Celebrate Passover with These Classic Seder Recipes
Savory main courses, tempting side dishes, and satisfying desserts to make this your best Seder ever.
Thayer Allyson Gowdy; Food styling by Robyn Valarik
When it comes to Passover dishes, there’s a rich history and a world of dishes and traditions to choose from. Get your family talking about why this year’s Seder is the best yet with some of our spins on classic recipes.
Wow your Seder attendees with dishes that turn up the classic flavors of the holiday, like horseradish, brisket, or lamb with elevated ingredients and preparations. Try making your own matzo from scratch (which is really a lot easier than it may seem). The traditional unleavened bread crisps up in the oven in only a few minutes. For a horseradish sauce that folks will be slathering over every side and slice of brisket, whip cream and cream cheese together with fresh horseradish for a lighter (and less pungent) take.
Because dietary restrictions vary, it’s also a great idea to ask your local rabbi if you have questions about which ingredients are appropriate for your dinner menu. Our recipes below omit wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye; though it’s important to look for the Kosher symbol on packaged products. For a handy checklist of all things Passover, take a look at Manischewitz’s go-to guide for celebrating the holiday.
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Whichever of these dishes make their way onto your Passover spread, you’ll be sure to have raised the bar for Seders to come.
Starters and Sauces
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.
Whipped Horseradish Sauce
Cooks at legendary Alfred’s Steakhouse, in San Francisco, prepared fresh horseradish by whirring small chunks of peeled horseradish root in a food processor with just enough Champagne vinegar to moisten. Store-bought prepared horseradish is fine but isn’t as fluffy and fresh-tasting.
Mains
Slow-Cooker Brisket with Smoked Paprika
Save time and oven space and use a slow-cooker for brisket that’s tender when pierced, with a rich, velvety sauce. Start in the morning and you’ll have brisket by dinnertime.
Wine-Braised Short Ribs with Parsnips, Carrots, and Artichokes
These wine-y short ribs are a deeply flavorful send-off to winter—with lots of spring vegetables thrown in.
Fennel-Crusted Grilled Rack of Lamb
Fennel seeds and rosemary perfume every bite of this tenderest of cuts. You can also roast the lamb in a 450° oven (meat side up) until it reaches an internal temperature of 140°, about 25 minutes. Paired with grilled asparagus it makes for a celebratory and festive dinner.
Sweets
Chocolate Citrus Almond Torte
The combination of chocolate, orange, and almonds in this recipe is a classic—plus, there’s no flour needed so it fits within the Passover-approved foods.
Hazelnut Meringues with Kumquat Conserva
From Jenn Louis, chef at Portland’s Lincoln and Sunshine Tavern restaurants, these nut meringues topped with marmalade-like conserva and crème fraîche are irresistible (the dessert’s Italian name, brutti ma buoni, means “ugly but good”). For crisp meringues, bake them on a dry day.
Almond Torte with Grilled Figs
From Erin Scott, creator of the blog (and cookbook) Yummy Supper, comes this lovely, not-too-sweet torte. It’s equally good for dessert, a late-afternoon treat, or even breakfast. Almond flour gives it a rich, buttery texture; almond extract and sliced almonds heighten the flavor.
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