Passover, the seven-day festival that marks the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian slavery, begins this year at sundown on April 19. Here are all the recipes you need for your Seder table, from gefilte fish and haroseth to lamb shanks and brisket.
Brisket is a common choice for Passover, and, because it can be braised ahead of time, it is a gift for the holiday cook. A few of our most popular recipes are brisket with horseradish gremolata, classic beef brisket with caramelized onions or brisket with plums, anise and port. If you prefer lamb, Mark Bittman’s slow-braised shanks are a classic, while Melissa Clark’s lamb tagine is a richly spiced, savory-sweet option. But if none of these appeal, you can never go wrong with a simple roast chicken. (Save the schmaltz for your matzo balls.)
For the vegetarians at your Seder, start with the chef Thomas Keller’s butternut squash soup with brown butter, and for the next course, serve a classic French ratatouille, zucchini Parmesan or green shakshuka (eat it with matzo instead of tortillas and substitute fresh parsley for the cilantro). Better yet, go with Alison Roman’s “cheater’s” cauliflower gratin (substitute matzo meal for the bread crumbs). It has just six ingredients and can be ready in under an hour.
View our full collection of vegetarian main dishes for Passover.
Matzo gets a bad rap for being tasteless and bland, but it’s quite delicious when it’s crumbled and combined with well-seasoned scrambled eggs to make matzo brei, or ground into meal and rolled into matzo balls rich with chicken fat. For a spicy take on matzo ball soup, try the chef Fany Gerson’s matzo ball soup a la Mexicana; and for a heartier version of matzo brei, try matzo with lox, eggs and onions.
The traditional Seder plate isn’t complete without haroseth or bitter herbs. Serve a roasted vegetable like cauliflower, asparagus or carrots with parsley and thyme alongside your tender brisket. Finally, you can’t celebrate Passover without gefilte fish. If you think you hate it, try our recipe. It’s been known to win people over.
End your Passover meal with a flourless treat like almond cake with cardamom and pistachio, rich chocolate cake or lemon macaroons. If you’re short on time, throw together a batch of matzo toffee with candied ginger or haroseth truffles.
