“Whatever, why don’t you just eat some bread?” Said a particularly mouthy former friend somewhere around seventh grade, in the throes of the already-challenging Passover diet. As a thirteen-year-old predisposed to a certain awkwardness surrounding my religion, as many young Jews are, I couldn’t help but feel upset with the lack of understanding (and tact, for that matter). But, as many young Jews also have to do, I respectfully declined, and eventually went home to eat my bread-free dinner.
Abstaining from eating chametz, or grain-based foods such as bread or pasta, during Passover is a valuable and meaningful practice for those that choose to do so. That’s what it can be difficult to uphold that religious tradition at the school, in your new apartment that’s still a mess, at the end of a long day at your stressful entry-level job. Sure, it’s much less stressful when you’re at home, and your family is cooking kosher dinners, but once you’re on your own, you might be tempted to give in out of convenience.
To ease that burden and help you maintain your Passover diet, I’ve compiled some of the best and fastest Kosher Passoverrecipes; one for each day of Passover.
- Mini Crustless Quiches with Asparagus and Oven Dried Tomatoes (Joy of Kosher)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Quiche is a great Passover food because the protein will keep you full (as opposed to eating only carrot sticks for lunch). This recipe calls for asparagus and oven dried tomatoes but feel free to throw in whatever vegetables you prefer. Some extra cheese, perhaps?
- Tuna Burgers (An Italian in my Kitchen) with Wasabi Mayo (AllRecipes)
Burgers
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Mayo
Total: 5 minutes
While this recipe uses crushed Saltines for crumbs, you can make it Passover-friendly by using Matzo crumbs instead. Form your patties, cook ’em up, and serve on a Passover-friendly “bun” (I’m sure they exist somehow), or just dip them in the mayo on the side. Not only is it kosher, but it’s also pretty good for you.
This minimalist recipe makes it easy to cook up a hot meal, some of which you can save for the next day. Wasabi mayo is my absolute favorite addition to a tuna dish—highly recommend (if you can handle the spice).
- Slow-Cooker Coffee-Braised Brisket with Potatoes and Carrots (Real Simple)
Hands-on Time: 10 minutes
Total time: 9 hours, 10 minutes
Hear me out: I’m not a slow-cooker person. My mother was not a slow-cooker person, and her mother before her was not a slow-cooker person (similarly we are not pop-up toaster people). Still, I must give credit where credit is due. You can throw a bunch of stuff in a slow-cooker before you go to work while you work from home while you do errands etc. When you get back, you actually won’t have to cook at all. This is great if you’re a morning person, so when you get home, you can just eat, sleep, and do it all again the next day. Not to mention that brisket is a Jewish staple.
- Lemon-Orange Roughy (AllRecipes)
Total time: 20 minutes
Four ingredients, simple instructions, solid final product. The definition of quick and easy.
- Coconut-Crusted Chicken Fingers with Optional Plum Sauce (My Jewish Learning)
Total time (without dipping sauce): approx. 15-20 minutes
With dipping sauce: about 40 minutes
You just make them as you would normal chicken cutlets (egg wash, matzoh cake meal and coconut mixture, repeat), using coconut shreds instead of bread crumbs. Nifty, right?
Honestly, who needs breading when you can use coconut instead? You can pick them up (no utensils needed), dip them in this bangin’ plum sauce that is essentially just boiled plums and spices (yum). Clean-up time for this bad boy is going to be minimal. It sounds like you might want to make that plum sauce ahead of time, and in bulk.
- Mexican Mashed Potatoes (Joy of Kosher)
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
In fact, you can make a meal of mashed potatoes, especially when they’re loaded with peppers, sour cream, cheddar cheese, chiles, and more. Throw in some grilled chicken breast, or keep it vegetarian. The world is your oyster loaded mashed potato bar.
- One Pan Balsamic Chicken (tiphero)
Total Time: Approx. 35 minutes
This one prides itself on the ability to make it all in one pan (once again, minimal cleanup). It’s a bit more elaborate since you have to make a dressing for the chicken and separately make the vegetables, and takes more time than some of the others, but if you have a less hectic day, it might be worth a try for a seriously delicious meal similar to what your parents make. Never underestimate the power of a good, home-cooked meal.
*8. Flourless Nutella Cake (The View from the Great Island)
We need dessert too, right? Besides, often it’s only reform groups that have seven, rather than eight, days of Passover. For this recipe…
YOU ONLY NEED NUTELLA AND EGGS, WHAT MORE CAN I SAY?
You’ve got this: you can make actual meals that are good for you, in a relatively short period of time. Don’t let the natural, hectic nature of everyday life keep you from upholding your beliefs (should you choose to uphold them). I encourage all you Millennials to give it a shot.
P.S. A billion and a half props to Pinterest for its compilation of Passover-friendly recipes. Couldn’t have done it without you.
Sources: Joy of Kosher, All Recipes, An Italian in my Kitchen, Real Simple, My Jewish Learning, tiphero, The View from the Great Island
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Interested in learning more about other Passover recipes? Be sure to readPassover Made Easy.
