For those of you who celebrate, Passover most likely conjures up childhood flashbacks of A Rugrats Passover, The Prince of Egypt, too many people yelling across a table with way too many chairs and steaming bowls of grandma’s matzo ball soup. 

Ask many Jewish folks what their favorite holiday is (myself included), and it will become quite clear that Passover is one of the most beloved. It is also the most fun holiday to share with non-Jewish friends, mostly because it often does not overlap with other holidays, leaving our friends who celebrate Easter free to celebrate Pesach as well. 

While Passover may be a ton of fun as a kid, navigating the dietary rules for the holiday can become complicated.

Just like certain foods are considered kosher or not by the Jewish community, (think no pork or shellfish, no combining milk and meat) Passover introduces its own list of rules and foods that are off-limits.

Yeast is an absolute no-go. The short story is that Moses, the savior of the Jews who were enslaved in Egypt, had to flee with his group of escapees and did not have enough time to let the bread they had baked to nosh on for their journey rise. Ergo, unleavened bread for Passover. In fact, any kind of grain in general is often considered not kosher for Passover. 

However, rules vary according to your family’s specific culture, and how religious you decide you want to be. The Ashkenazi Jewish traditions versus Sephardic ones (the two main cultural denominations in the Jewish community) is an age-old debate that often comes down to what goes on the plate. If you are of Ashkenazi descent, rice at a Passover seder could cause heart failure. If you are Sephardic, it is likely a staple. Those who are very religious avoid any kind of cereal grain altogether.

Though there are those that adhere strictly to the rules and regulations of Passover, most families celebrate the holiday with a set seder menu that toes the line between observant and religious. A few staples grace every seder table, even if different traditions prepare them in different ways. 

Meat is most often the main meal. Brisket accompanied by hearty potatoes and carrots slow roasted to sweet perfection is what my mother prepares every year. Others choose the poultry route and make a roast chicken big enough to feed the family.

Matzo in every form also hits the table, often in soup or a make-shift stuffing concoction that may look a little mysterious, but could be better than the Thanksgiving classic.

My own favorite dish, a part of the seder plate and dubbed charoset, is prepared in different ways across cultures. Being born of both Ashkenazi and Sephardic parents, I had the opportunity to see charoset that resembled brown mush, as well as a version that consisted of beautiful, fresh chopped apples, dried apricots and walnuts with a splash of the infamous Manischewitz. Find a recipe similar to the latter version here.

It seems that, as a holiday that avoids grains, Passover should be gluten-free friendly. However, the copious amounts of matzo hiding in almost every dish makes Passover a bit of a minefield for those avoiding gluten. The main dish is often safe, being meat and vegetable based. Finding matzo alternatives for the other dishes that this ingredient is required for is clearly the first step. Finding side dishes that are gluten-free friendly is also key. Dessert is often gluten-free friendly, with classics such as coconut macaroons.

Whether you are avoiding gluten for personal reasons or for health reasons, there is no need for you to sit out of the Pesach fun. 

Matzo

It seems that the Passover grocery lineup has expanded to accommodate the gluten-free diet. Brands such as Barkat, Shemura, Lakewood, Manischewitz and Yehuda offer gluten-free matzo options. Many are cracker-sized, rather than the large square the size of a large textbook that most of us Jews are used to. Either way, it opens up a whole slew of options for the Passover dinner table. You can also make your own gluten-free matzo crackers with this recipe. 

Side Dishes

1. Matzo Ball Soup

Matzo ball soup is the most popular Passover appetizer, and something my mother makes all year round. Warm and comforting, with wonderful salty chicken broth and fresh chopped vegetables simmered to fork tender, there is nothing quite like the perfect bowl of matzo ball soup. Practically every Jew I know claims that their mom makes the best version. They’re all wrong, because obviously mine does.

Either way, if a gluten allergy forces you to rework those matzo balls, here and here are some recipes to make as-good-as-mom’s matzo ball soup.

2. Matzo Stuffing

Once you have your gluten-free matzo bread, matzo stuffing, a classic Passover side dish in my own household, can be prepared in a cinch. Though it may be a more Americanized Passover dish, anyone who hasn’t tried it is missing out. Check out some recipes here, here and here.

3. Quinoa

Quinoa could be the perfect grain-based side dish that is both kosher for Passover (not all agree on this point, but many feel that it is acceptable) and naturally gluten-free. Check out Food & Wine’s quinoa recipe roundup here.

4. Spring Vegetable Roast

Vegetable based side dishes are also a good gluten-free option. Take advantage of the beautiful spring vegetables at your local market and make a roasted spring vegetable platter that will satisfy anyone at the seder table.

Reach Staff Writer Ashley Seruya here or follow her on Twitter here.