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If you follow these few simple steps and these recipes, your Pesach will not be overwhelming, nor will you feel like you don’t have what to eat or that you ate too much and your stomach hurts from too much Matzoh! Pesach is a really holy and beautiful holiday and if you are organized and get your whole household on board in an exciting way, you will feel the beauty of the holiday without the stress.  

First Seder

Sundried tomato basil tilapia
Any boneless and skinless filet of fish (preferably white in color) would work for this recipe. This is a colorful and effortless recipe that will win everyone over in seconds. It’s colors and flavors will look like you spent hours preparing, when in reality it was only a few minutes!
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Fish
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Prepare a baking dish with parchment paper. Add the fish, not overlapping but can be touching.
  2. Add 1 ½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of turmeric and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix well so each piece is evenly coated. Cover and place in oven for 14 minutes.
  3. In a medium sized bowl, add ½ tablespoon of olive oil. 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar, ¼ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of honey and whisk well. Add the sundried tomato and fresh basil and mix again.
  4. Remove fish from oven and place sundried tomato mixture on top. Serve hot or room temperature.
Notes & Tips:

Don’t reheat the fish, just serve it at room temperature to avoid drying it out!

Date braised chicken
This chicken is divine. The secret is high quality soft dates. It makes all the difference. It is sweet and spicy and everything in between, the chicken is so soft, dripping with flavor and falling off the bone. This dish is even better reheated!! Invest in a Dutch oven, you wont regret it!
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Poultry
Special Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Place a Dutch oven on the stove top on high heat. (or a low pot that can go in the oven)
  2. Drizzle the olive oil into the Dutch oven or pan and working in batches add the chicken, searing for five minutes per side. Sprinkle both sides with salt while searing.
  3. Remove chicken and add 1 cup of water mixed with the tomato paste and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pot and mixing it into the vegetables and spices. Cook for five minutes.
  4. Place chicken back in and spoon vegetables on top. Add water to almost cover everything. Place lid on and put in oven for 3 hours.
Notes & Tips:

Kabocha squash is found in most super markets, google it for a picture and you will know exactly what I am talking about! Most people don't know what to do with it and it adds such richness and comfort to this dish.

 
Kale salad
If you are a cilantro hater, make this anyways and just leave out the cilantro! If you are a cilantro lover, you don't even need to remove the cilantro from its stems, just roughly chop it at the top part and embrace the stems!
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian
Special Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place sweet potatoes, onions, garlic powder, curry powder, ½ teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons olive oil and mix well. Place in oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until golden on the outside and the sweet potatoes are soft on the inside
  2. In a large bowl whisk together the rest of the olive oil, vinegar, honey and salt. Add the kale and mix with your hands until the kale gets softer, about 1 minute.
  3. Add mangoes, almonds, sweet potatoes, onions and cilantro. Mix well. Serve warm or room temperature.
Notes & Tips:

If mangoes are not in season, feel free to substitute them with papayas, oranges, persimmons, red delicious apples or just leave them out! The crunchy onions add such a nice deep flavor to this dish but feel free to add a protein to it and make it more filling (grilled tofu, smoked turkey, pulled chicken, sliced steak)

 
Leek salad
Most people use leeks for leek potato soup and not much else. I love finding alternative ways to cook these sweet and large onions!
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian
Special Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. In a salad bowl add the leeks, onions and scallions, drizzle with enough olive oil to lightly coat.
  2. Prepare grill pan on high heat. Add onion mixture, in batches for 6 minutes, giving it a mix once. Remove from grill and place back in the oily bowl. Add the lettuce.
  3. In a jar, add the remaining olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt, pepper and thyme. Shake well and pour right before serve.
Notes & Tips:

Be sure to just use the white parts of the leek.

 
Pesto potatoes
I never use pine nuts in pesto. I find them a waste of money and that many other nuts or even no nuts at all makes an equally amazing pesto! This recipe is amazing with roasted sweet potatoes and butternut squash!
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper. Add potatoes, ¼ cup of olive oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt and mix well. Place in oven for 30 minutes.
  2. At 30 minutes give them a good mix and cook another 30 minutes until golden.
  3. For pesto add remaining olive oil, salt, garlic, fresh basil and almonds to a food processor and blend until smooth. Or chop by hand for a more fresh and large chopped version. Add pesto to potatoes when ready to serve.
Notes & Tips:

If you make your pesto in advance drizzle a bit of olive oil on top before covering with a lid to maintain its beautiful bright green color. Make extra and add it to your eggs in the morning, a cheese sandwich or to top on grilled chicken.

 
Pineapple braised roast
In Israel, this meat is number 2 or number 3. But you can make this with any cut of meat that can be cooked in the oven in liquid for a long period of time (braised).
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Meat
Special Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Pat meat dry and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Prepare a Dutch oven on high heat. Add olive oil to skillet and let it get hot. Add the meat, searing for 5 minutes per side.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients and water until the meat is just covered.
  4. Cover and place in oven for 4 hours or until the meat is falling apart. (Check on the meat after two hours and add more liquid if necessary).
Notes & Tips:

If you are serving this for Shabbat lunch and want to put it in a crock pot, add it to a crock pot after this cooking method and make sure it is covered in water and keep on low until the next day! Or you can leave it in this pot and place in on the hotplate right before Shabbat.

First Day Chag Lunch 

Citrus bass fish
In Israel this fish is called Lokus. In America it is called Dusky grouper bass. It looks like flounder but is buttery like sea bass. Ask your local fish store if they have it! If not, use fresh flounder or denis.
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Fish
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place parchment paper in a baking dish and put fish in. Sprinkle with spices and add rest of the ingredients.
  2. Cover and bake for 12 minutes. Serve hot, warm or room temperature. Try not to reheat.
 
Vegan gluten free potato kugel
If you are making a thin soup during the time of making this recipe, boil the two potatoes in the soup instead of creating a whole additional pot situation. They will taste better and no mess!
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking dish with parchment paper.
  2. Boil 2 of the red skinned potatoes until soft, and then mash and add to the baking dish.
  3. Grate the rest of the white and sweet potatoes and squeeze out any additional liquid. Add them and the remaining ingredients to the baking dish. Mix well and then flatten.
  4. Bake for 1 ½ hours until golden and crispy on top.
Notes & Tips:

Feel free to play around with this recipe, instead of scallions you can add fried onions. Instead of sweet potatoes you can use all regular potatoes.

 
Moroccan beef stew
If you are making this dish for Shabbat or Chag, skip the oven step and place it on the hotplate or in a crockpot on low for 24 hours before you are eating it. This is Moroccan inspired, but instead of using cumin I use garam masala.
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Meat
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Prepare a large low pot on high heat. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to pot and get hot. Add meat, trying not to overlap too much and sear for 5 minutes per side.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Add 2 cups of water, cover and place in the oven for 4 hours. Add additional salt to taste.
  3. Remove and serve with fresh herbs and freshly squeezed lemon
Notes & Tips:

If you are going to a butcher, any cut of meat that can be slow cooked works for this recipe. The better the cut, the tastier it is but depends on your budget. If you live in Israel you can ask for #2, #4, or #5 or any stew meat.

 
Roasted garlic salad
This recipe is great if you can buy already peeled garlic, because time is money! Make extra of the garlic and it to EVERYTHING. Trust me this roasted garlic becomes an addiction!
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian
Special Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Prepare oven to 400°F. Prepare a small bowl (that is oven safe) with parchment paper and add the garlic, vinegar, honey salt and olive oil. Place in oven and cook for 45 minutes or until garlic is soft.
  2. Place lettuce, orange and avocado in a salad bowl. Remove garlic from the oven and squeeze in the juice from the orange core and mix. Let the garlic cool a bit. Pour onto salad and mix well.
 
Grilled zucchini chicken salad
This salad seems like a to do but really it’s very quick with very little clean up! The sweetness of the pomegranate with the charred flavor of the zucchini and chicken will make you feel like you're at an upscale barbecue! If you can't find pomegranates, feel free to substitute sundried tomatoes or cherry tomatoes.
Cuisine: Poultry
Special Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Prepare a large baking dish with the zucchini strips and add ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of paprika and two 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well. Prepare a grill pan on high heat. Grill on each side for two minutes. Place in salad bowl.
  2. Without cleaning the original dish, add the pargiot, turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon of salt, and two 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well. Place on grill pan for 3-4 minutes per side. Slice when cool and add to salad bowl.
  3. Add lettuce, pomegranates and scallions.
  4. In a jar add ¼ cup of red wine vinegar, ⅛ cup olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon of thyme and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Shake well and dress salad right before serve.

Second Seder Night (outside of Israel)

Pineapple fish
In Israel red mullet is called bori fish. It is a white buttery fish if not over cooked. The trick to fish tasting buttery and not fishy is a fresh fish and not overcooked!
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Fish
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Prepare a large skillet on high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and get hot.
  2. Add the onions, ginger and chili and cook for 2 minutes, mixing periodically.
  3. Add the pineapple, ¼ teaspoon curry powder and a ½ teaspoon of salt and mix well. Let cook for 4 more minutes. Remove from heat and set in serving dish.
  4. Clean pan out with paper towel and place back on stove top. Evenly sprinkle the fish on both sides with the remaining salt, curry powder and the garlic powder.
  5. Turn flame under pan on high and get hot. Add remaining olive oil and get hot. Add the fish in batches if have to for 3 minutes per side.
  6. Remove from heat, cover in pineapple onion sauce and finish with fresh mint. Serve hot or room temperature.
 
Orange leek whole roasted chicken
I love whole chicken because the white meat is SO juicy and doesn't dry out. You can play around with the ingredients of what you love or have in your home - just be generous with the spices and keep the cooking technique the same for the juiciest whole roasted chicken you have ever had.
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Poultry
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Prepare a baking dish with parchment paper. Add the oranges, leeks, chili pepper and rosemary to the bottom of the pan as a bed for the chicken.
  3. Place chicken in pan and sprinkle and rub with the rest of the ingredients so it is evenly coated.
  4. Cover and place in oven for 1 hour.
  5. Turn oven up to 425°F and uncover the chicken. Roast for 20 more minutes.
Notes & Tips:

There are so many advantages to make a chicken whole! It tastes better, it's cheaper, it reheats better! Don't be worried about carving it, watch a video online and you will be set. You can even just let it fall apart! Save the carcass and use it for chicken stock! 

 
Tangerine sweet potato mash
I love this recipe because it’s a fancier more unique version of mashed potatoes.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover in water. Boil on high for 35-45 minutes until extremely soft.
  2. Drain and place back in pot or serving dish. Mash with wooden spoon.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Serve hot or warm.
Notes & Tips:

Feel free to add fresh basil or mint right before serving to enhance the flavors even more!

 
Spaghetti squash with citrus meat sauce
Spaghetti squash is a squash that makes it’s own spaghetti without any fancy kitchen gadgets. It will fulfill your pasta craving without any of the carbs. It is such a delicious simple flavor and will soak up anything flavorful you put with it!
Course: Main Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine: Meat
Special Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Spaghetti squash
Citrus meat sauce
Directions:
Spaghetti squash
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Prepare sheet pan with pan with parchment paper. Rub just enough oil on spaghetti squash to get them moist. Place spaghetti squash face side down on sheet pan and place in oven for 40 minutes.
  2. Remove from oven and scrape with fork, creating spaghetti but leave inside peel, using the peel as a bowl.
Citrus meat sauce
  1. Place a medium sized pot on high heat. Add the oil and when hot add the meat. Let meat brown on both sides for 5 minutes each.
  2. Add the onions, pepper, garlic, tomatoes, honey and garam masala and juice one orange and mix well. Let cook on medium-high heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Turn down to a simmer, cover with lid and let cook for 20-30 more minutes, mixing occasionally.
  4. When ready to serve, place hot meat on hot spaghetti squash , add oranges, mint and chives as garnish.
 
White mushroom citrus salad
These mushrooms taste meaty! I love that you don't have to chop them, you just throw them in the oven and they complete the whole salad! You can use any mushrooms for this recipe
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  2. Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper and add mushrooms, 3 tablespoons of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Mix well and place in oven for 10 minutes.
  3. Place lettuce, mushrooms, and pepper in salad bowl. Slice one of the oranges and add.
  4. In a jar, add the zest and juice of 1 orange, the remaining olive oil, salt, vinegar, honey and thyme. Shake well and dress right before serving.
Notes & Tips:

Double this dressing recipe! It is so unique, refreshing, and delicious and will last a week in the fridge!

 
Black quinoa salad
The bold colors of this dish match the bold flavors! This recipe is amazing if you have leftover chicken too! Feel free to use any color of quinoa, I just think the black one is cool!
Cuisine: Poultry
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Rinse the quinoa. Add quinoa and 2 cups of water to a medium sized pot on high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
  2. Prepare a grill pan on high heat. Marinate chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic powder and half the salt and place on grill pan. Grill for 3 minutes per side. Remove and add mushrooms to the grill pan for 1-2 minutes, until golden.
  3. In a large serving dish add the remaining olive oil and salt. Add the vinegar and jam (or honey) and whisk well with a fork. Add quinoa and mix well.
  4. Place chicken, mushrooms, pomegranate and scallions (and cilantro if using) on top and mix only right before serve.
Notes & Tips:

If you can’t find black quinoa you can use black rice, or regular quinoa - it will taste almost the same just not be as bold in color! If you want to serve this salad as a side dish or vegetarian option, feel free to leave out the chicken! Shimeji mushrooms are beautiful unique mushrooms that are intense in flavor only when cooked. If you cant find them then use any mushrooms instead!

Second Day Chag Lunch (outside of Israel)

Denise with roasted tomato sauce
Everyone cooks the same two fish - salmon and tilapia. And everyone says the same thing - I like fish if it doesn't taste too fishy. So listen carefully to me: fish should never taste fishy. Fish should just taste buttery and delicious. It only tastes fishy if it is poor quality or not fresh. So do yourself and all your fish non-fish lovers a favor and buy some quality fresh fish and you will discover how fish is supposed to taste.
Course: Main Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine: Fish
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Prepare a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Add the tomatoes, garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix well. Bake for 10 minutes.
  2. Season the fish with salt and place on same baking dish, squeeze the juice from 1 lemon on top and add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Cover tightly with tinfoil and bake for 8 minutes.
  3. Remove from oven and using a wooden spoon, smash the tomatoes (wear an apron!)
  4. Add the garden cress and the juice from the other lemon and serve.
Notes & Tips:

I used orange and red cherry tomatoes because they create such deep incredible color. Garden cress is a smaller version of watercress (in the sprouts family) and is filled with incredible nutrients. Feel free to substitute it with any fresh herbs or sprouts of your choice.

 
Sweet potato citrus salad
This salad is so filling, you won’t be hungry until the next morning! Make double the amount of salad dressing and use it throughout the week, it will be good for up to 4 more days in the fridge.
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F
  2. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper. Place sweet potato wedges on pan without overlapping.
  3. Drizzle with ⅛ cup of olive oil and spices, mix well and place in oven for 35 minutes
  4. In a large serving bowl, add lettuce, sundried tomatoes, tangerine slices, scallions and sweet potatoes
  5. In a jar with a lid, add ⅛ cup of olive oil, juice of 2 tangerine cores, mustard, silan, fresh mint and ½ teaspoon of salt and shake well before dressing salad.
Notes & Tips:

Feel free to substitute oranges for tangerines, or even clementines - just double the amount because they are small!

 
Roasted Persimmon mint chicken
If you marinate this chicken the night before it will taste even better! You can make this recipe with any version of chicken. I like to roast it whole or anything on the bone, because it is much juicier and creates a lot of liquid.
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Poultry
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Prepare a baking dish with parchment paper. Add the chicken and rub with olive oil. Sprinkle on the spices and rub in well until all pieces are evenly coated. Add the wine and cover.
  2. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
  3. Remove from oven and place chicken on plate. Add the persimmon and mint to the liquid of the chicken and mix well. Salt to taste.
Notes & Tips:

If you can't find persimmon fruit, feel free to substitute it with peaches, plums, nectarines, mangoes, papayas, pomegranates, fresh apricots, or even dried dates or dried sliced apricots or craisons!

 
Juicy chicken and beef burgers
This recipe is just so easy and just so juicy! You can prep the burgers the day before but be sure to grill them only right before you eat them!
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Meat, Poultry
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Place the ground chicken in one bowl and the ground beef in another bowl. In each bowl add 1 onion, finely chopped, 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder and the juice of 1 tangerine. Mix well. Using the palms of your hands create small burgers.
  2. Slice remaining 3 onions into thick rounds. Place in a third bowl and add remaining salt, turmeric powder and mustard.
  3. Prepare a griddle pan or large skillet on high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and get hot. Add the onions and cook 2 minutes per side. Remove from heat back into the bowl and add the juice of 1 tangerine and the silan, mix well.
  4. Wipe out the pan and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the burgers and using your thumb press down the middle part. Let the beef ones cook for 3 minutes per side and the chicken ones cook 5 minutes per side.
  5. Serve hot and top with onions.
Notes & Tips:

You could also use this recipe for lamb and turkey burgers. Feel free to slice an avocado and fresh tomato and place on top with some salt.

 
Jerusalem artichoke and butternut squash fries
Jerusalem artichokes (also called sunchokes) should not be confused with regular artichokes. They look like fresh ginger and have a nutty potato flavor to them. If you have leftover fries be sure to eat them within a day or two. Peel the artichokes with a peeler and then carefully slice them, because they are delicate and can fall apart if not handled gently.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: people USA imperial/metric conversion:
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Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
  2. Peel the Jerusalem artichoke and butternut squash and slice them like french fries.
  3. Prepare 1 - 2 sheet pans with parchment paper, place all ingredients on sheet pans and mix well until evenly incorporated, not overlapping too much.
  4. Place in oven and bake for 40 minutes until golden on the outside and soft on the inside.
Notes & Tips:

Feel free to add more oil to this recipe if you want them to taste more fried.

Have a question about these recipes? Need a substitution for an ingredient? Chef Zissie is here to answer!

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