Passover Menu Ideas to Help You Put Together a Stunning Holiday Meal
Jewish Passover commemorates the Jewish exodus from slavery in ancient Egypt, but it's also a celebration of freedom and the arrival of spring. If you're hosting a Passover meal or just looking for a few Passover recipes to share, check out our suggestions for entrées, side dishes, and desserts (like this Passover cake). With the help of our picks, you can plan a complete menu for the holiday.
Passover Dinner Recipes
Make these main dishes the centerpiece of your traditional Passover meal. We have options for every taste, including classic brisket, Passover chicken recipes, and vegetarian Passover recipes for the non-meat-eaters at your table. Start your feast here, then choose a couple of side dishes (and a dessert!) to make it a true celebratory dinner.
Related: What Is Passover? Here’s What You Should Know About the Holiday
Blaine Moats
Balsamic and Brown Sugar Brisket
It wouldn't be a Passover feast without brisket. You'll want to serve this version with onions browned in balsamic vinegar and brown sugar year after year. This Passover brisket recipe is cookbook author Leah Koenig's updated version of the traditional main dish, making it the perfect star of a modern Passover meal. It's even better the day after cooking, so if you want to get a jump on prep, make it a day early.
Get the recipe: Balsamic and Brown Sugar Brisket
Blaine Moats
Roasted Chicken
Golden roast chicken is the main event of this succulent Passover meal. Rich and savory, it's classic comfort food that will make any guest at your Seder meal happy. Plus, this Passover recipe roasts alongside delicious root veggies to serve on the side.
Get the recipe: Roasted Chicken
Blaine Moats
Zucchini and Tomato Frittata
Need vegetarian Passover recipes for your meal? This zucchini and walnut frittata is fresh, flavorful, and easy to toss together (it takes only 30 minutes to make!). Serve up the light entrée with sliced fresh tomatoes and basil.
Get the recipe: Zucchini and Tomato Frittata
Karla Conrad
Grilled Halibut Sarandeado
Add spice to your Passover table this year with grilled fish marinated in a serrano pepper mixture. This delicate, flaky halibut gets plenty of heat from the peppers, plus a flavorful sprinkle of cilantro. And because the fillets marinate for 30 minutes before hitting the grill, you can taste the spice and seasoning in each bite. Served with grilled green onions on the side.
Get the recipe: Grilled Halibut Sarandeado
Andy Lyons
Pot Roast
Need a star for the Seder dinner? This classic pot roast cooked with potatoes and carrots gladly takes the spotlight. It cooks all in one pot—perfect for effortless entertaining so you can enjoy time with your guests while your Passover dinner finishes cooking.
Get the recipe: Pot Roast
Passover Side Dishes
When you're making a traditional Passover meal, the side dishes are just as important as the entrées. We have a few classics to choose from, like Passover matzo ball soup and one of our favorite Passover kugel recipes, along with a few more modern choices like grilled asparagus and Passover matzo pie.
Related: How to Host a Meaningful Virtual Passover Seder
Blaine Moats
Mina (Matzo Pie with Spinach and Leeks)
If you're looking for a new way to add Passover bread (also known as matzo) to your meal, try making this meatless matzo pie with veggies and cheese. It's somewhere between lasagna and egg strata, and it's filled with spinach, leeks, and feta cheese tucked between each layer of matzo.
Get the recipe: Mina (Matzo Pie with Spinach and Leeks)
Blaine Moats
Grilled Asparagus with Toum
Add a healthy serving of veggies to your spread of Passover food by serving grilled asparagus drizzled with toum, a creamy Middle Eastern sauce. This version of the traditional creamy garlic sauce is made a little sweeter with a spoonful of honey mixed into the blend of garlic and lemon juice.
Get the recipe: Grilled Asparagus with Toum
Blaine Moats
Matzo Ball Soup
Made with tender chicken, matzo balls, and plenty of fresh veggies, this Passover recipe could be served as a main dish. But if you're serving a big family for your Passover meal, this matzo ball soup recipe makes just enough for everyone to enjoy a cup on the side.
Get the recipe: Matzo Ball Soup
Blaine Moats
Buttered Sweet Pea Rice
You can easily make this veggie side dish pareve (that's dairy- and meat-free) by replacing the butter with olive oil so it can be eaten alongside any entrée. That way, any Passover dinner guests who keep kosher (they don't eat meat and dairy at the same meal) will get to enjoy the tempting sweet pea, almond, and basmati rice dish.
Get the recipe: Buttered Sweet Pea Rice
Andy Lyons
Sweet Root Vegetable Kugel
Traditionally, kugel is a casserole or baked pudding made with potatoes or egg noodles, but we gave it an update to include lots of yummy root veggies. This version of the classic dish combines rutabaga, sweet potato, butternut squash, and Swiss chard with eggs and crispy crushed matzo crackers.
Get the recipe: Sweet Root Vegetable Kugel
Passover Desserts
No meal is complete without dessert! We have a few suggestions for Passover cookies and treats to end your Passover meal on a sweet note.
Blaine Moats
Tahini Rainbow Cookies
Matcha powder and dried hibiscus flowers give the layers of these Passover cookies bright colors, while also making them extra tasty. The cookies have five layers thanks to a thin layer of melted chocolate on both the top and bottom. Yum!
Get the recipe: Tahini Rainbow Cookies
Blaine Moats
Coconut-Halva Macaroons
Halva is a dessert that's made with flour and nut butter (like tahini). As it melts in this recipe, it forms a deliciously crackly edge around the base of each cookie. However, some people avoid eating grains and seeds during Passover, so in this case, you can skip the halva and make your macaroons with unsweetened coconut milk to keep these Passover cookies seed- and dairy-free.
Get the recipe: Coconut-Halva Macaroons
Andy Lyons
Passover Apricot Squares
These yummy apricot squares are like the Passover version of crumb cake (though their texture is a little closer to a cookie than cake). They're made with matzo cake meal, walnuts, and apricot preserves, and have a little extra matzo cake meal sprinkled on top to make them crumbly and delicious.
Get the recipe: Passover Apricot Squares
