet potatoes. The casserole gets its glorious golden-brown crust from matzo meal (and a few minutes of broiling).

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Test Kitchen's Favorite Matzo Ball Soup

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A classic, our favorite matzo ball soup uses an enriched homemade broth that simmers for hours, producing a rich base. Each portion stars one big, fluffy dumpling.

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Bibb Lettuce Salad with Horseradish Dressing

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The bite of horseradish is unmistakable in this salad, but it's mellowed by tender, subtly sweet Bibb lettuce leaves, hard-boiled eggs, and even a little honey.

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Salmon Rillettes

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Here's a simple recipe for an appetizer that's just right for Passover. Plus it's a dish that can be made ahead. Store-bought smoked salmon is combined with sautéed onions, fresh dill, mayo, mustard, and lemon juice and zest in in the food processor. The result is a delicious spread for matzo.

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Meyer Lemon Brisket with Pomegranate Gremolata

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Brisket is the mainstay of a Passover meal. Kick it up with a lemon twist—Meyer lemons have a sweeter, less acidic taste than the regular variety. And the pomegranate gremolata adds punch and color to the seder table.

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Potato, Parsnip, and Herb-Oil Puree

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Potassium-rich parsnips lend an earthy sweetness to this potato mash. The herb-and-cinnamon-infused oil gives an additional burst of flavor.

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Herb Relish (Schug) and Matzo

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Although the bitter herb at the seder table—meant to symbolize the bitterness of slavery—is often horseradish or romaine lettuce, in the Sephardic (or Mediterranean) Jewish tradition, it can also be an assertive green, one with bite. That's why we've included a herb relish made with parsley and cilantro, as well as a salad composed of escarole, radicchio, and frisée, served with matzo.

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Haroset-Stuffed Hens with Gravy and Sweet Potatoes

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A mixture of apples or other fruit, nuts, and spices, haroset signifies both the hardships of slavery (its texture evokes the bricks and mortar used by the Israelites) and the sweetness of liberation. While it's commonly served as a condiment (much like chutney), here we use it to flavor the stuffing tucked into the Cornish hens.

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Arugula Salad with Radishes and Caper Vinaigrette

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Arugula and radishes symbolize the traditional bitter element on a seder plate in this simple salad. The elegant dish gets an extra-green glow from celery and parsley leaves and a tangy punch from a lemon-caper vinaigrette.

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Matzo Spinach Lasagna

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Matzo stands in for the noodles in this unleavened lasagna. Parmesan, lemon zest, and nutmeg perk up the ricotta filling while fresh lemon juice peps up the frozen spinach. The resulting layered dish is irresistible.

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Matzo Latkes

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Though latkes are typically a Hanukkah treat, they also make a perfect accompaniment to the seder meal. This recipe uses egg matzo and is served with smoked salmon and homemade horseradish cream.

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Braised Brisket with Carrots, Garlic, and Parsnips

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Garlic pulls double duty in this brisket recipe—it's minced for the braising liquid and roasted whole to serve alongside the meat. A bevy of vegetables—parsnips, baby carrots, and red pearl onions—round out the platter.

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Wilted Dandelion Greens with Toasted Matzo Crumbles

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Another recipe inspired by the "bitter herb" on the traditional seder plate, this salad calls for dandelion greens which are at their best in early spring. Sweet golden raisins, toasted matzo crumbles, and a warm mustard vinaigrette complete the dish.

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Zucchini-Parmesan Pancakes

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Matzo meal helps bind these zucchini and potato cakes together. Parmesan, parsley, and dill (plus a touch of lemon juice and garlic) give them fresh flavor.

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Matzo-Ball Soup with Leeks

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Seltzer and baking powder keep the matzo balls nice and fluffy while schmaltz (chicken fat for the uninitiated) adds richness to this take on the Passover classic.

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Tzimmes

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This delicious stew—appropriately named tzimmes (Yiddish slang for "a big fuss")—is a Passover tradition. Our version gets its dulcet flavor from sweet potatoes, dried apricots, and prunes.

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