With the first night of Passover nearly here, it’s time to think of how to survive without bread, beer, cereal and basically every carb you enjoy. Don’t panic — you don’t have to cling to that matzo box for dear life this year.
Here are seventeen easy, delicious and suitable-for-Passover dishes that range from the familiar to the exotic. You’ll never forget pizza and cake but, hey, these foods are pretty damn good, too.
1. Arroz Con Leche
It’s definitely not a traditional offering for Passover dinner, but this arroz con leche will have you rethinking what you imagined was acceptable to eat on this oh-so-particular of holidays.
2. Flourless Brownies
Chocolate is definitely not off-limits on this holiday and flourless just means fudgy goodness in this kosher-for-Passover brownie recipe.
3. Margarita Matzo Pizzas
The loss of pizza in one’s life is truly a traumatic experience. Thankfully, there’s this margarita matzo pizza recipe that’s endlessly customizable and can fill that void in the meantime.
4. Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Latkes
Latkes usually mean that other major Jewish holiday, Hannukah, is here. It’s time to extend the latke love for Passover, too, with these gluten-free sweet potato latkes that even include their own recipe for a dipping sauce.
5. Charoset
You either loved this or hated this as a kid but it’s time you joined the charoset bandwagon because it’s absolutely delicious. The combination of apple, sweet wine, nuts and spices is irresistible as both a topping and a side dish.
6. Rosemary Balsamic Chicken
Chicken is still totally okay on passover, people. This rosemary balsamic chicken means you have a recipe for Passover date night with bae.
7. Matzo Brickle (aka Crack)
It’s literally impossible to stop eating this matzo brickle, which layers salty caramel and semisweet chocolate on matzo. Prepare accordingly by having some friends over when you make it or just consume the whole batch on one of the particularly rough days you miss your bread products.
8. Quinoa Fried Rice
Quinoa is truly the superfood of the century, saving the day once again on Passover in this slimmed-down version of a P.F. Chang’s classic: fried rice. It’s another atypical holiday meal, but you need a little of this excitement in your life.
9. Hummus
Hummus is a Middle Eastern staple worthy of every holiday dinner table. Passover is no exception and you can choose to either go the traditional route with this 5-ingredient hummus or get jazzy with it with these 4 flavor variations.
10. Mexican Chewy Cookies
Easy enough to make in a dorm room, yet spicy and chocolatey enough to have everyone swooning, these Mexican chocolate cookies are a go-to Passover dessert.
11. Chicken Broth
Chicken broth is one of those basic things that when homemade, transforms a simple dish. This easy-to-follow chicken broth recipe can be used for that Passover classic, matzo ball soup, and you’ll be amazed at the difference by making it from scratch versus coming from a can.
12. Chocolate Macaroons
Way better than the naked version, these chocolate-drenched coconut macaroons are a Passover staple. Don’t pretend to shudder at the thought of coconut; you know you can learn to love these guys if you already don’t.
13. Cauliflower Crust Pizza
If you just can’t stomach one more piece of matzo (cardboard) but still want that pizza fix, this cauliflower crust pizza is for you.
14. Matzo Brei
Breakfast during Passover doesn’t have to mean a smear of jelly on matzo. Matzo Brei lets you have a hot and satisfying meal to start your day that won’t have you hungry again in the next 15 minutes.
15. Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
These decadent chocolatey, peanut butter-filled cookies are exactly the comfort food you need at a time when you’re mourning the loss of flour-filled bake goods. Stop the pity party and indulge in these instead.
16. Korean Beef Bulgogi
This is not your grandma’s brisket — it’s soooo much better (sorry, Grandma). Sweet, salty, just a little funky, this Korean bulgogi will take your beef game to a whole new level.
17. Matzo S’mores
Why wasn’t this a thing sooner? You only need marshmallows, chocolate and the ever-present matzo for this inspired and easy s’mores matzo. Bonus: this page also includes a recipe for PB & banana matzo for that open-faced toast fix sans bread.
There’s never enough you can learn on Passover: