Passover, or Pesach, is one of the most sacred Jewish holidays. Every year on the 15th day of the Hebrew month, Nisan (around April), people get together and recount the story of Exodus. In observance of this holiday, people stay away from grain-based food such as bread, cereal, and pasta for 8 days. These no-nos already seem restrictive as it is. What happens if you throw vegetarianism into the mix? It’s not as difficult as you’d imagine! With these Passover vegetarian recipes, you can still enjoy this joyous occasion while still conforming to your diet regulations. More importantly, these dishes are insanely tasty and holiday-worthy.
1. Apple Walnut Charoset
Charoset is an essential component of the Passover seder plate. Apples and walnuts, red wine, cinnamon, and brown sugar are combined to create a sweet paste. Derived from the Hebrew word “cheres,” meaning clay, charoset symbolizes the mortar used by Israelite slaves when they laid bricks to construct monuments for the Pharaoh.
2. Bubaleh (Passover Pancakes)
Bubaleh is a Passover pancake made by combining matzo meal, baking powder, sugar, and egg. It’s a fantastic recipe that yields fluffy pancakes that still adhere to Passover diet restrictions. Just like ordinary pancakes, bubaleh can be drizzled with maple syrup and jazzed up with toppings.
3. Tzimmes
Tzimmes is a traditional Jewish dish of root vegetables (typically carrots) and dried fruits, like raisins and prunes. The ingredients are sweetened with honey and cooked over low heat for the flavors to marry. While it’s more commonly served during Rosh Hashanah or Jewish New Year, it can also be enjoyed at Passover, or given day, for that matter.
4. Roasted Potatoes
Roasted potatoes are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and 100% Passover-friendly. It doesn’t take much to add flavor to this dish. In fact, all it takes is a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. However, feel free to make it your own with your choice of herbs and spices!
5. Cauliflower Rice
Just because you can’t have grains on Passover doesn’t mean you can’t have rice. Say hello to cauliflower rice! This recipe isn’t only a fantastic alternative to rice, but a healthier one, too. Cauliflower is a lot more nutritious than rice and has fewer calories, to boot. It’s a win-win!
6. Harvard Beets
Harvard beets are a delicious dish made of sliced beets cooked in vinegar and sugar. This sweet and sour side dish is perfect with any entree. Fun fact: the true origin of its name remains unknown, but most people believe it is so-called for its red hue – the official color of Harvard University in 1910. While its history is unclear, one thing’s for sure: this dish is delicious.
7. Glazed Carrots
If you’ve been to Cracker Barrel, you know how good their glazed carrots are. You can’t go wrong with crunchy carrots coated in sweet and sticky syrup! Fortunately, they’re super-easy to replicate. All you’ll need are 4 ingredients, 15 minutes, and this recipe. And yes, they’re Passover-approved!
8. Carrot Almond Breakfast Pudding
Start your day right with this hearty pudding! In this delicious breakfast dish, grated carrots are cooked on low heat in almond milk and almond flour. Pureed dates give it sweetness, while cardamom adds warmth. It’s a scrumptious dish that will leave you asking for more.
9. Horseradish Sauce With Beets
First of all, can I just say how pretty this dish is? I can stare at it for days! Apart from being Insta-worthy, though, this dish also packs a punch. Horseradish sauce with beets is a hot and spicy side dish that will bring any meal to life!
10. Cinnamon Toast Breakfast Quinoa
Nutty and chewy quinoa grains are made more delicious with dried fruit, toasted pecans, and cinnamon. Top with yogurt or maple syrup and breakfast is served.
11. Cucumber Salad
Cucumber salad is the most refreshing dish you’ll eat on Passover. Juicy cucumber and sweet onion slices are marinated in a mixture of white vinegar and sugar. It’s crunchy and has a wonderful balance of sweet and tart. While you do need to wait an hour for the cucumbers and onions to absorb the flavors of the marinade, the prep time only takes a few minutes.
12. Passover French Toast
Passover French toasted is just as good as the classic, but you definitely won’t feel guilty about eating it. With this simple recipe, you can make French toast that’s 100% Passover compliant. It’s even delicious without maple syrup!
13. Sweet Potato Fries
While baked fries are great, I’m more of a sweet potato kinda gal. If you’re like me, you’ll love this next recipe. Strips of sweet potatoes are tossed with olive oil, Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, salt, and pepper, and baked until crispy.
14. Quinoa Paella
Paella is one of, if not the most popular Spanish dishes. It traditionally calls for arborio rice, but to make it Passover-friendly, you’ll use quinoa instead. Because why not? You’ll still get that awesome flavor, but with a bonus: a nutty and crunchy consistency thanks to the quinoa. Trust me, you’ll love it!
15. Whipped Sweet Potato
This is just like mashed sweet potatoes, only lighter and fluffier. Give the classic a fun twist – instead of mashing the potatoes, whip them!
16. Zucchini Noodles
Craving lasagna or spaghetti but can’t eat pasta? Zucchini noodles are here for you! This recipe shows you how to turn the refreshing veggie into different pasta shapes. With these veggie noodles, your dream of having pasta on Passover will become a reality.
17. Fried Matzoh
Fried matzo is a traditional Passover breakfast made of fried eggs and matzo or unleavened flatbread. Matzo is crunchy, so you’ll need to soak it with water to soften it before you cook it with the eggs. Fried matzoh can be enjoyed either sweet with maple syrup or jam or savory with cheese and spices.
18. Matzo Granola
Here’s another recipe that puts matzo to good use! Turn that crunchy bread into delicious granola. Bake it with pecans, almonds, coconut, dried fruits, spices, and honey, and voila! You’ll have a hearty and healthy breakfast ready in less than an hour.
19. Green Salad
Salads sometimes get a bad rap for being flavorless, but this one certainly isn’t! This easy-peasy recipe has simple ingredients and comes together in just 10 minutes. However, it’s so tasty it’s like it came straight out of a restaurant! Greens, colorful fruits, and fresh veggies in a sweet and tangy dressing – this is the salad of your dreams!
20. Apple Matzoh Kugel
Transform dry and crispy matzo into a sweet casserole with this easy recipe! Apple matzoh kugel is a delicious spiced cake loaded with apples, raisins, and apricots. It’s soft, moist, and full of wonderful, contrasting textures.
21. Ratatouille
Make Remy proud with your very own homemade ratatouille! This fancy-sounding dish may seem complicated, but it’s actually just a simple vegetable stew. The ingredients may be basic, but the result is phenomenal.
22. Matzo Balls
Matzo balls are vegetarian dumplings made of matzah meal, water, and eggs. If you’re vegan, though, you know you can’t eat eggs. So here’s what you’ll do instead: use quinoa to bind the ingredients.
23. Matzo Ball Soup
Matzo ball soup is another essential component of the Passover Seder plate. It’s a chicken soup with matzo dumplings, but since vegetarians can’t have meat, load it with tons of vegetables instead. Don’t worry, the result is still pretty epic.
24. Romaine Quinoa Salad
I’m not a huge fan of salads, but this one definitely satisfies my taste buds. This colorful bowl is brimming with quinoa, sunflower seeds, romaine, carrots, cabbage, radishes, and cranberries. Just imagine the colors, the flavors, the textures! It truly gives me joy.
25. Chocolate Matzo Layer Cake
Just because you can’t have flour on Passover, doesn’t mean you can’t eat cake. Yep, if there’s a will, there’s a way! This delicious chocolate cake is just as good as any, only it uses matzo instead of flour. It’s like a cross between an icebox cake and a tiramisu, and it’s absolutely mind-blowing.
26. Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream
Vanilla bean and coconut milk are combined to make a delightfully refreshing Passover ice cream! This 5-ingredient recipe is easy-peasy and can be made without an ice cream maker. Hurray!
27. Fruit Salad
Let fresh fruits shine in all their delicious glory! No need for creamy dressings and overly sweet syrups – fruits are already amazing as they are. Strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, grapes, kiwi, oranges, and bananas are drizzled with a simple honey-lime dressing for the ultimate refreshing dessert.
28. Macaroons
Not to be confused with the French macarons, macaroons are round, sweet, and chewy tropical treats filled with desiccated coconut and flavored honey.
29. Chocolate Covered Matzo
Cover those thin and crunchy matzo crackers with chocolate for a ridiculously addictive treat!
30. Chocolate Matzo Toffee
This unbelievably sinful dessert has crunchy matzos drizzled with a rich butter brown sugar sauce, covered with chocolate, and topped with pistachios! Happy holidays, indeed! Click on a star to rate it!
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